What is Candida Overgrowth?

Candida overgrowth is one of the most common conditions I diagnose and treat. It’s also one of the most underdiagnosed, misdiagnosed, and mistreated conditions conventionally. Candida is a yeast, which is a type of fungus. Under normal circumstances, it can be found in different areas of the body. A healthy body keeps the amount of yeast by a healthy immune system and healthy gut bacteria.

However, Candida is an opportunist. This means if the conditions are right for it, candida will overgrow and wreak havoc on your system. Some of the most common areas prone to candida overgrowth include:

• Skin
• Mouth
• Tongue
• Throat
• Intestines
• Vagina

Candidiasis refers to the fungal infection caused by candida overgrowth. It is commonly seen with the yeast species Candida Albicans but can occur with many other types of candida as well. When candida grows out of control, it releases biotoxins and can harm the intestinal wall. This can contribute to what’s known as “leaky gut”, a condition where the intestinal cell wall layer tight junctions are damaged. This causes leakage into the bloodstream, releasing toxins and byproducts that can harm your other organs.

Candida can also suppress your immune system making you more susceptible to infections and autoimmune disease.

What Causes Candida Overgrowth?

Candida overgrowth can cause you to feel unwell, especially in patients with autoimmune conditions and gastrointestinal issues. It can also cause changes with mood, sleep or skin conditions.

In a healthy gut, candida growth is kept in check by your beneficial gut bacteria. You have trillions of microorganisms in your body that live symbiotically with you. They also create your second genome, dictating virtually every aspect of health and disease.

However, if the delicate balance of the healthy gut bacteria is disturbed or the number of beneficial bacteria is diminished, this can cause and allow candida to multiply and cause health problems.

Some of the ways that your healthy gut microbial balance can be disturbed resulting in candida overgrowth are:

• Antibiotics
• NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents)
• Oral contraceptives (birth control pills)
• Other forms of synthetic hormone use like progestin-only contraceptives such as Depo Provera injections, and IUD such as the Mirena IUD, the Skyla IUD, and implantable devices such as Nexplanon can cause this problem
• Alcohol abuse
• Poor diet
• High sugar intake
• Environmental toxins
• Chronic stress
• Immune deficiencies
• Autoimmune diseases

What Are The Symptoms Of Candida?

Having an imbalance can throw many other things off balance. I have worked with numerous patients suffering candida overgrowth symptoms, including:

• Fatigue
• Brain fog
• Difficulty concentrating
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Skin issues
• Acne
• Eczema
• Digestive Issues
• Allergies
• Sinus problems
• Frequent infections
• Frequent/Recurrent UTIs
• Prostatitis
• Bloating and gas
• Sugar cravings
• Nail fungus
• Coated tongue (thrush)
• Skin rashes and eczema
• Vaginal yeast infections
• Autoimmune Disease

Left untreated, candida overgrowth can lead to chronic inflammation. It can also contribute to the developlment of autoimmune diseases.