Candidiasis Albicans Syndrome

The Chronic Candidiasis Syndrome, commonly referred to as Candida, is a series of vague, sometimes seemingly unrelated symptoms. Sometimes the patient may even be referred to a psychiatrist for their "neurotic condition," and often routine blood tests usually don't reveal anything unusual.

But Candidiasis is serious problem resulting from an intestinal imbalance of Candida Albicans, a normally occurring, parasitic, yeast-like fungus that inhabits that intestines, the genital track, mouth and throat. This syndrome has recently sparked much attention as being a cause or a factor in various health problems. Candida is a fungus of the yeast category. Although pathogenic strains of Candida share similar characteristics with food yeasts, food yeasts do not carry the same ability to adhere to and colonize mucous membranes. Previously, the syndrome was dubbed the "Candidiasis Hypersensitivity Syndrome." But Candidiasis is an infection of this natural yeast. It seems to thrive in AIDS or cancer patients under chemotherapy in which the body's immune system weakens. This effect in these individuals originates stems from the overabundance of the Candida yeast in their gastrointestinal track. Infants, diabetics and individuals with various immunological dysfunction seem to be more susceptible to infection of Candidiasis.

Candidiasis has been subject to much debate and lack of understanding which has brought about new thinking and research. The entire etiology of the disorder is not fully understood as of yet, however thousands of patients with chronic illnesses have been helped or cured with antifungal and diet therapy. Despite all the research and findings, most of the medical community is ignorant of Candida as a pathogen and are still misinformed about the real consequences of intestinal Candida.

There are many factors that may contribute to Candida proliferation in the intestines. The primary contributing factor is the use of oral antibiotics (esp. tetracycline). It is common knowledge that antibiotics, especially over a period of time or with repeated uses, will eliminate much of the normal microbiota of the gastrointestinal tract. However, there are consequences of the elimination of these important bacteria that compete with other organisms for mucosal epithelial cellular receptor sites. The medical community recognizes that with the elimination of the normal flora defense mechanism, yeasts are allowed to grow excessively causing extreme consequences from this Candida proliferation.

Antibiotics and Intestinal Flora

Antibiotics, which are powerless against yeasts, but destroy bacteria, allow yeasts residing in the gut to grow unregulated. Antibiotics may also allow various strains of bacteria resistant to the specific antibacterial drug to grow excessively, leading to bacterial overgrowth. Today, many physicians increasingly and liberally prescribe oral antibiotics, and intestinal Candida proliferation is becoming an ever increasing problem. (Have you ever wondered why so many people recently seem to be suffering from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Irritable Bowel Syndrome?) The treatment of teenage acne with such drugs as tetracycline has been implicated as one of the most important factors in the Chronic Candidiasis Syndrome.

The misunderstanding of the importance of Candida as an affliction results in several difficulties. First, physicians must learn and retain enormous amounts of information. Patients expect their physician to know everything. New and rare disorders can take months to years to find or may never be diagnosed. Second, the immense use of antibiotics started in the early 80's, and only now is there a large enough population that has used a significant amount of antibiotics to realize possible side effects. Third, the true significance of the normal microbiota of the gastrointestinal tract has only recently been established. Previously, it was associated with old wives tales and sometimes frivolous naturopathic medicine. However with the introduction of antibiotics, diseases like AIDS especially, and the onset of systemic Candidiasis following antibiotic treatment, it can not be ignored. It is now considered an extremely important defense mechanism by leading microbiologists.

The use of steroids (cortisone), birth control pills, antacid and anti-ulcer medications (Tagamet, Zantac, Pepcid, Axid, etc.), in addition to antibiotics are also very important contributing factors since Candida proliferates rapidly in the presence of these substances. Modern day diets extremely high in sugars are also blamed for the condition and is quite reasonable given knowledge of microbiology. Sugars are rapidly metabolized by fungi, esp. yeasts, and prevent the growth of bacteria. In fact, eliminating sugars from the diets of various individuals has been demonstrated to be of equal importance with antifungal therapy, although it certainly can not replace it. Candidiasis is a serious condition and must therefore be seriously considered and treated. Fungal infections of the skin epithelium are generally difficult to eliminate. The intestines, also composed of epithelium, provide a warm, moist, nutrient-rich, environment favorable to Candida growth, especially when provided the above conditions. Unfortunately, some physicians do not have the time to think that because something can't be seen, doesn't mean it's not there.

