Chronic Candidiasis

DESCRIPTION

An overgrowth of the normally benign yeast (or fungus) Candida albicans, chronic candidiasis (also called the yeast syndrome) results in a wide variety of symptoms in virtually every system of the body, the most susceptible being the gastrointestinal, genitourinary, endocrine (hormonal), nervous, and immune systems. Normally, C. albicans lives harmoniously in the inner warm creases and crevices of the digestive tract and, in women, also in the vaginal tract.

However, when conditions in the body allow this yeast to overgrow, when immune system mechanisms are depleted, or when the normal lining of the intestinal tract is damaged, then yeast cells, particles of yeast cells, and various toxic by-products of yeast metabolism can enter the general circulation and significantly disrupt body processes. Due to the effects of oestrogen, birth control pills, and a higher number of prescriptions for antibiotics, women are eight times more likely to experience candidiasis than men. The typical patient with chronic candidiasis is a female between the ages of 15 and 50 years.

 
FREQUENT SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

Since virtually any system can be affected, chronic candidiasis can trigger a multitude of symptoms. Patients often say they “feel sick all over”. Fatigue, allergies, immune system malfunction, depression, chemical sensitivities, and digestive disturbances are just some of the symptoms patients with yeast syndrome can experience. The more symptoms listed below that are present, the higher the likelihood of yeast overgrowth.

General symptoms

• Chronic fatigue or lethargy
• Feeling of being drained
• Loss of energy
• General malaise
• Headache
• Decreased libido
• Numbness, burning or tingling
• Muscle aches, weakness or paralysis
• Dizziness, loss of balance
• Pain and swelling in joints
• Craving for foods rich in carbohydrates or yeast, e.g., sugar-laden foods, bread, alcoholic beverages

Gastrointestinal system symptoms

• Thrush
• Abdominal pain
• Bloating, belching, gas (flatulence)
• Intestinal cramps
• Rectal itching
• Indigestion
• Heartburn
• Altered bowel function – constipation, diarrhea
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Mucus in stools
• Hemorrhoids
• Bad breath

Genitourinary system symptoms

• Persistent vaginal itch or burning
• Vaginal yeast infection
• Frequent bladder infections
• Urinary urgency or frequency
• Burning on urination
• Endometriosis
• Impotence

Endocrine system symptoms

Primarily menstrual complaints:

•  Premenstrual syndrome, cramps and/or other menstrual irregularities.

Nervous system symptoms
Depression
Frequent mood swings
Irritability
Inability to concentrate
Feeling “spacey” or “unreal”
Poor memory
Spots in front of the eyes
Erratic vision

Immune system symptoms

Allergies
Sensitivity to foods, environmental allergens, chemicals:
Symptoms provoked by exposure to perfumes, insecticides, cleaning products, tobacco smoke, fabric odors, etc.
Symptoms worse on damp muggy days or in moldy places
Low immune function (susceptibility to infection)
Burning or tearing of eyes
Recurrent infections or fluid in ears
Ear pain or deafness

Respiratory symptoms
Nasal congestion or discharge
Postnasal drip
Nasal itching
Sore or dry throat
Cough
Pain or tightness in chest
Wheezing or shortness of breath

Dermatological symptoms
Eczema
Psoriasis
Athlete’s foot, “jock itch”, ringworm or other chronic infections of the skin or nails
Candidiasis of the skin:
Bright red itchy plaques with poorly defined borders
Severe itching
Skin appears moist and crusted
Typically affects skin of the scrotum, vagina and vaginal lips, underarms, spaces between fingers and toes, inner thighs, under breasts, over the base of the spine (sacrum).

Past history
Chronic vaginal yeast infections or vaginitis (inflammation of the vagina)
Chronic prostatitis (inflammation of the prostate)
Chronic antibiotic use for infections or acne:
Use of tetracycline or other antibiotics for acne for 1 month or longer
Use of “broad-spectrum” antibiotics for respiratory, urinary, or other infections for 2 months or longer, or in short courses four or more times in a 1-year period
Use of oral birth control pills
Oral steroid hormone usage:
Prednisone (prednisolone) or other cortisone-type drugs.

