Combat Candida with good bacteria

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Combat Candida with good bacteria

Health24.com - Cape Town,South Africa

http://www.health24.com/dietnfood/Probiotics/15-1940,35983.asp

Do you suffer from fatigue, digestive disturbances, sinusitis or

even allergies? If yes, you might suffer from an overgrowth of

Candida, a yeast that normally lives in harmony with your body and

probably needs to be controlled with " good " bacteria.

Candidiasis is an infection caused by an overgrowth of the Candida

albicans organism – a tiny, common yeast-like fungus that lives in

the mouth, throat, digestive tract, urinary and vaginal tract, as

well as on the skin of healthy people.

Under normal conditions, Candida lives in healthy balance with the

other bacteria in the body. It is essentially harmless, and of no

concern to us. Trouble begins, however, when the Candida is allowed

to rocket out of control. When Candida albicans is out of control,

it can result in general in weakening of the immune system. When the

immune system is weakened, infections are more likely to occur.

Factors at play

But how does Candida get out of control? The major cause is

antibiotics. While effective in killing harmful bacteria,

antibiotics destroy necessary friendly bacteria as well. Without

friendly bacteria, your first line of defense against Candida is

eliminated, and these organisms are free to proliferate.

Diet, certain medications, hormonal changes associated with the

menstrual cycle and pregnancy, diabetes and continuous infections

which slow down immune system cells, making them less able to deal

with Candida overgrowth, are all contributing factors.

When a person's immune system is compromised by diseases such as

cancer and Aids, they are particularly susceptible to fungal

infections, like Candida and it can cause more serious infections.

Because candidiasis can affect various parts of the body – the most

common being the mouth, ears, nose, toenails, fingernails, gastro-

intestinal tract and vagina – it can be characterised by a wide

array of symptoms. These include:

Gastro-intestinal tract: constipation, diarrhoea, colitis, abdominal

pain, persistent heartburn, intestinal gas and bloating, nausea,

irritable bowel syndrome, bad breath

Respiratory allergy: rhinitis, sneezing and/or wheezing, canker

sores, sore throat, congestion, nagging cough, clogged sinuses,

burning tongue, white spots on the tongue and in the mouth

Central nervous system: mood swings, depression, memory loss, poor

concentration, anxiety, irritability, panic, " spaced-out " feelings,

autism, hyperactivity and attention-deficit disorders

Urogenital problems: rectal itching, impotence, prostatitis,

vaginitis, kidney and bladder infections, urinary frequency and

urgency

Menstrual abnormalities: PMS, irregular menstruation, infertility,

endometriosis

Skin complaints: acne, athlete's foot, eczema, psoriasis and

general " itchiness "

Many of us relate to some of these symptoms, and the first line of

defense might be to take friendly bacteria. In fact, one of the most

important responsibilities of your essential friendly bacteria, also

known as probiotics, is to keep Candida albicans under control.

Probiotics enhance immune function and increase resistance to

infections. Since a compromised immune system is an underlying cause

of candidiasis, probiotic supplementation may be a valuable

intervention.

Probiotics more strain-specific

The actions and qualities of probiotics are becoming more and more

strain-specific. Research has shown that Lactobacillus acidophilus,

the most popular species of probiotic bacteria, produces substances

that slow the growth of Candida, or when taken continuously, prevent

the overgrowth of the yeast.

Although there are no human trials, supplementation of acidophilus

to immune-deficient mice infected with Candida produced positive

effects on immune function and reduced the number of Candida

colonies.

This has also been proven when specific strains of acidophilus are

added to Petri dishes containing cultures of Candida. These strains

have demonstrated the ability to inhibit and stop the Candida's

growth.

Research on one specific Lactobacillus strain, namely Lactobacillus

acidophilus LAFTI L10 has been shown to enhance the immune system

and also reduces the duration of a Candida infection.

This means that selected strains of probiotics, like Lactobacillus

acidophilus LAFTI L10 are of high value for protection against

pathogenic yeast infections of the vagina, intestinal and oral

cavity, and can be described as one of the body's primary defense

mechanisms against Candida.

So, the first step in preventing or treating a Candida infection

would be to take your good bacteria. For best results, it is

recommended that you take a high-potency, high-quality, strain-

specific probiotic supplement.

- (Martie de Wet, Registered Dietician)

Reference:

1. Chakir et al. 1994. Different pattern infections and immune

response during experimental oral candidiasis in BALB/c and DBA/2 (H-

2d) mice. Oral microbiology Immununol 9:88-94.

2. Lacasse M, et al. 1993. Acquired resistance and persistence of

C.albicans in the mouse: a mouse model of the carrier state in

humans. Oral microbial Immunol 8:3131-3118.

3. Lilic et al. 2003. Deregulated productions of protective

cytokines in response to Candida albicans infection in patients with

chronic muccocutaneous candidiasis. Infect Immun 71(10); 5690-5699.

4. Elahi S et al. (In press 2005). Enhanced clearance of Candida

albicans from the oral cavities of mice following oral

administration of Lactobacillus acidophilus. Clin Exp Immunol –

Abstract