Is Hidden Fungus Making You Ill?

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Mark Hyman, MD.Mark Hyman, M.D. is a practicing physician

Posted: July 24, 2010 07:00 AM

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Is Hidden Fungus Making You Ill?

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Email Comments 204 A hidden fungus may be making you ill. A 35-year-old recently

walked into my office suffering from a whole list of health problems (which is

why I often call myself a " whole-listic doctor " ). She had chronic fatigue,

recurrent yeast vaginal infections, itchy ears, dandruff, patchy itchy skin

rashes, irritable bowel syndrome, muscle twitching, acne rosacea, malabsorption,

headaches and more.

These symptoms can have multiple causes, but in her case all of these problems

were related. They were symptoms of an overgrowth of yeast in and on her body.

This patient had such a fungus problem that she was practically a walking

mushroom!

The cause was clear. She had taken many, many courses of antibiotic over the

years. She had been diagnosed with a mostly benign condition called mitral valve

prolapse--a problem I believe is over diagnosed and over treated--and " needed "

antibiotics every time she went to the dentist. In addition, she had many

urinary tract infections for which she took many more courses of antibiotics.

Frequent use of antibiotics disrupts the normal balance between healthy bugs in

the gut (lactobacillus, bifidobacter, e. coli) and other potentially dangerous

bugs, including yeasts, bacteria and occasionally parasites. These bad bugs are

usually present in small numbers in the digestive system. But when the good bugs

are killed by antibiotics (i) or not fed with adequate fiber, or the bad guys

are fueled with too much sugar, or the gut's delicate ecosystem (ii) is damaged

by too much stress, then yeasts and other noxious agents take over.

This can result in many chronic illnesses and symptoms including allergies,

chronic inflammation, joint problems, mood and brain disorders, digestive

symptoms and more.

In today's post I will explain why yeast overgrowth is such a common problem,

why conventional medicine tends to overlook it, and provide you with a

comprehensive plan to reduce and remove yeast and rebalance your gut's delicate

ecosystem, which sits at the center of your health.

Yeast: A Common But Often Unrecognized Problem

Yeast overgrowth is quite common, but many people don't know they have it and

conventional doctors tend to ignore it. In medical school, we are taught that

you either have a disease or you don't. It's black and white. However, our

bodies weren't designed with an " on " or " off " switch for disease. All diseases

occur in shades of gray along a continuum of imbalance along spectrum of

disease.

Medical students learn about fungal and yeast problems, but only in a limited

way. They know that AIDS patients have severe yeast and fungal infections and

need long-term anti-fungal treatment. People with diabetes tend to grow yeast

because yeast likes sugar. Babies get thrush and need antifungal treatment.

Women get vaginal Candida yeast infections. All of these are well-accepted and

treatable problems. Unfortunately more subtle problems related to yeast are

usually ignored and not linked to patient's complaints. If a subject is not

taught in medical school, it is assumed not to be real. Medical history proves

this is a dangerous assumption.

On the other hand, many alternative practitioners over diagnose yeast problems.

However, there are many people who do have yeast problems, and most of them

don't know it.

There is not enough research on this topic. But the collective intelligence of

many doctors working in this field for decades with thousands of patients has

helped us learn how to appropriately diagnose and treat this often misdiagnosed

problem.

We know that yeast overgrowth can be triggered by a number of things. These

include a high-sugar, high-fat, low-fiber diet, impaired immunity, use of drugs

like antibiotics, birth control pills, estrogen, and steroids like prednisone,

and psychological stress.

Although symptoms of yeast overgrowth are similar to those of many other

conditions, you may have a yeast problem if you have these problems (iii)

General Symptoms

• Chronic fatigue

• Loss of energy

• General malaise

• Decreased libido

Gastrointestinal Symptoms

• Thrush

• Bloating and gas

• Intestinal cramps

• Rectal itching

• Altered bowel function such as diarrhea (iv) or constipation

Genitourinary Symptoms

• Yeast infections

• Frequent bladder infections

• Interstitial cystitis (irritable bladder)

Hormonal Complaints

• Menstrual irregularities like pain, bleeding, etc.

