There are a number of common symptoms that can indicate a problem with yeast overgrowth. The signs from these various strains of candida including the super-fungus Candida auris include:
- headaches
- skin rashes such as acne and eczema
- mucous build up in the throat nose and lungs
- sinus infections
- Itching genital infections
- athlete’s foot
- nail fungus (usually occurring in the toenails).
If chronic, yeast overgrowth can affect the nervous system leading to many cognitive symptoms such as:
- brain fog
- poor concentration
- anxiety
- depression
- mood swings
Opportunistic yeast such as candida are organisms that normally exist harmlessly as a normal part of our internal environment. They do not cause harm until they outgrow the good bacteria that keep balance and harmony within the body, which also keeps the immune system functioning properly. At this point is when fungal overgrowth can wreak havoc, disrupting the immune system and progressively leading to one or more of the above symptoms.
What Causes Yeast Overgrowth?
Opportunistic bacteria and yeasts like Candida albicans don’t just spontaneously “take over”.
There’s a reason this happens! I prefer to group these causes into three main categories: stressful lifestyle, poor diet, and pharmaceutical drugs (not just antibiotics) have a powerful impact on our gut flora providing the opening for opportunistic strains of yeast to exert authority and overgrow with dire health consequences over time.
- Diet– A diet high in sugar, starch and processed foods is fuel for yeast to thrive and multiply. This study found that biofilms of Candida are made of 32% glucose. It was found that Candida yeast needs sugar not just to reproduce, but also to create the protection in the form of a biofilm that keeps our immune system from attacking it.
- Lifestyle- A stressful lifestyle can lower immunity and therefore lead to a decrease in beneficial gut flora. Remember 80% of immunity is located in the gut. Keeping bacteria in check is crucial to keeping symptoms and sickness at bay. Other factors that can lead to yeast overgrowth is exposure to chlorinated water, alcohol abuse, and digestive distress coming from a lack of stomach acid (hydrochloric acid) which causes undigested food to putrefy in the gut, leading to symptoms such as constipation and diarrhea.
- Drugs- Antibiotics and the birth control pill are a huge factor in candida and yeast overgrowth. These pharmaceuticals eliminate beneficial flora creating the ideal environment which allows for harmful pathogens to overgrow.
Gut Flora and the Skin
Since the majority of my focus in nutrition is with skin issues, about 95% of my clients have digestive concerns and almost always have some extent of dysbiosis (imbalance of gut bacteria), and of course yeast or other microorganisms that need to be treated. Beyond addressing the three main categories above, eradicating these critters is necessary to see lasting improvements in skin symptoms, whether it’s acne or eczema.
Biofilms: Overlooked Step in Treating Yeast Overgrowth
Much of the information regarding yeast and candida out there addresses treatment, including diet and supplements, although leaves out a very crucial step.
There’s another side of the story that rarely gets talked about that can make all the difference in an effective treatment plan.
Biofilms act as a protective shield around yeast and other microorganisms. This makes it even more challenging to attack the yeast as the antifungals that are taken by most cannot get through this matrix of a biofilm, whether it be drugs or herbal based remedies.
This is how yeast hides and protects itself from being destroyed. One study found that a group of anti-fungal drugs, including Nystatin and Diflucan, which are used to treat Candida, found that they were initially effective until the biofilm developed. At this point, they became less effective and after 72 hours of the biofilm development, the candida cells were highly resistant. This research indicates that drug resistance develops over time due to biofilm development. Now researchers are seeing more common anti-fungal drugs such as amphotericin B and fluconazole developing resistance as well.
Using Enzymes to Attack Yeast Biofilms
Common herbal antifungals (this is a comprehensive formula I use in my practice) used in yeast overgrowth treatment such as oregano oil, black walnut, uva ursi, berberine, and olive leaf can be great options, but these alone won’t do the trick. To properly get to and kill the microorganism that is causing the trouble, you first have to breakdown the biofilm that’s protecting it.
Think of it as attempting to get past a security guard, it’s possible to get through him, you just need a more comprehensive approach to ensure your game plan is effective.
Anti-fungals need to be paired with a biofilm disruptor, which is a combination of specific enzymes that are designed to eat their way through the matrix.
Candida and other types of yeasts have no resistance and are not able to build a resistance to enzymes like they may be able to do with drugs or herbs. There are no side effects, only side benefits with this type of biofilm disruptor. When looking for an enzyme formula (I like this one) make sure and find one that contains a varied number of enzymes to target the layer of the cell wall, biofilm, nucleus and fibrin.
Enzymes to look for specifically in a product are cellulase, glucoamylase, amylase, invertase, protease, and serrapeptase.
Amino Acid (NAC) an Effective Biofilms Disruptor
Another agent that has been studied to also be effective as a biofilm disruptor is N-Acetyl cysteine (NAC). This is an amino acid and a strong antioxidant but also has antibacterial properties. It has been tested on several different bacterias and shown to be effective, especially in upper respiratory infections.