Laboratory tests
Stool cultures positive for Candida
Higher than normal levels of Candida antibodies or antigens in the blood 
ICIM Blood Analysis helps to identify the presence of fungal forms, maldigestion and intestinal permeability
Gut Fermentation Blood Test is used to confirm the presence of fungal fermentation activity in the small intestine. 
CTI (computerised thermographic imaging) is often used to highlight the area where fermentation activity is occurring in the intestinal region. Using infrared technology thermal or heat pattern changes can identify the presence of such activity. It also helps to identify underlying liver, gallbladder, spleen, and maldigestive health.
When combined with ultrasound imagery is conclusive.

CAUSES

Chronic candidiasis is typically due to multiple factors that predispose an individual to yeast overgrowth including:
Antibiotics:
Prolonged antibiotic use is believed to be the most important factor in the development of chronic candidiasis. Antibiotics suppress the immune system and kill the normal intestinal bacteria that prevent yeast overgrowth.
Drugs such as nystatin, ketoconazole, and fluconazole, as well as various natural anti-Candida agents, rarely produce significant long-term results because they do not address the underlying factors that promote Candida overgrowth.
Use of natural anti-Candida therapies such as timed-release caprylic acid preparations, entericcoated volatile oil preparations, or fresh garlic preparations (see below) can be helpful. These therapies do not eliminate health-promoting intestinal bacteria. If a follow up stool culture and Candida antigen test show Candida has been eliminated but symptoms are still present, it is likely that Candida is not the culprit.
Similar symptoms to those attributed to Candida can be caused by small intestine bacterial overgrowth, in which case pancreatic enzymes and berberine-containing botanicals such as Hydrastis canadensis (goldenseal) can be helpful.

 
Dietary factors:

• Sugar is the chief nutrient for Candida albicans. Avoiding sugar – which may appear on labels as fructose, maltose, dextrose, polydextrose, corn syrup, molasses, sorbitol, maltodextrin, honey, or maple syrup – is absolutely essential.
• Fruit juice, which concentrates fruit sugars, should also be avoided.
• Milk and dairy products should be restricted or eliminated for several reasons. Milk’s high content of lactose (milk sugar) promotes Candida overgrowth. Milk is one of the most common food allergens. Milk may contain trace levels of antibiotics, which can further disrupt gastrointestinal bacterial flora and promote Candida overgrowth.
• Mould and yeast-containing foods including alcoholic beverages, cheeses, dried fruits, and peanuts should be eliminated from the diet until the situation is under control.

Food allergies:

• Food allergies are commonly found in patients with yeast syndrome.
• ELISA tests, which determine both IgE- and IgG mediated food allergies are often helpful.
• Decreased digestive secretions:
• Gastric hydrochloric acid, pancreatic enzymes, and bile all inhibit the overgrowth of Candida and prevent its penetration into the absorptive surfaces of the small intestine. Decreased secretion of any of these digestive components can lead to yeast overgrowth.
• Antiulcer drugs such as Tagamet (cimetidine) and Zantac (ranitidine), which shut down hydrochloric acid production, actually develop Candida overgrowth in the stomach.
• Proteases (enzymes that break down protein) are also largely responsible for keeping the small intestine free from parasites including, not only yeast but also bacteria, protozoa, and intestinal worms. A lack of proteases or other digestive secretions greatly increases risk for an intestinal infection, including chronic candidiasis.

 

Impaired immunity:

• Patients with chronic candidiasis typically suffer from other chronic infections such as repeated viral infections (including the common cold), outbreaks of cold sores or genital herpes, and prostatic (men) or vaginal (women) infections.
• A triggering event such as antibiotic or corticosteroid use, a nutrient deficiency, food allergy, stress or high-sugar diet can suppress the immune system, allowing Candida albicans to overgrow and become entrenched in the lining of  the gastrointestinal tract where it competes for, and robs the body of, nutrients rendering the body more susceptible to further infection.
• Candida albicans is referred to as a “polyantigenic” organism because it secretes so many toxins and antigens (compounds the body sees as foreign invaders and against which it develops antibodies).

More than 79 distinct C. albicans antigens greatly tax the immune system, draining many of its resources.
 

