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You might have heard of a vaginal yeast infection, where an abundance of yeast in the vagina causes itching, burning, redness, and unusual discharges. Did you know that yeast can also grow out of control in the gut? Imagine all that inflammation! Holy heck can this ever cause problems for people!
Yeast overgrowth is usually caused by a fungus called Candida albicans. This little fungus is a normal part of our microbiome but becomes a major problem when it grows out of control, and this can happen... a lot. Yeast overgrowth can cause many uncomfortable digestive symptoms. Yeast also creates toxins that can damage the intestinal barrier and result in leaky gut syndrome. Once the integrity of the gut is compromised, all kinds of things can go wrong across the body ...and even the brain!
I love helping people deal with their chronic yeast problems! Candida can wreak havoc on our health. Treating yeast can significantly improve a wide variety of symptoms.
What are the symptoms of yeast overgrowth?
Yeast overgrowth can cause a laundry list of symptoms! These include:
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Vaginal yeast infections
Skin rashes Oral thrush Acne Itching Nail infections Sinus infections |
Bloating
Diarrhea Abdominal pain & cramping Excess gas Recurrent UTIs |
Joint pain
Hormonal symptoms Brain fog Fatigue Mood issues Weak immune system |
... and more!
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What causes yeast overgrowth?
There are many reasons why a person might develop a yeast overgrowth. Top causes include:
1) High sugar/High carb diet:
- Yeast thrives on sugar, so foods that are high in sugars (sweet treats like candy, chocolate, cake, cookies, muffins), carbohydrates (think pasta, bread), and alcohol (wine, cider, beer, coolers, sweet cocktails) can all contribute to a yeast overgrowth
2) Use of birth control pills
- Yep, you read that right. Use of birth control pills can cause or worsen yeast overgrowth
3) Oral corticosteroids
- Many people use corticosteroid medications for asthma, allergies, arthritis, adrenal problems, and other inflammatory conditions. Steroids increase sugar in the blood, which can worsen or cause a yeast overgrowth. Not sure if your medication is a steroid? Hint: these usually end in "-sone" (ie. hydrocortisone, fluticasone, prednisone)
4) Blood sugar imbalance
- Blood sugar issues and insulin resistance can increase susceptibility to yeast overgrowth because the blood becomes a rich source of sugar that can feed the fungus and allow it to thrive
5) Antibiotics
- Antibiotics frequently cause yeast overgrowth. Antibiotics kill pathogenic bacteria, but they also kill our good bacteria. Our good bacteria is what keeps our gut fungus in check. When we decrease our good bacteria, our fungus can grow out of control. This is why it is often recommended to take a probiotic along with an antibiotic–– this helps to replenish the good bacteria as you kill the bad and helps keep yeast from taking the upper hand!
6) Chronic stress
- Did you know that chronic stress can increase the sugar in our blood? If I need to run from a bear, I need to have fuel (ie. sugar) in my blood ready to go! When it comes to stress, your body doesn't know the difference between "I'm just worried about work" and "a bear is going to eat me." From the body's point of view, stress is stress, and if you are stressed, your body will increase blood sugar so you can survive the threat. Stress alone can cause or worsen a yeast overgrowth and also lead to other complications of chronically high blood sugar
How to test for candida?
Sometimes a yeast overgrowth is obvious from symptoms and medical history aloneI When the diagnosis is less certain, there are a few test options I use:
1) Stool testing through a Yeast Culture or Comprehensive Stool Analysis
2) Food sensitivity test through blood. Some panels includes a marker for Candida albicans
3) Organic acids test through urine. It doesn't definitively diagnose yeast but certain positive results point to a yeast overgrowth.
4) Mold testing through urine isn't a test for yeast but if someone tests positive on a mold test, I'll often suspect a yeast overgrowth might also be a factor.
How do you treat yeast overgrowth?
Treating yeast overgrowth can be straightforward: simply kill the yeast. However, there are several possible complicating factors making the treatment more complex:
1) Failure to address the cause
- If we don't address the question of why the yeast overgrowth developed, it can just keep coming back. And trust me––it often does. We need to identify the causes that led to the issue and deal with them if we want to prevent chronic and recurrent yeast problems
2) Biofilm
- People who have had a yeast overgrowth for a long time might have developed biofilm. Biofilms can be a problem for any infection in the body. I think of biofilms as a "sludge" or "amorphous glop" that keeps the medicines from clearing the infection. There is no test for biofilm but we can often identify a biofilm problem if an anti-fungal treatment kind of helps but doesn't entirely clear the infection, or if symptoms get much better while taking an anti-fungal treatment and then return as soon as the treatment stops. One of the benefits of working with me is I can guide you through hurdles like biofilm. It's not an easy one to navigate on your own
3) Mold infection
- Did you know that mold can live in your body? It's gross to think about, I know. Some people who have candida will also have mold living in their body. Mold can be major. I often tell patients to think about mold as similar to having asbestos in a house. We don't just go in and blow up all the asbestos. We have to remove it carefully to prevent a big toxic storm. When we have mold and candida, treatment often needs to be slow and careful to prevent a toxic storm that's too big for the body to effectively deal with all at once.
4) Die-off (aka "Herxheimer reaction")
- Killing yeast results in the release of toxins that need to be processed and eliminated from the body. In many people with a significant yeast overgrowth, killing the yeast too fast results in an overabundance of toxins all at once––we call this die-off. Die-off symptoms are usually relatively short-lived, ranging from days to a few weeks but the symptoms can be harsh and unpleasant. Symptoms include flu-like symptoms, headaches, joint pain, sweating, chills, nausea, body ache, and more. I do what I can to minimize unpleasant die-off symptoms and support the body through the process.
5) Yeasty partner
- I've occasionally had patients with recurrent yeast issues that originated from their yeasty partners! Yeast can live inside the body and also on our skin, so a susceptible person can get repeated infections if their partner is yeasty. In these cases, both individuals need treatment to resolve the problem.
My approach to treating yeast overgrowth
When it comes to yeast, I like to be thorough because recurrent yeast overgrowth is no fun. I use any combination of the following treatments, depending on patient preference, the severity of the infection and how long it's been an issue:
- Anti-fungal herbs
- Anti-fungal medications
- Biofilm disruptors
- Anti-candida diet
- Binders
- Probiotics
- Stomach acid support
- Blood sugar regulation strategies
If you've wondered if yeast might be a problem for you, or if you've struggled with any of the symptoms described above, please schedule an appointment. Getting on top of a yeast overgrowth can have significant (and surprising) health benefits, and it's an easy problem to diagnose.
I find that many people who ultimately have a yeast overgrowth have previously been diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and maybe even small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO). Any time there are chronic digestive issues, a yeast overgrowth should be ruled out.
Please take a moment to learn more about working with me or schedule an appointment to get started right away. A couple of related articles to check out:
I find that many people who ultimately have a yeast overgrowth have previously been diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and maybe even small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO). Any time there are chronic digestive issues, a yeast overgrowth should be ruled out.
Please take a moment to learn more about working with me or schedule an appointment to get started right away. A couple of related articles to check out:
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**It can be difficult to find a doctor in BC. If you're looking for a primary care doctor in BC who is accepting new patients, I can help. Appointments are available in-person in Kelowna or virtually from anywhere in BC.