Because of the number of relapses in both bacterial and yeast issues, alternative treatments as these biofilm agents provide are needed to complete eradication. I suggest working with a holistic health care practitioner who has experience treating yeast overgrowth to get an effective treatment plan. This is why an anti-yeast/candida type diet can be difficult and usually not enough. You have to get the support to address the cause effectively otherwise you may not be seeing the results you’re after.
References
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC95423/?report=reader
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16849719
https://idsa.confex.com/idsa/2010/webprogram/Paper2660.html
http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2180/10/140
Pau d’Arco: The Best Herb to Beat Back Candida
Can Candida Sufferers Drink Kombucha?
How to Take Probiotics
Homemade Organic Baby Wipes
Thanks so much Carla for this enlightening post ! I have a question though : InterFase plus contains EDTA which chelates heavy metals, including possibly mercury. Is it safe to use when you still have mercury containing amalgams in your mouth ? (For the time being I cannot have them removed properly) Would it be wiser to take InterFase instead?
Hello Carla, I have stumbled onto what Candida overgrowth is and i have realized i have pretty much all symptoms. I didn’t know that all of the symptoms i was experiencing was coming from a source of Candida overgrowth and it all makes sense to me now as to why i have been suffering for years. I have had allergies all my life, ear infections, fungal skin issues(athletes foot, ring worms) acne has been an ongoing problem for as long as i can remember. I also experience chronic sinusitis yearly, which only seem to be relieved with antibiotics , which i now know have been a contributing factor to my issues and cause more harm than good. The newest thing is overactive bladder symptoms that have lasted for years and yeast infections. I started to take a multivitamin called Vitamin code for women and i noticed that i started to feel very good with lots of energy. Then out of no where my acne issues worsened like never before and exploded into cystic acne all over my cheeks and other places. I was so upset with all the acne that i stopped taking the Vitamin Code woman’s multivitamin because i was convinced that these multivitamins were overloading my system and causing the issues. I now wonder if the side effects i was experiencing were related to a detox in my system because of the Candida overgrowth?? These Multivitamins have raw probiotic and Enzyme blend in them with all of the biofilm enzymes you have mentioned in your article a long with numerous minerals and vitamins present. Was this a die off of the candida and candida biofilm that i was experiencing?
I’ll bet you were having die-off symptoms. I’ve been fighting yeast for over 10 years. I started taking a double dose of a probiotic with an enzyme for the biofilm and it got way worse for a while. But now it is much improved.
Thanks for sharing and I just bookmarked your blog. Just checked your other posts as well and I enjoyed reading them. They’re all very informative. I must admit that I’m not good with all the nutritional stuff. I look forward to reading your future posts. Thanks again, Carla. Cheers!
High dosage probotic, plenty of water and VICKS VAPOR RUB on areas where yeast infection arises. Tried everything!!! It seems hard for some people to believe, just try it… you don’t have anything to loose and everything to gain!!! Live a yeast infection free life!!!
I use the Interphase Plus. Klaire also makes a plain Interphase, but the “Plus” includes EDTA, a heavy metal chelateor. Research has shown that bacteria and virus’s have an affinity with heavy metals and to properly remove either, both have to be addressed.
Good article, thanks.
do you recommend probiotics during the biofilm/anti-fungal treatment or after?
I have 13 month old twins who were born 9 weeks early and spent 6 weeks in the NICU after birth. Currently they both have really bad yeast infections in their diaper areas. They’ve had it for a long time, but now it is really bad. The nystatin that the doctor perscribed isn’t helping at all. Well, maybe it did at first, a little. Is there an enzyme you would recommend for them to break down the biofilm?
I agree – sticking with the Candida Diet is the best way to go. I wish I had that will power all the time! The Candida Diet def works, but i also keep a bottle of Lady Soma Candida Cleanse handy when I cant follow the diet – take a pill in the morning and at night for a couple days – and it will be gone…..get back on the diet when you can – but keep Lady Soma around when you cant
These sound very effective, but I have an added problem- I have a swallowing issue, and cannot take pills or capsules. Is there a liquid or chewable solution?
Try opening the capsule and sprinkling the contents onto a spoonful of applesauce, yogurt, or pudding for easier swallowing. I don’t know how severe your swallowing disorder is, but some people also have luck dipping hard-to-swallow-pills into olive oil or vegetable oil to make them slide down easier and decrease the chance of it hanging in the throat.
I just ordered the interfase plus – how do you take it and for how long and when do you start antifungals? Any guidance is appreciated!