Candida has also been suggested to play a part in creating what is called a "leaky gut," an unfavorable increase in intestinal permeability. Undigested macromolecule food particles and toxins are allowed to pass directly into the body creating a host of problems. This creates havoc with the immune system when these particles trigger an immune response sensitizing the individual to normally harmless molecules. When this happens, the individual is suggested to become "environmentally sensitive," responding to various harmless inhalants in the environment the person is exposed to as well as various foods. These reactions do not create typical allergic symptoms. Because of the strain on the immune system to break these undigested molecules down, the body's ability to defend against Candida may be further weakened, creating a cycle. These particles may also pass through the blood/brain barrier, be mistaken for neurotransmitters, and produce other mental symptoms that may create a misdiagnosis of neurotic disorder. Research is currently being done at the National Institute for Health to this end.

Candida has been found to produce 79 distinct toxins. These toxins have been shown to cause massive congestion of the conjunctivae (eyelid area), ears, and other parts of the body in rats. It is these toxins that are also suggested to be responsible for many of the symptoms that Candida sufferers have as well as the "die off reaction." Certainly, there are other complex complicating factors that are unknown to us at this point which will require further research and funding to find.

The versatility of Candida has been overlooked. It has been considered that only those who are immunosuppressed are susceptible to Candida infections. However, it is known that women who are not immunosuppressed, develop vaginal yeast infections. The only method in which these are diagnosed are by visual signs. Unfortunately, there is no method besides surgical procedures to easily explore the small intestines.. In addition, there has been further research demonstrating that Candida is responsible for and involved in many forms of psoriasis and other skin diseases. There have also been numerous cases of non-immunosuppressed patients who have developed forms of Candidiasis. Again, the only reason these patients were diagnosed, was because of visual signs on the exposed mucous membranes or severe symptoms that required surgical procedures. Yeasts are dimorphic organisms. Under malnourished conditions, Candida can convert from its normal budding form to its mycelial form in which the cells are elongated and attached at the ends, allowing it to grow into different areas. Resistance to phagocytosis in its mycelial form is considered to be an important part in the pathogenicity of Candida.

Many physicians try to compare the immunology of the gastrointestinal tract to that of other organs and systems in the body including the circulatory system. They simply recall being told in medical school that Candidiasis affects the severely immunosuppressed only and fail to think beyond. As any competent physician should know, the immunology of the gastrointestinal tract functions separately as local immunity, the weakest of all immunological activity. Immunoglobulin G has practically no significance in gastrointestinal immunity and the activity of Immunoglobulin A (to help prevent binding to mucosal cells) is under question." The primary defense mechanisms of the intestines are acidity and motility. Although obviously not entirely true today, but still with validity, E. Metchnikoff, in his book, The Nature of Man published in 1908 (Putnam) felt that toxins absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract were the cause of most of the problems acquired by humans. Because of the local immunity and the physiology of the gastrointestinal tract, it is source of a vast number of human afflictions.

The average physician, when questioned about Candidiasis, might look in a patient's mouth for signs of massive proliferation and/or just outright tell the patient they don't have it because there are no extreme visual signs. The doctor may also refer to a patient's complete blood count (on routine blood testing) telling the patient that they are not immunosuppressed, therefore they don't have it. This serves as an example of how textbook minded many doctors are. These symptoms are only demonstrative of the massive infections seen in AIDS and cancer patients where the immune system is suppressed and not localized intestinal Candida proliferation. In addition, the gastrointestinal immune response functions separately from the systemic immune response. The Chronic Candida Syndrome, despite much speculation, does not require a defective or depressed immune response to affect an individual. Rather, it is primarily a consequence of other favorable conditions.

