Candida
Candida can cause major problems. A "superbug" form of candida known as Candida Auris has recently become a serious health issue in several nations and medical facilities across the U.S. This strain of candida, which frequently colonizes surfaces like catheters and bedrails to form biofilms, is drug-resistant and causes serious sickness.
The most prevalent form of vaginal/genital candidiasis, which can also affect the skin and other mucous membranes, is caused by Candida albicans. This kind of yeast infection is rarely dangerous if the immune system is operating properly.
The candida infection can spread to other parts of the body, such as the blood and membranes around the heart or brain if the immune system is not operating properly. In this case, major candida symptoms will result. Invasive candidiasis is the medical term for this condition.
When present at the correct levels in the body, the fungus candida helps with digestion and nutritional absorption. Common candida symptoms may manifest when it overproduces. If not stopped, it damages the intestinal lining's protective walls in the digestive tract and enters the bloodstream. This causes leaky gut syndrome by releasing toxins into your body.
The candida yeasts can grow out of control and cause a systemic issue as well as unpleasant candida symptoms when your body's natural pH balance is off. When battling this persistent infection, healthy bacteria and a strong immune system are crucial.
The term used when candida has overgrown in your body is candida overgrowth syndrome. There is no doubt that this is a chronic medical problem. People who have never had a major yeast infection may discover they have new sensitivities, allergies, or food intolerances in addition to the symptoms of candida. Dairy, eggs, corn, and gluten are a few of these items.
Candida Causes:
1. Antibiotics Over usage:
Antibiotics may occasionally be required to treat a persistent infection in order to eradicate the causative bacteria from your body. The issue with antibiotics and their overuse is that they kill both healthy and bad bacteria.
The healthy bacteria in your body are in charge of digestion and controlling candida. Antibiotics have the potential to turn your body into a literal breeding ground for candida over a lengthy course
2. Contraceptive Pill:
Contrary to antibiotics, contraceptives do not by themselves directly result in a yeast infection or candida overgrowth condition. However, birth control tablets can negatively impact a woman's health and cause a candida infection if she consumes a diet heavy in refined sugars and has recently finished an antibiotics course.
Some women report that taking birth control pills seems to trigger yeast infections. Once the initial infection has subsided and they resume taking the birth control pills, candida can begin to spread.
3. Corticosteroids
People who use corticosteroid inhalers to treat their asthma are more likely to acquire oral candida, which can progress to systemic candida overgrowth. People who take corticosteroid inhalers for asthma must strictly adhere to the instructions for swishing out the mouth after each usage.
4. Cancer Therapy
The Department of Clinical Research at Merck Research Laboratories claims that candidiasis can develop into an extremely dangerous complication in cancer patients by becoming invasive. In this study, invasive candidiasis was present in one-third of cancer patients receiving treatment. Both chemotherapy and radiation are capable of eliminating malignant cells and tumors, but they also destroy the beneficial bacteria that the body naturally uses to combat candidiasis.
5. Diabetes
Sugar levels in the mouth and other mucous membranes are often greater in people with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes than they are in people without the disease. Given that sugar feeds yeast, which is what candida is, it seems sensible that people with diabetes are more likely to acquire candida overgrowth syndrome.
6. Weak Immune System:
Candida is more prone to spread in anyone with a compromised immune system. Infants, young children, the elderly, those with HIV/AIDS diagnoses, and people with other inflammatory and autoimmune diseases all fall within this category.
7. Cigarette and Alcohol
8. Can be sexually transmitted
9. Dental mercury fillings
10. Chloride and Fluoride in Water
Symptoms:
The overgrowth of the yeast Candida can be challenging for doctors to identify. Stool testing, serum testing, candida DNA testing, stool PCR testing, and testing for microbial organic acids are all potential testing techniques. Different people experience this sort of systemic yeast infection in different ways. The nine candida symptoms listed below might help you determine whether you have candida or candida overgrowth syndrome.
1. Consistent Fatigue
No matter how much sleep you get, if you consistently feel exhausted, you might have chronic fatigue syndrome. The primary symptom of the condition is fatigue, which must endure for at least six months. Other candida symptoms, such as headaches, joint discomfort, memory and concentration problems, sore throats, and so on, are frequently present as well. Chronic fatigue is frequently one of the candidiasis symptoms. Even while candida infections are not the main cause of chronic fatigue syndrome, many medical professionals think they increase the risk.
2. Mental Issues
Due to the fact that so many of the candida symptoms are also present in other illnesses, such as mental disorders, diagnosing candida can be challenging. Dramatic mood swings, anxiety, irritability, despair, and even panic attacks can occur in people with candida overgrowth.
3. Recurrent urinary tract infections and vaginal infections
Candida may be the cause of recurrent infections of the vagina or urinary tract in some people. It's crucial to understand that candida can be communicated between partners via sexual contact. Avoid hot baths and tight-fitting undergarments while an infection is active in order to lower the risk for women.
4. Oral Thrush
The same strain of candida that infects other mucous membranes, such as the vagina, also causes oral thrush, a yeast infection. Prednisone use, as well as the other oral corticosteroids already discussed, is the main contributing factor. If unattended, it may invade various body parts, such as the liver, lungs, heart valves, and digestive system.
Candida in the mouth can be spread. Thrush can be contracted during childbirth, infected children can acquire it via playing with other kids' toys, and infected adults can spread it to others through saliva.
5. Digestive Stress
One of the more painful candida symptoms is persistent intestinal irritation. A lack of good bacteria in your digestive tract may result in persistent gas, burping, bloating, constipation or diarrhea, and stomach pains.
Healthy bacteria are outnumbered when yeast invades the intestines and cannot successfully treat the infection on its own. Dysbiosis is a condition in which the bacteria in your stomach are out of equilibrium. When a candida infection is adequately treated, a lot of people see a dramatic improvement in their chronic gut discomfort.
6. Sinus Infections:
Today, sinus infections are widespread, and it can be challenging to identify the underlying cause, as is the case with many of these other candida symptoms. Candida can cause a chronic cough, post-nasal drip, increased congestion, seasonal allergies, and other flu-like symptoms. It can also impact the sinuses. It's important to check for a candida infection if you consistently have sinus issues.
7. Brain fog
One of the symptoms of candida, along with alterations in mood and persistent weariness, is frequently disregarded: brain fog. However, candida overgrowth may result in a lack of concentration, sluggish physical coordination, trouble focusing on tasks, and impaired memory.
8. Fungal Skin and Nail Infections
The same strain of candida causes both athlete's foot and toenail fungus infections, which are both frequent yeast diseases. Constant infections could indicate a systemic candida infection.
9. Hormone imbalance
One of the signs of candida that can appear in many different medical disorders is a hormone imbalance. It's crucial to understand how infections can result in early menopause, PMS, a lack of sex drive, migraines, endometriosis, water retention, mood swings, and the difficulty to drop excess weight.
Your body becomes irritated when you have a candida overgrowth, which encourages the yeast to flourish and spread outside of the digestive tract. In fact, one of the candida's metabolites can mimic estrogen and cause a dangerous hormone imbalance.
Other symptoms that easily get ignored:
hyperactivity ADD, night sweets, thyroid dysfunction, hypoglycemia, irregular heartbeat, painful intercourse, skin issues, low libido, metabolic syndrome, IBS, acne, salty and carbs cravings, acid reflux and dandruff
RESOURCES:
https://www.nature.com/nrneurol/
2022. NP. Malika Katrouche. All Rights Reserved.
