Candida and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Candida over-growth and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome can both present
with confusingly similar symptoms, such as long-term debilitating mental
and physical fatigue, headaches, food intolerances, joint and muscle
pain, and brain fog.
Other common symptoms which are much more specific to Candida include
severe Pre-Menstrual Symptoms, depression, pain behind the breast bone,
intolerance to strong odours, dandruff, athlete’s foot, visual
disturbances, oral or genital thrush, an itchy anus and a feeling of
bloating or flatulence.
Whilst I certainly do not believe that everyone who suffers from
CFS/M.E. also suffers from a yeast over-growth, I have noticed that a
significant proportion of the people I have treated for CFS/M.E. also
have had food intolerances, bloating, thrush, or an itchy anus, and
shown a positive result to a laboratory test for Candida.
Candida is a yeast which naturally lives in the human intestine, but
under certain conditions the normally small Candida population can
explode with serious consequences to health. From my experience, I would
suggest that a Candida overgrowth may result from the immune breakdown
in M.E., especially if the sufferer relies on sugar as an energy source
(which ‘feeds’ the yeast) and/or coffee, which stimulates the release of
blood sugars. However, although Candida alone clearly does not cause
M.E., it mimics the symptoms so closely that distinguishing between the
two can sometimes be difficult.
Whereas the underlying cause of M.E. still seems to escape us, the
causes of Candida problems are much clearer. Once it has been
established that there is certainly a yeast overgrowth, and this is
resolved using herbal medicines, it leaves a much clearer clinical
picture regarding what is needed to heal the M.E.
The causes of Candida
It often surprises people to find out that Candida lives in our gut
naturally, alongside other microscopic bowel flora, without causing us
any harm. It may even have the beneficial effect of helping to remove
excess heavy metal toxins from our bodies. However, there are certain
conditions which allow the yeast organisms to explode very quickly from a
normally small population group into an enormous domineering fungal
overgrowth. If you have ever seen fruit ferment into wine or bread rise,
you get the picture of how quickly yeast can grow, given the right
environment.
Once this happens, the yeast can actually change shape from a small
non-invasive organism into its aggressive and invasive fungal form which
develops root-like structures called mycelia, more of which later.
In my experience, the five major causes of Candida overgrowth include:
1) Depletion of the gut’s friendly bacteria, sometimes caused by long-term antibiotic treatment or gastric infection
2) A breakdown in the immune system, as in the case of M.E., chemotherapy or HIV
3) Excess female hormones for example, as a result of multiple
pregnancies, HRT, the Pill, during a pre-menstruation phase or the
menopause
4) High blood sugar levels caused either by a high sugar diet, stress or diabetes
5) Drug therapy – mainly antibiotics, steroids, hormone therapies, or immuno-suppressive drugs
How does it affect the body?
Once the yeast has changed into its aggressive fungal form, it
penetrates the gut lining by secreting inflammatory chemicals which
weaken the wall and allow the mycelia to pierce it, leading to a ‘leaky
gut’. The leaky gut is like a hosepipe with large holes in it.
Normally the intestine breaks the food down into tiny particles which
are then transported through little gateways in the gut wall into the
bloodstream. However the leaky gut allows larger, undigested food
particles to enter the blood stream. If the immune system doesn’t
recognise these undigested food particles and assumes that they are a
‘foreign invader’, it immediately sets about forming anti-bodies to
these foods, thus creating a food intolerance. Now the immune system is
very busy fighting the Candida invasion into the blood stream, the food
intolerances, and this alone can account for fatigue, allergic-type
symptoms such as sinusitis or asthma, and brain-fog.
Furthermore, Candida is known to secrete toxins called mycotoxins, which
can suppress the immune system further, as well as causing liver
toxicity, headaches, and muscle pain. Once Candida has entered the blood
stream, antibodies from the immune system combine with it to form
antigen-antibody complexes, which when deposited in the joints, lungs or
brain result in joint pain, asthma, depression and hormonal disruption.
Candida, being a yeast, thrives on dark, warm, wet and sugary
environments. People with an overgrowth often have intense sugar
cravings – you can think of this as the yeast demanding to be fed. In
the warm moist gut, it ferments the sugars to produce symptoms such as
flatulence and bloating, while the inflammatory chemicals released
result in poor digestion and absorption, having the knock-on effect of
further depleting the body as the sufferer is unable to benefit from
nutritional nourishment. The fermentation has been known to give a
positive reading to an alcohol breath test, even when the person has
been teetotal for years. This high level of alcohol in the blood causes
the person to feel hung-over and nauseous.
Eight steps to a greater health
Clearly, gut imbalances leading to Candida overgrowth is a complex
problem which requires a multi-faceted approach to treatment, ideally
under professional supervision.
1) Get the correct diagnosis
There are several methods of testing for Candida overgrowth, but the
most accurate is the saliva or blood test. These measure your immune
system’s antibody response to Candida yeast species, and so are able to
tell you how severely you are being affected. The only problem can be if
your immune system is so exhausted that it cannot raise the antibodies
to the Candida, which will result in a false negative.
A stool analysis can also test for Candida, but is less reliable, as
sometimes the Candida is so embedded in the gut wall that it does not
come out in the stool and again, you might get a false negative.
However, the advantage of a stool analysis is that it is also able to
analyse your levels of beneficial gut flora (the ‘good’ bacteria),
whether you also have a problem with other yeasts and parasites, if you
have an inflamed intestine and how effectively you are able to digest
and absorb your food. Unfortunately, in my experience the NHS is not
interested in looking for Candida overgrowth unless you’re on immune
suppressant medication, so most people need to pay privately for tests.