• Premenstrual syndrome

• Thyroid dysfunction

Nervous System Complaints

• Depression

• Irritability

• Inability to concentrate

Immune System Complaints

• Allergies

• Chemical sensitivities

• Low immune function

Past History

• Chronic yeast infections

• Chronic antibiotic use for infections or acne

• Oral birth control pill usage

• Oral steroid hormone usage

Associated Conditions

• Sensitivity to foods, chemicals, or other allergens

• Eczema

• Psoriasis

• Irritable bowel syndrome

• Craving for foods rich in carbohydrates or yeast

• Toenail fungus

Many tests we use for diagnosis of yeast problems are not definitive or

foolproof. It is often a diagnosis that must be made from a patient's story,

symptoms, and physical findings on examination. Blood antibody levels for

yeasts, stool tests, and organic acid urine tests (v) for yeast metabolites can

be helpful if they come out positive but don't rule yeast out if they're

negative.

The best method for diagnosis is a good history for risk factors like antibiotic

use and symptoms of chronic yeast problems. The symptoms of yeast overgrowth

vary from person to person and the response to treatments will vary. Some people

may need aggressive treatment, while others many need only simple changes to

make a significant difference in their health.

I recommend a systematic approach to yeast overgrowth. Taking the following

steps can help overcome this common but under diagnosed ailment.

Overcoming Yeast Overgrowth

1. Address predisposing factors. Don't take antibiotics, steroids, or hormones

unless absolutely medically necessary.

2. Eat a diet that doesn't feed yeast in the gut (low sugar and refined

carbohydrates, and low mold and yeast in food (see below).

3. Use probiotics to repopulate the gut with healthy bacteria

4. Take antifungal herbs and medications when indicated

5. Identify potential environmental toxic fungi and molds in your home or

workplace

6. Reduce stress.

The Yeast Control Eating Program

A simple five-day elimination of yeast and molds in your diet, followed by a

challenge or binge of yeasty foods will often relieve and then trigger your

symptoms. This can be a good diagnostic tool to see if a long-term yeast control

diet would be helpful for you. Remember, different people with different

sensitivities may require varying degrees of dietary restrictions. Often, the

process of healing requires listening to your body and its signals and

sensitivities. Nowhere is this better illustrated than in the management of

yeast problems. Follow these guidelines as the first step to assess your yeast

problem:

• Eliminate all yeast promoting or yeasty and moldy substances from your diet.

• Try to be totally strict during this time to get the best results.

• Keep a food diary and track what you are eating. You should try to vary your

meals and make sure you are not eating a lot of any one food.

• Avoid the test foods for five full days.

• On the sixth day, eat large amounts of the foods you have been avoiding and

monitor your reaction. If you get a recurrence of symptoms, you have identified

your problem. If not, then yeast may not be a problem

• Remember that sometimes a dietary change may not reduce the yeast overgrowth

enough to resolve your symptoms. Then you may need to proceed to the next steps

-- medication or non-prescription treatments.

• If you feel great off the yeasty foods, you might not want to do the

challenge. It could make you feel very ill. Continue to follow a yeast control

eating program for at least three months and continue with the other

recommendations here.

Additional Steps You Can Take to Reduce or Control Yeast Overgrowth

Often, I find that patients need extra help and should take antifungal herbs,

medications, and probiotics.

Probiotics

Take at least 10 to 20 billion live organisms a day of lactobacillus and

bifidobacter species. (vi) A special " yeast against yeast " probiotic called

saccharomyces boulardii (vii) can be very safe and effective in controlling

yeast.

Non-prescription Anti-fungals

Using antifungal therapies such as herbs and other naturally occurring compounds

can be very helpful in controlling yeast. The dose for all of the following

herbal remedies is generally two pills with meals, three times a day for two to

three months. You might need less or more based on your response and symptoms.

Sometimes these remedies can be combined for better effect. To find the right

combinations and doses for you and identify quality products, consult with a

qualified practitioner trained in functional medicine

(www.functionalmedicine.org) Some of the best antifungal compounds include the

following:

• Oregano -- Oil of oregano has many antibacterial and antifungal properties.

• Garlic -- Fresh, crushed garlic is a potent antimicrobial and immune booster.

• Citrus seed extract -- The phytochemicals in citrus seeds have been found to

have potent antimicrobial properties.

• Berberine -- This potent yellow plant extract comes from goldenseal and

barberry

• Tannins -- These are the astringent compounds found in tea and the bark of

trees.

• Undecylenate -- This chemical compound is a potent antifungal.