Impaired liver function:

• Experimental animal studies have repeatedly demonstrated that impaired liver function suppresses the immune system. In mice studies, when the liver is even slightly damaged, Candida runs rampant through the body.
• Indications of an excessively taxed liver include:
   Being more than 9 kg (20 lb) overweight
• Diabetes
• Gallstones
• History of heavy alcohol use
• Psoriasis
• Natural and synthetic steroid hormone use: anabolic steroids, estrogens, oral contraceptives
• High exposure to certain chemicals or drugs: cleaning solvents, pesticides, antibiotics, diuretics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (aspirin, ibuprofen), thyroid hormone
• History of viral hepatitis.

RISK INCREASES WITH

¦ Antibiotic use
¦ Corticosteroid use
¦ Oral contraceptive use
¦ Thyroid hormone use
¦ Antiulcer drug use (Tagamet, Zantac)
¦ Frequent use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (aspirin, ibuprofen)
¦ Diuretic use
¦ High exposure to chemicals such as cleaning solvents, pesticides
¦ Food allergies
¦ High-sugar diet
¦ Heavy alcohol use (alcohol damages the liver, increases intestinal permeability, and raises blood sugar levels)
¦ Nutrient deficiency
¦ Inadequate digestive secretions (hydrochloric acid, pancreatic enzymes, bile)
¦ Stress
¦ AIDS (suppressed immune system)
¦ Diabetes (high blood sugar)
¦ Gallstones (inadequate bile secretion)
¦ Use of drugs that suppress the immune system
¦ Frequent infections (colds, cold sores, genital herpes, prostatic or vaginal infections)

 

 PREVENTIVE MEASURES

¦ Do not use antibiotics, steroids, immune-suppressing drugs, and birth control pills (unless there is absolute medical necessity).
¦ Identify any lack of digestive secretions and supplement with necessary digestive factors (discussed below).
¦ Identify and treat food allergies (for more information see Food allergy Web Article).
¦ Avoid exposure to chemicals. Consume organically grown food whenever possible. Use environmentallyfriendly cleaning products.
¦ Consume a health-promoting diet rich in whole, unprocessed, preferably organic foods, especially plant foods (fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts [especially walnuts], and seeds), and cold-water fish
¦ Make fresh garlic a frequent addition to your diet. The active component in fresh garlic, allicin, is an effective antifungal agent.
¦ Limit consumption of refined and simple sugars and alcohol.
¦ Get adequate rest and sleep to ensure good immune function.

 
Expected outcomes
Candidiasis treatment usually produces positive changes within 2 weeks.

 
TREATMENT

Diet

¦ Eliminate refined and simple sugars: sugar, the chief nutrient for Candida albicans, may appear on labels as fructose, maltose, dextrose, polydextrose, corn syrup, molasses, sorbital, maltodextrin, honey, or maple syrup. Fruit juice, which concentrates fruit sugars, should also be avoided. Consume no more than one serving of a whole fruit per day.
¦ Eliminate alcohol: alcohol damages the liver, raises blood sugar levels, and increases intestinal permeability, allowing Candida access to the rest of the body.
¦ Eliminate milk and dairy products:
¦ milk’s high content of lactose (milk sugar) promotes Candida overgrowth.
¦ milk is one of the most common food allergens.
¦ milk may contain trace levels of antibiotics.
¦ Eliminate mold and yeast-containing foods including alcoholic beverages, cheeses, dried fruits, and peanuts.
¦ Eliminate all known or suspected food allergens.
¦ Follow the dietary recommendations given above in Preventive measures.
¦ ICIM Medics have devised a Gut Fermentation with their team of expects, in particular Dr. Harald Gaier spent many years of his experience putting together a gut fermentation and dysbioisis diet sheet. This has been further added to by the ICIM Medics team, in particular, Jean FitzGerald. There are additional diets which have been devised to address other areas of digestive health from bacterial to parasitic intestinal infections as well as gall bladder and low glycemic index diets.  

