Yeast Overgrowth Wreaks Havoc on Immune System

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Yeast Overgrowth Wreaks Havoc on Immune System

Source: ImmuneSupport.com

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.

Reference:

1. Masi, M., De Vinci, C., Baricordi, O.R. " Transfer factor in chronic

mucocutaneous

candidiasis. " Biotherapy. 1996; 9(1-3)97-103.