• Isatis tinctoria -- This Chinese herb can be a useful adjunct to treating

intestinal imbalances.

• Caprylic acid -- This is another useful compound for treating yeast.

Antifungal Medications

Sometimes, nutrition and supplements just aren't enough to clear up stubborn

yeast overgrowth. That's where prescription medications can help. (viii) They're

often needed to treat more resistant cases of yeast for either the short or long

term -- and in some cases can be miraculous in their results.

Nystatin is the most common antifungal drug and is often used to treat thrush in

babies. It is not absorbed by the intestinal tract and has no systemic effects.

Unfortunately, many fungal organisms are resistant to nystatin and you may need

stronger medications. I say " unfortunately " because these drugs are generally

processed by the liver and occasionally can cause reversible elevation of liver

function tests. They also may have serious interactions with other medications.

People with liver or heart diseases often cannot take these drugs. If you do

take Diflucan, Sporonox or Lamasil, you have to have your liver function checked

every six weeks. For all of these reasons, you should only take prescription

antifungals under the supervision of an experienced and qualified practitioner.

These medications can often be life-saving treatments for many conditions

unresponsive to conventional treatments.

Killing off yeast is a good thing. However you should be aware that in some

people the dead yeast release enough byproducts to cause a " die off " reaction

that may make you feel worse before you feel better. This reaction goes away may

take up to a week to completely resolve. You can minimize its effects by

following the yeast control eating program for a week or so before you start

taking any antifungal preparations.

I also recommend taking two to three activated charcoal capsules every four to

six hours during the day. Taking a soluble fiber supplement that contains guar

gum, alginates, psyllium seed, or pectin to bind to yeast toxins before bed can

also be helpful in reducing the " die off " reaction.

Now you know that fungi, yeasts, and mold can make you sick -- but there's good

news, too. You can treat the problem. I hope you'll use the tools I've given you

in this blog to start getting well and feeling healthy now.

Now I'd like to hear from you...

Do you suffer from the symptoms described here? Have you been diagnosed with

yeast overgrowth?

How do certain foods seem to affect your symptoms?

Are you seeing a doctor for yeast problems?

What's been your experience in dealing with and treating yeast?

Please let me know your thoughts by leaving a comment below.

To your good health,

Mark Hyman, M.D.

References

(i) Kourbeti, I.S., Alegakis, D.E., Maraki, S., and G. Samonis. (2010). Impact

of prolonged treatment with high-dose ciprofloxacin on human gut flora: A case

report. J Med Case Reports. 4: 111.

(ii) Hawrelak, J.A. and S.P. Myers. (2004). The causes of intestinal dysbiosis:

A review. Altern Med Rev. 9(2): 180-97. Review.

(iii) Pizzorno and Murray. 1999. Textbook of Natural Medicine. Churchill

Livingstone.

(iv) Krause, R., Schwab, E., Bachhiesl, D., et al.(2001). Role of Candida in

antibiotic-associated diarrhea. J Infect Dis. 184(8): 1065-9.

(v) Tana, C., Umesaki, Y., Imaoka, A., et al. (2010). Altered profiles of

intestinal microbiota and organic acids may be the origin of symptoms in

irritable bowel syndrome. Neurogastroenterol Motil. 22(5): 512-9.

(vi) Hatakka, K., Ahola, A.J., Yli-Knuuttila, H., et al. (2007). Probiotics

reduce the prevalence of oral candida in the elderly--a randomized controlled

trial. J Dent Res. 86(2): 125-30.

(vii) Pothoulakis, C. (2009). Review article: anti-inflammatory mechanisms of

action of Saccharomyces boulardii. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 30(8): 826-33. Epub

2008 Jul 23. Review.

(viii) Rimek, D., Redetzke, K., and R. Kappe. (2006). Impact of antifungal

prophylaxis on the gastrointestinal yeast colonisation in patients with

haematological malignancies. Mycoses. 49 Suppl (2):18-23.

Mark Hyman, M.D. is a practicing physician, founder of The UltraWellness Center,

a four-time New York Times bestselling author, and an international leader in

the field of Functional Medicine. You can follow him on Twitter, connect with

him on LinkedIn, watch his videos on http://www.youtube.com/ultrawellness,

become a fan on Facebook, and subscribe to his newsletter at drhyman.com.