Yeast Overgrowth Wreaks Havoc on Immune System

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Yeast Overgrowth Wreaks Havoc on Immune System

Candida albicans is yeast normally found in small amounts in the warm

interior membranes of the mouth, skin and digestive tract of healthy

individuals. Typically, Candida does not cause any health problems as its

growth is kept under control by the immune system and other " friendly "

bacteria in the body. However, there are conditions that may disrupt the

balance of bacteria and cause the overgrowth of Candida, producing an

infection.

This type of infection is called Candidiasis, and can range from superficial

conditions such as sores in the mouth (oral thrush), vaginal yeast infections in

women and diaper rash in infants, to dangerous invasive infections of the

blood stream.

Candida infections occur when the immune system is weakened by disease,

stress or medication. Other factors that may prompt Candida overgrowth

include high blood sugar levels, excessive alcohol intake, use of birth control

pills, low stomach acidity, and a poor diet high in fat.

Extended use of antibiotics can also play a significant role in the development

of a Candida infection. Patients with medical conditions that require treatment

with broad-spectrum antibacterial medications can have lower bacteria levels

throughout the body, as antibiotics easily destroy friendly bacteria in the

intestinal tract. Friendly bacteria are known as probiotics, and benefit the

body

by helping to digest protein and improve bioavailability and usage of vitamins

and minerals. More importantly, friendly bacteria support the immune system

by activating antibodies that protect the body from bacterial infection and

disease.

If the balance of intestinal flora is upset and pathogenic yeast such as

Candida becomes the dominant occupant of the intestinal tract, friendly

bacteria may no longer effectively produce the antibodies and nutrients the

body needs to be healthy. Once growth of Candida becomes unregulated and

pathogenic it will begin to release large amounts of toxins that have harmful

effects on tissues and organs, which in turn produces symptoms such as

excessive fatigue, bowel and digestive problems, gas and bloating, food and

mold allergies, skin rashes, depression and thyroid problems.

How is Candida Treated?

According to the Mayo Clinic, a physician will typically prescribe an antifungal

medication such as nystatin to lower levels of Candida. The normal course of

treatment usually lasts about 10 to 14 days.

However, prolonged treatment may result in the yeast becoming resistant to

the medication. At that time, a drug called Amphotericin B (Amphocin) may be

used when other antifungals are no longer effective. Safety may be an issue

for some as certain antifungal medications may also have harmful effects

upon the liver. As a result, a physician is likely to monitor liver function

through blood tests, especially if the patient has a history of liver disease.

Modifying a patient's diet is also an important strategy in combating a

Candida infection. As Candida thrives on sugar and simple carbohydrates, it

is recommended that patients eliminate high sugar foods such as sodas, fruit

juices, sweet desserts, high carbohydrate foods and other refined foods from

their diet.

Additionally, increasing levels of probiotic bacteria will also help reduce the

amount of Candida and return the balance of intestinal flora to normal.

Probiotic bacteria such as Lactobacillus acidophilus naturally produce

inhibitory factors that limit the overgrowth of yeast. Probiotics can be most

easily obtained by consuming sugar-free yogurt or by taking oral

supplements.

Many integrative health care professionals utilize targeted transfer factors for

immune support by promoting a healthy digestive tract with targeted immune

factors. These immune factors and humoral cofactors are formulated to

provide the body with millions of naturally produced immunoglobulin that help

support the immune system. Transfer factor proteins and humoral cofactors

harvested from the yolks of immunized chicken eggs can provide the body

with the information and nutrients it needs to promote normal immune

function.

The immune cofactors are isolated and purified using numerous rigorous

techniques, and processed into a fine grain powder for consumption.

Meticulous testing then ensures that the appropriate and effective levels of

each immune factor are present.

In a study presented at the 10th International Symposium on Transfer Factor1,

Italian Researchers from the University of Bologna (Italy) tested two transfer

factor (TF) preparations on 15 patients suffering from chronic mucocutaneous

Candidiasis. The first preparation was an in vitro produced transfer factor

specific to Candida albicans antigens, and the second included TF extracted

from pooled buffy coats of blood donors. The researchers assessed cell-

mediated immunity (CMI) of each patient using the leukocyte migration

inhibition test (LMT) and lymphocyte stimulation test (LST). The aim of the

study was to evaluate transfer factor treatment and the incidence of positive

tests before, during, and after therapy.

Eighty-seven LMT evaluations were performed for each antigen dose, and

researchers found 58.9% (33/56) of the tests were positive during non-

treatment or non-specific transfer factor treatment, while 83.9% (26/31) were

positive during specific transfer factor treatment. Only during specific TF

treatment was a significant increase of reactivity against the Candida antigen

noticed, when compared with the period of non-specific treatment. Clinical

observations were also encouraging as all but one patient experienced

significant improvement during treatment with specific TF. The researchers

concluded orally administered specific TF increases the incidence of reactivity

against Candida antigens.