Candida albicans and Recurrent Women’sYeast Infections
Yeast infections which are recurrent are a curse for many women. How are they related to Candida albicans? Read more to find out how changing diet, cooking differently, and taking nystatin may help women who suffer from these infections.
This page is based on the clinical experience and research of Bruce Semon, M.D., Ph.D., a board certified doctor who also has a Ph.D. in Nutrition.
This page contains information about women’s recurrent yeast infections, and how to cure these infections by changing diet. This is not intended to be specific medical advice for specific individuals. Dr. Semon is available for consultations and new patients. Call toll-free 1-877-332-7899. For more detailed information, we suggest that you make an appointment to see Dr. Semon and read our new book, An Extraordinary Power to Heal, which has a chapter devoted to women’s yeast infections. An Extraordinary Power to Heal also has a chapter on hormonal problems that affect women, including endometriosis and recurrent miscarriage. Wisconsin Institute of Nutrition’s new cookbook, Extraordinary Foods for the Everyday Kitchen, is completely free of yeast, gluten and casein as well as common allergens of soy, rye, corn, peanuts, and other foods. It also is completely sugar free and kosher.
Many women have recurrent yeast infections. They apply anti-fungal cremes, they take the “once a day” medication, but nothing works. Why do such infections recur?
Such infections are caused by the yeast Candida albicans. This yeast is found in the intestinal tract and in the mouth and is also found in the birth canal. Small amounts of this yeast in the birth canal do not cause problems but when the numbers of such yeast increase, pain and inflammation result. The numbers of this yeast increase significantly in all of these sites after the use of antibiotics. Many women have such infections only after antibiotic use but in some of these women, the infections can come back even without antibiotics.
The yeast Candida albicans has a number of tricks to help it evade the body’s immune system. Candida has several forms, including one which is that of a fungus. As Candida changes forms, it can change the markers on its surface, so that it looks different to the body’s immune system. In other words, it is a moving target. In addition, Candida can suppress the body’s immune response to itself. Candida is known to release a number of factors, several of which seem to be pieces of its capsule. When these factors are tested with cells from the body’s immune system, the result is suppression of the immune response of these cells. Such immunosuppressive factors have been found in the blood of people with significant yeast infections.
How does such knowledge help in understanding why yeast infections recur?
The major location of yeast in the body is in intestinal tract. The quantity of yeast found in the intestinal tract is much larger than the quantitiy of yeast found in the birth canal. In the intestinal tract, the yeast share space with the bacteria also resident there. After the use of antibiotics, the yeast grow to fill in the space left by the removal of the bacteria.
Even after the antibiotics have been stopped, the yeast continue to grow at a higher level.
Yeast make many chemical compounds, which the yeast release. Many of these compounds kill bacteria. These chemical compounds prevent the bacteria from coming back, enabling the yeast to grow at a higher level. These chemical compounds are toxic to humans and can cause such problems as headaches, fatigue and depression. Pregnancy and the use of birth control pills can also make yeast grow more.
From the intestinal tract, Candida albicans can release immunosuppressive factors, which again enable it to grow at a higher level. These immunosuppressive factors will circulate and prevent the body’s immune system from responding to and clearing yeast at other sites, such as the birth canal. So even after an anti-fungal creme is applied to a yeast infection, the yeast which remain can grow back because the body’s immune response to such yeast is suppressed by factors released by Candida in the intestinal tract. As long as the intestinal yeast is present and is making and releasing immunosuppressive factors, the body’s immune system will have a difficult time clearing yeast from that area of the body.
To clear yeast from that area, the yeast in the intestinal tract need to be cleared first.
The way to reverse the problem of yeast in the intestine is to change diet so the person suffering from these infections no longer takes in toxic chemicals. I explain more of this below. Second, they should take the anti-yeast drug nystatin. This drug is made by a bacteria in the soil and is not absorbed by humans. Nystatin kills the yeast living in the intestinal tract.
Fortunately, because nystatin is not absorbed, nystatin causes no side effects except for a little nausea. No harmful side effects have ever been caused by the use of nystatin. There is no risk to trying this therapy.
I have treated many women for chronic yeast infection by treating intestinal yeast and all have improved.
The diet also needs to be changed for nystatin to work.
The diet for Candida problems consists of removing fermented foods from the diet. The worst offenders are alcoholic beverages and non-alcoholic beer, vinegar, barley malt, chocolate, pickles, and aged cheese. I explain the diet very thoroughly, including how to implement the diet for children, in An Extraordinary Power to Heal and Feast Without Yeast:4 Stages to Better Health. Feast Without Yeast has more than 225 recipes that are easy to make and taste great! Our new cookbook, Extraordinary Foods for the Everyday Kitchen contains more than 125 additional new, original recipes and more than 60 menus to help you plan meals.
