Is Candida Even A Thing?
by Rebekah Kuschmider
Wouldn't it be amazing to find out that every ache and pain is caused by something as simple as a yeast infection, and all it took was a single dose of Diflucan to feel better for the rest of your natural life?
That's what proponents of candida syndrome, or yeast syndrome, suggest. They believe that we have too much of a yeast, called candida, in our bodies, which is making us sick, tired, depressed, mentally foggy, achy.
Others are more skeptical.
Any doctor knows that yeast infections are, of course, a real thing. However, an overgrowth of yeast that creates a systemic malaise isn't exactly supported by medical literature. At least not yet.
So is candida a real phenomenon? Or is it just another woo-woo wellness trend?
It all comes back to the microbiome.
One thing we know for certain is that the relationship between humans and bacteria is important and complex. In recent years, we have learned a lot about our microbiome and how we need a healthy balance of good bacteria in our bodies.
Everyone from microbiologists to gastroenterologists will tell you that there are consequences to disrupting the natural bacterial population of our bodies. If you're feeling adventurous, look up "c-diff" and find out what happens when the good bacteria in your gut get chased out by antibiotics. Then look up “fecal transplant” and see the lengths we have to go to correct these problems.
But while we've been talking about how best to maintain our gut bacteria, we haven't been paying attention to the other group of microscopic hitchhikers on our bodies: fungi.
Yes. Fungi. Scientists call the fungus among us our "mycobiome."
We don't know the full extent of fungi in our systems, but we know that they interact with bacteria, and both keep each other in balance.
Here’s the “settled” science.
This brings us to the mysterious fungal freeloader called "candida albicans," or candida for short. Candida has the honor of being one of the fungi science has been able to identify as a human colonizer.
Candida is a real organism and it has a known history of messing with our bodies when it gets overgrown. Doctors and biologists agree that candida overgrowth, known as candidiasis, is a legitimate health issue. They also agree that antifungal medications are effective at fixing candidiasis.
One of the most common candidiasis infections is something we’re all likely familiar with— a vaginal yeast infection. These often occur after we get a bacterial illness, like strep throat, and go on antibiotics. A few days of antibiotics leaves the vagina an itchy, miserable mess, because antibiotics kill ALL the bacteria, not just the problematic ones. With this good bacteria reduced, the candida seizes the opportunity to grow out of control, leading to a vaginal yeast infection.
Yeast overgrowth can also show up in your mouth. Or worse, in your baby's mouth. Infants have fewer good bacteria to keep their candida count balanced, so they can get what’s known as “thrush” in their mouths. If you're breastfeeding, the candida microbes can settle into your nipples and create thrush there, leading to an unending cycle of passing thrush back and forth with your baby! Fun.
The yeast can also get into your baby's GI tract, leading to a fungal diaper rash when she inevitably poops it out, requiring an antifungal cream to heal. (Add a side of sleep deprivation to all of that and you can understand why some breastfeeding moms cry all the time.)
The worst type of yeast infection is called invasive candidiasis. This is a life-threatening condition where candida overgrowth affects your bloodstream or internal organs. A case of invasive candidiasis can land you in the hospital for weeks. You'll need IV antifungal medications to solve the problem. Up to 25% of people with invasive candidiasis die.
Before you freak out, know that invasive candidiasis is very rare. It mainly affects people who have other, significant health conditions such as HIV or immune-suppressing drugs, and doesn’t typically happen out of the blue.
The Less Scientific
So, we can all agree that yeast is a powerful substance that lives in our bodies all the time. However, some wellness experts believe yeast is responsible for much, much more than the occasional trip to the gyno. In fact, they believe it’s responsible for all kinds of chronic issues, and call this “candida syndrome.”
An integrative medicine doctor named Amy Myers famously told GOOP that many people are walking around with an overgrowth of yeast from diet and medication that throw off our fungal/bacterial balancing act. She believes that a diet heavy in bread, sugar, and alcohol is causing undiagnosed candida overgrowth. She also says medications like birth control pills make us breeding grounds for yeast overgrowth.