Klaire Labs Interfase does contain egg whites. So just an FYI for all who are have egg sensitivity/intolerance.
hello carla,
i loved this article.
i have been battling candida for about 6 months.
i am taking a bunch of natural antifungals and i want to introduce the amino acids and enzymes you suggested. i just wanted to know ‘when’ i should take them.
along with the antifungals?
before hand?
with food?
thank you,
sandra
Hi Carla,
Thank you so much for all of your information and recipes! A few questions – I notice you suggest taking Interfase Plus but also read there can be die off symptoms with this one. Can you take NAC and the Interfase Plus together to alleviate some of the die off effects? I noticed the Interfase Plus bottle says to take them between meals, but have read elsewhere to take them before bed. Is there a time you would suggest taking them?
Also is there an antifungal you suggest starting with? I have Oregano Oil, Pau D’Arco and Caprylic Acid and am which would be best to start with for Candida overgrowth as well as any bacterial issues.
Thanks again for your helpful website. It’s really put into perspective how debilitating Candida can be, but am also hopeful to know there is a cure for all the symptoms I’ve had the past few years which I thought were unrelated to one another!
Sara
I have a doctor who tests for 4 different strains of candida. Although I’ve never tested hypersensitive to one of these strains, I developed wheals 7 or 9 millimeters in size a day after being injected with small amounts of 3 of these. A year of taking Nystatin accomplished absolutely nothing in my degree of sensitivity to candida yeast, and so my doctor put me on Interfase Plus (2 on an empty stomach in the morning and 2 on an empty stomach in the evening) and twice weekly injections of 0.25 milliliters of TME (Trichophyton Monilia Epidermophyton) vaccine, which is prepared in different strengths depending on the extent of a patient’s sensitivities but induces the immune system to fight against candida (another name for which is monilia). After 4 months of following this regimen, I was tested again on March 30 (2016), returned to the doctor’s office the next day, and found I had developed a significant wheal only to one remaining strain of candida: candida albicans.
No one said this would be easy. There are toxins in the nucleus of pathogenic candida organisms, and when candida is killed, these toxins go into the blood stream. I have had every kind of gastrointestinal symptom and have felt ill about 50% of the time. But I am greatly encouraged by the results of the regimen I’m now following and intend to stick with it until I eliminate albicans from my tissues. I have Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, diagnosed in 1985 when the high-rise office building in which I was working was being renovated. But I have had candida problems every 7-10 years for even longer. I know that candida yeast, when it overgrows, assumes a fungal form that colonizes intestinal tissues, creating “leaky gut” and many food and food additive sensitivities. I think that what I was doing previously–taking all sorts of antifungals–never really got all the candida out of my tissues. With the regimen I’m following now, I believe I will eventually feel not only well but more well than I”ve felt in years!
How can I connect with you concerning a phone consult? I do not have Facebook.
Hi Carla!
This is an amazing article on bio film and Candida! Another herbalist I follow, Shoshanna Easling of the Bulk Herb Store online talks about this as well and how Plexus busts the bio film and flushes it out of the body while putting good bacteria back in the gut! My husband has had amazing results! I was just wondering your thoughts on this.
Carla I need to make an appointment with you. I am very sick with systemic tissue Candda and intestinal hyphal/mycelial Fungus lining my stomach and intestines. It feeds off of me everyday. Can you please call me to help me. I believe from my symptoms, that the hyphal fungus is under the biofilm… the hyphal fungus is very difficult to break up as it has its roots in me. I can’t believe this has actually happened to me after seeing numerous doctor’s who keep treating me with things that never worked. And they never ever took an organic acid urine test to see if had spread into my urine. Its in my brain, kidneys, bladder, liver…one of my doctor’s put me on diflucan and told me that there’s no cure for Canida Biofilm but what about hyphal fungus. I am so disappointed. And about to give up.
Can your commend a good biofilm eradicating enzyme that does not have egg it I.e. Lysozyme? Thanks
I misstated something above. My doctor tests for 4 different strains of fungal organisms, not 4 different strains of candida. I reacted to 3 of these. After 4 months of using Interfase Plus (enzymes), TME vaccine (Trichophyton/Monilia/Epidermophyton vaccine), and ABx Support (probiotics), I had defeated Trichophyton and Epidermophyton and had only Monilia (Candida Albicans) to go. This is ragweed season and I’m pollen sensitive, even though I don’t have conventional IgE allergy. But I know it will take a while for my tissues to heal even once I’m fungal infection free. Thus, patience is the watchword here!
What brand of enzymes do you recommend? The link sent me to amazon, but there wasn’t a product listed.
Thank you!
Yes, that is absolutely correct! But to be specific it is the Probio5 Enzyme product that has a specific enzyme that targets candida overgrowth. It is a one-in-all product that contains probiotics, enzymes, and antifungals to get all the bases covered considering all of the factors the gut needs.
It is a very powerful product and you must talk with your Plexus ambassador for how much to take with your issues.