 
Nutritional supplements

¦ A high-potency multiple vitamin and mineral supplement: a daily multiple containing all of the known vitamins and minerals provides a foundation of nutritional support. Any good multiple should include 400 ?g of folic acid, 400 ?g of  vitamin B12, and 50–100 mg of vitamin B6. (Folic acid supplementation should always be accompanied by vitamin B12 supplementation to prevent folic acid from masking a vitamin B12 deficiency.)
¦ Take additional antioxidants: look for an antioxidant formula containing carotenes, vitamin E, vitamin C, zinc, and selenium.
¦ Flaxseed oil: purchase organic flaxseed oil bottled in an opaque container, store it in the refrigerator, and do not heat.
¦ Thymus extract: perhaps the most effective way to re-establish a healthy immune system is to improve the functioning of the thymus. The master gland of the immune system, the thymus is responsible for the production of T cells and thymic hormones, which facilitate numerous immune functions.
¦ Water-soluble fiber: water-soluble fiber such as guar gum, psyllium seed, or pectin will promote detoxification and elimination.
¦ Probiotics: friendly intestinal flora are needed to repopulate the intestines, both for their numerous beneficial effects on gut health and also to compete with, and thereby prevent overgrowth of, Candida albicans; viable Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium bifidum cells should be taken.
¦ Lipotropic factors: the nutrients choline, betaine, and methionine are lipotropic agents, i.e., they promote the flow of fat and bile to and from the liver, which improves liver function and fat metabolism. Lipotropic formulas appear to increase levels of two important liver substances: SAM (S-adenosylmethionine), the major lipotropic compound in the liver, and glutathione, a powerful antioxidant that is one of the major detoxifying compounds in the liver.
¦ Caprylic acid: a naturally occurring fatty acid, caprylic acid has been shown to be an effective antifungal against Candida albicans. Take a timed-release or enteric-coated caprylic acid formulation to ensure its gradual release throughout the entire intestinal tract.

 
Botanical medicines

¦ Silymarin: a special extract of milk thistle (Silybum marianum), silymarin is a group of flavonoid (plant pigments with impressive antioxidant effects) compounds that protect the liver from damage and enhance detoxification processes.
¦ Berberine-containing plants: these include goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis), barberry (Berberis vulgaris), Oregon grape (Berberis aquifolium), and goldthread (Coptis chinensis):
¦ berberine, an alkaloid, has a broad spectrum of antibiotic activity against disease-causing bacteria, protozoa and fungi, particularly Candida albicans. Since berberine inhibits both pathogenic bacteria and Candida, it prevents the yeast overgrowth that is a common side effect of antibiotic use.
¦ berberine has shown remarkable antidiarrheal activity, even in severe cases, and may relieve the diarrhoea common in patients with chronic candidiasis.
¦ the use of berberine or berberine-containing plants is not recommended during pregnancy due to possible uterine-stimulant action, and higher doses than those recommended here may interfere with B vitamin metabolism.
¦ Allium sativum (garlic): in both animal and in vitro (test tube) studies, garlic has demonstrated more potent inhibition of Candida albicans than nystatin, gentian violet, and six other reported antifungal agents. The active component, allicin, gives garlic its pungent odour.
¦ Enteric-coated volatile oils: volatile oils from oregano, thyme, peppermint, and rosemary are all effective antifungal agents. Oregano oil has been shown to be more than 100 times more potent than caprylic acid against Candida. As volatile oils are quickly absorbed, an enteric-coated formulation is recommended to prevent possible heartburn and ensure delivery to the small and large intestine:
¦ caution: do not use during pregnancy due to possible stimulation of menses, abortive effects.

 
Drug–herb interaction cautions

¦ Garlic:
¦ plus insulin: animal studies suggest insulin dose may require adjusting due to hypoglycemic effects of whole garlic (in rats) and its constituent allicin (in rabbits).
¦ plus warfarin: the anticoagulant activity of warfarin is enhanced due to increased fibrinolytic activity and diminished platelet aggregation caused by garlic components allicin, ajoene, trisulfides, and adenosine.
¦ Psyllium:
¦ plus oral drugs (e.g., lithium salts): possible reduced absorption unless drug is taken 1 hour before psyllium
¦ plus insulin: insulin dosage may need reduction due to slowing of dietary carbohydrate absorption.

 

ICIM Medics Approach

If you feel that this article relates to you and you suspect that an intestinal dysbiosis may be present, then please make an appointment to have the ICIM Digestive Assessment done: http://icimmedics.com/medical-assessments/digestive-assessment/

Depending upon which option you select please arrange the appointments with ICIM Medics reception. This article is not meant to be used for treatment but for information purposes only. If you feel that this approach is appropriate  for you please contact ICIM Medics on 045 844 819 or www.icim.ie e-mail : info@icim.ie  where the appropriate appointments can be arranged for you.

Tags: Candida Albican, Chronic Candidiasis, Fungus, Yeast