Symbiotic Yeasts - Candida Albicans

Candida is a symbiotic yeast, which lives in us and on us, as part of our normal collection of microorganisms. In a normal digestive tract, 90% of the candida live in the mouth and colon. There are five commonly identified families. Candida albicans is most often isolated from the skin and vagina. The stomach and small intestine are relatively hostile to candida growth. Candida populations in the colon are constrained by competitive microbes. 

Colon as a Septic Tank

Marshall  suggested: “The normal indigenous flora of the human gastrointestinal tract comprises a remarkably complex yet stable colony of more than 400 separate species, living in a symbiotic relationship with the human host. Stability of that flora is accomplished by multiple mechanisms including gastric acidity, gut motility, bile, products of immune cells in the gut epithelium, and competition between microorganisms for nutrients and intestinal binding sites. The indigenous flora influences multiple aspects of physiologic homeostasis and forms a key component of normal host defenses against infection by exogenous pathogens.”

Candida Overgrowth  The overgrowth of candida should be interpreted as a symptom of an underlying disorder and not the cause of the disorder. Candida yeasts are symbiotic organisms; everyone has lots of them. Yeasts overgrow when conditions are right for them and they can be a nuisance. You cannot get rid of all yeast. You hope to find an ecological balance, with yeast growing at a controlled rate, below the symptom-producing level.

Vaginitis Candida overgrowth is a common cause of vaginitis in women. Men may be troubled by yeast overgrowth on their penis or on the skin around the anus and groin (jock itch). Vaginitis is often provoked or aggravated by sexual intercourse. In one study,  female risk factors for recurrent vulvovaginitis were recent masturbation with saliva , recent cunnilingus and ingestion of two or more servings of bread per day. A male risk factor associated with recurrence in his partner were masturbation with saliva in the previous month. Many woman suffer prolonged and mysterious vaginal irritation and pelvic pain. Infection is always assumed, and repeated treatment for candida and other organisms often fails. Seldom is the diagnosis of vaginal allergy considered. The vagina often reacts to contact allergens and to circulating food allergens with increased mucus production and secondary candida overgrowth. Milk allergy, for example, commonly triggers vaginitis in both children and adults. 

Prostaglandins in male semen, and allergic responses to semen and/or sperm may be important contributors to vaginitis in sexually active women.. Wilkins, from Cornell, reported that Candida overgrew in the vaginas of women whose immune response was suppressed by prostaglandin E2. Ibuprofen, a prostaglandin inhibitor, improved the anti-Candida response. Prostaglandins were originally discovered in, and named for, secretions of the male prostate gland. Male semen prostaglandins may, in some couples, inhibit the woman's local immune defense. Sometimes, semen proteins or sperm excite female antibody production and trigger allergic, inflammatory responses.  Vaginal candida overgrowth, as everywhere else, is a symptom of another pathological process, and not a cause of it. While treatment of vaginitis with oral and/or vaginal lactobacillus is popular, no benefit has been demonstrated. 3

Babies often have Candida overgrowth on the diaper area of their skin, producing the most aggressive from of "diaper rash". This is often seen in food allergic infants - cows milk allergy is the most common cause. Oral growth of Candida is known as "thrush" and is also common in babies. Infants with inborn errors of amino acid metabolism display prominent thrush.

Candida is irritating and is perceived as whitish surface material associated with local inflammation and itching or burning. A typical sickly-sweet odor is obvious. Vaginal candida overgrows in response to local changes in microbial flora and immune defense induced by oral contraceptive and antibiotic use. It is common in diabetics with elevated sugar in their secretions, since yeast, like Candida, thrive on glucose. Diabetics  with elevated body sugar concentrations do suffer candida overgrowth on the skin, especially  in the groin and perianal areas.

Antibiotic use damages the ecology of microorganisms in the bowel and on body surfaces, permitting the overgrowth of Candida, and undesirable bacteria. It is reasonable to take oral Nystatin in association with broad-spectrum antibiotics. Tetracycline, an antibiotic which often promotes Candida growth, has been marketed in a capsule which contained Nystatin. Avoidance of antibiotic usage is an even better strategy, especially when antibiotics are often used to treat conditions for which they offer no benefit ( allergy, colds and other viral infections).

Danger with Immune Deficiency Diseases Opportunistic growth of candida occurs in people with defective immunity, and can be life-threatening. Metabolites of candida, in increased concentrations, can be toxic, and whole body effects from intestinal overgrowth should be expected. Candida albicans is the most common  fungal pathogen among immune-compromised, hospitalized patients, accounting for roughly 50-60% of all bloodstream fungal isolates. See Fungal Infection in Hospitals

Sick All Over: The possible role of yeast in causing chronic, ill-defined illness was popularized by Dr. Crook in the "Yeast Connection" in 1984.  I admire Dr. Crooks efforts to innovate with new solutions for old problems, but the commercial exploitation of his yeast theory went far beyond rational thinking and supportable claims.

Candida Allergy? You cannot be tested for candida allergy. Everyone should be sensitive to candida antigens. The skin test with candida antigen is used as a test of immune-competence. A positive response is usually delayed - the skin reaction is read at 48 hours after injection. If you do not react to candida antigen, something is wrong with your immune response. Immediate reactions (within 30 minutes) to candida antigen injection are difficult to interpret - it does not necessarily mean that "candida allergy" is responsible for your symptoms.

This discussion of the role of Candida in the digestive tract is continued in the book
Food and Digestive Disorders

Related Topics

Food Allergy Center

Delayed Hypersensitivity

Sick All Over Syndrome

Wheat Allergy

Celiac Disease

Milk Allergy

Food Allergy Infants

Food Allergy in Children

We recommend that all people with  recurrent vaginal yeast infection and with nonspecific illness ---the "sick all over syndrome" --- do adequate, complete diet revision using the
Alpha Nutrition Program as a guide.

 Marshall JC. Gastrointestinal flora and its alterations in critical illness. Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care 1999 Sep;2(5):405-

 J Women's Health. 2003;12:000-000

 Oral and Vaginal Lactobacillus Ineffective in Preventing Postantibiotic Vulvovaginal Candidiasis. BMJ. Published online Aug. 27, 2004.

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