The controversy over the existence of this disorder is due to several factors. The major argument against the elimination of normal flora causing yeast proliferation is the theory that eventually your intestinal compliment of normal flora will return after stopping antibiotics and yeast proliferation will "just go away." No conclusive studies have been performed demonstrating this. It has been shown that whatever organisms that has presently colonized an area of the GI tract will remain dominant in that area. The return of normal flora to areas of the GI tract does not necessarily mean that this has stopped the growth of other pathogens nor does it mean that Candida proliferation hasn't damaged the GI tract. When stool cultures report growth of normal flora, it does not mean that their is growth along your entire intestinal tract. It is also suggested that a healthy immune system will be able to overcome the proliferation. However, since it is shown that immunocompetent individuals can develop Candidiasis, this is certainly not the case, especially since Candida is so versatile and given favorable conditions in the intestines. Candida even has a unique property in that it can produce "fungal balls" in its acute stage.

The second argument is that "yeast in the intestines is normal and harmless." The statement is that, "yeast can be recovered from the stool of healthy individuals." However no mention has been made of the effects of proliferated yeast in the intestines and what amount is normal. The colon is home to many pathogenic organisms in healthy individuals, including parasites in 5-10% of the population that physicians wouldn't dare say are harmless if proliferated. No conclusive studies have been performed demonstrating that intestinal yeast proliferation is harmless. In fact, studies have shown the exact opposite. As any woman who has had a vaginal yeast infection knows, it can certainly create quite a problem. It is preposterous to state that heavy growth of yeasts in the intestines, another mucous membrane, is meaningless. Anyone who has had diarrhea from antibiotics will certainly know this as well. Unlike in a woman's vagina, yeasts are provided a perfect environment with enough food and sugars to create rapid proliferation.

The contributing factor to the reluctance of the medical community as a whole to accept the syndrome is the lack of a absolute definitive scientific proof of the Candida/human interaction. There has also been an extreme lack of complete widely published case reports of those who have been cured with anti-yeast therapy. The treatment has preceded some of the research, and its success in many individuals is proof in itself of the Candida/human interaction. Furthermore, failure of doctors to request proper growth medium or request the use of a gram stain and direct microscopic observation to identify the presence of yeast in stool specimens has also contributed to a lack of diagnosis. In addition, many labs consider yeast a "normal flora" and do not report it unless it is specifically asked for. Other potentially hazardous bacteria are also part of the normal flora when not in excess, however parts of the medical community still choose to ignore yeast proliferation despite the facts.

There are still many more reasons lingering why perhaps there is such a reluctance to accept the syndrome:

• Widespread acceptance of the yeast syndrome will make many doctors who have misdiagnosed these patients appear ignorant.
• Symptoms of Candidiasis can be a big money maker and doctors legally have an excuse not to treat you since as of yet, there is no definitive lab test capable of an absolute diagnosis.
• The enormous repercussions of the liberal use of antibiotics and the ignorance involved will put many doctors at fault.

There are however many physicians who do not agree with the above. Doctors who have tried antifungal and diet therapy with their patients (maybe as a last resort) have seen their patients lives dramatically turn around in a matter of a few months or less and can no longer deny the existence of this problem. They enjoy the self-satisfaction of knowing they have made a difference in someone's life where others have failed. If your doctor is kind, compassionate, genuinely interested in medicine and helping people (the kind we would all like to have), perhaps he or she will be more open minded to the many areas of medicine that have not been fully explored. If you have been struggling with difficult symptoms or diseases of unknown origin listed below, perhaps your doctor will help you in a trial of therapy. Remember, however, it is ALWAYS important to keep an open mind to other possibilities.

Supplementing the diet with beneficial yeasts, such as kefir, and bacteria such acidophilus has provided relief for many individuals suffering from this problem.

Source: Omega Nutrition supplementary