Dr. Myers also sells a line of supplements that she says will solve the problems yeast causes. Just think that needs to be said.
On her GOOP feature, she listed all the possible symptoms of candida syndrome, including:
Brain fog, poor memory, ADHD
Mood swings, anxiety, depression
Fatigue and/or fibromyalgia
Autoimmune diseases
Digestive issues
Skin issues, including eczema, hives, rosacea, rashes
Seasonal allergies/chronic sinus infections
Dandruff
Skin and nail fungal infections
Vaginal infections, UTIs
Sugar cravings
Mercury overload
Now, as someone who has both depression and ADHD, I instinctively recoil from the notion that I caused these difficult, life-changing problems by eating bread and wine. Diminishing the real effects of serotonin deficits and misfired neurological signals by suggesting that I could fix them with some expensive supplements is…not great.
On the other hand, earlier this year, Nature published an article about the link between gut flora and brain conditions like autism spectrum disorders. And in 2016, researchers at John's Hopkins published a paper noting that a small sample of patients with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder reported a higher than average number of yeast infections.
Clearly, there is still a lot we don't know about how our guts and our brains interact.
Who To Believe?
Mainstream medicine is not jumping on the "yeast is the enemy" bandwagon. Mayo Clinic, Harvard University Health, and even doctors on The Today Show only talk about the known types of yeast infection.
They are anywhere from skeptical to outright dismissive of the idea of yeast overgrowth creating systemic problems in the body and brain. Writers, doctors, and medical sites have all tried to debunk this idea of candida overgrowth (and the diets and supplements prescribed for it), citing a dearth of actual scientific evidence. They also note a correlation between generally following a healthier diet and feeling better overall.
But.
What if mainstream medicine is wrong on this one? What if this is another one of these health conditions that doctors ignore because doctors tend to ignore women? Maybe yeast really IS causing you to feel tired, and foggy, and depressed, and bloated.
What's The Cure?
The good news is that the purported cure for candida syndrome is accessible to everyone. Most candida syndrome proponents prescribe a diet low in processed foods, refined sugar, and alcohol. Eat fresh veggies and lean protein, not too much caffeine, and drink more water. People who switch to this diet tend to report improvement in symptoms in a matter of weeks.
Yeah, I know. Anyone feels better when they cut out sugar and carbs and alcohol and processed foods. Healthy food makes people feel better, regardless of yeast.
Moreover, scientists in Germany determined, 30 years ago, that a low-carb diet doesn't affect the amount of candida in the human body one way or the other.
So maybe fatigue and poor digestion, and achy joints aren't a mysterious microscopic fungal issue at all. Maybe too much junk food makes us feel crappy.
So, where do we go from here?
Well, chowing down supplements to fix your supposed candida overgrowth isn’t the scientifically proven way to feel better.
Dr. Amy Myers, for example, sells something called Candifense to protect from yeast overgrowth. Some people said it was great. But other reviewers on Amazon said the supplements caused extreme stomach issues. A bottle of 120 capsules of Candifense costs $64 and you're supposed to take 4 capsules per day. That's more than $700 per year for something that is unproven, not evaluated by the FDA for efficacy, and might make your stomach hurt. She also makes some claims about halting Alzheimer’s naturally that are a bit suspect. Which is to say— approach all of this with a gigantic grain of salt.
But if you want to try cutting out processed foods and sugar and booze to see if you feel better, go for it! As food writer Michael Pollan says, "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." That's good advice for anyone, in any circumstances.
And as for the known universe of yeast infections, those haven't changed. You can still treat them with antifungal creams or prescription medicines your doctor can give you.
So, the upshot is if you feel bad, try making some common-sense changes to your diet. Maybe try for more sleep and exercise as well. Any doctor or wellness expert will agree that those are the building blocks of good health for anyone.