2) Starve the Candida
One of the best ways to start treating yeast overgrowth is by going onto
the ‘Candida diet’ for one month before you follow the rest of the
program. In this way you starve and weaken the yeast, starting to kill
it off gradually, and thus lessening the die-off effects.
By raising blood sugar levels, you are feeding the yeast, so you need to
starve the yeast by completely avoiding foods with refined
carbohydrates and sugar. In addition, people with a Candida overgrowth
often become intolerant to foods with yeast in, (finding that they
provoke brain fog and tiredness) due to the antibody reaction mentioned
earlier. Yeast-containing foods need to be avoided until you’re better,
while your intake of protein, extra virgin olive oil, salads and
vegetables, and complex carbohydrates should be increased. It can also
help to avoid non-organic foods, as these often contain high levels of
antibiotics, pesticides and hormones.
Many people understandably feel that the Candida diet is an awful
regime, but investing in a well-illustrated Candida cookbook can make
all the difference, and really, it is just a very healthy diet to
follow.
3) Take anti-fungal medications
Your doctor may prescribe anti-fungal drugs such as nystatin, although
some may not feel this is justified if you don’t have the more obvious
symptoms of ongoing thrush etc. However, you can use a wide range of
very effective herbal and nutritional remedies such as Oregano, Pau
D’Arco, Cinnamon, or Caprylic acid, which have been shown to have
anti-fungal actions. In treating Candida, I usually use two or three
natural anti-fungals at once and frequently alternate them to maximise
effectiveness.
4) Heal the leaky gut
Herbal teas such as Calendula and Chamomile can be drunk, as these have
been used traditionally to stimulate the healing of the intestinal
lining, whilst nutritional supplements such as L-glutamine and MSM
provide the necessary building blocks for the healing process. The gut
lining can take at least three months to repair. Given that food
intolerances will slow down healing, a laboratory food intolerance test
is also advisable.
5) Re-populate the gut with friendly bacteria
The two major probiotics or ‘friendly’ gut bacteria which help keep
intestinal yeast in check are lactobacillus acidophilus and
bifidobacterium. Don’t be tempted to use cheap probiotic drinks as found
on supermarket shelves. These contain the minor gut bacteria and are
usually in a very sugary liquid – perfect for encouraging fungal growth.
Other cheap probiotic supplements have been shown to be made up of dead
or ineffective bacteria. Make sure you buy from someone reputable.
6) Boost the immune system
In Candida, as with M.E., we have one part of the immune system which is
overactive, resulting in inflammatory conditions such as muscle and
joint pain and food intolerances, and the other side which is depressed,
resulting in a poor response to the yeast challenge. Herbs such as
Echinacea, Astragalus or Sutherlandia are used by medical herbalists to
stimulate and rebalance the immune system.
7) Detoxify the liver
Herbs such as Burdock, Dandelion root, Ginger and lemon juice are
traditionally used to encourage the flow of bile, which flushes toxins
out of the liver to be released in the stool. Other foods such as
celery, fennel, parsley and watercress encourage toxins to be eliminated
via the kidneys. Hot Epsom salt baths also encourage the elimination of
toxins via the skin, while therapeutic massage helps to shift toxins
into the lymphatic system and the kidneys for elimination. Drinking lots
of water is absolutely imperative to facilitating the detoxification
process.
8) Aid the digestive process
Digestive enzyme supplements support the digestion and absorption of
food, and in doing the work for the digestive system, give it the rest
it needs for recovery. A sluggish bowel means that any toxins released
are able to seep back into the system, thus prolonging the die-off
effect as well as contributing to tiredness and headaches. To offset
this problem, mix two tablespoons of linseeds (whole or crushed) daily
with some live plain yoghurt (providing you are not dairy intolerant),
to facilitate regular and easy evacuation of the stools.
A word about die-off
The bad news is that as the yeast dies, it releases its toxins into the
blood stream, which can leave you feeling like you have a bad hangover.
This die-off period can last between three days and two weeks. However,
if your liver and bowels are working at optimum, you will be able to get
rid of the toxins more quickly, and with a careful treatment program,
the die-off may even be avoided. This is one of the reasons why I always
recommend seeking professional help if you want to tackle suspected
Candida problems.
Where do you go from here?
If you do suffer from both Candida and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/M.E.,
treating the Candida can help to reduce many of the collective symptoms.
By clearing the toxic load on the body, relieving the immune system of
the yeast over-growth and food intolerance burden through anti-fungal
medicines and diet, and boosting the immune system with herbs and
probiotics, you have contributed significantly towards helping the body
to heal.
Realistically, getting Candida under control takes between 3 and 18
months, depending on how severe it is. While you would need to stick to
the diet for some time, most people can gradually re-introduce fruit and
enjoy the occasional sweet treat as they start to feel better. Once the
Candida is under control (this may be confirmed through another Candida
test), you can set about tackling the M.E. by continuing to treat the
immune, endocrine and nervous systems, and by using adaptogenic herbs to
build stamina.
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Candida overgrowth are both fairly
complicated, and I strongly recommend professional treatment both for
support as well as access to professional remedies. However, both
Candida and M.E. very definitely require the patient’s input in terms of
sticking to the diet, and making sure that you get the rest needed to
recover - because if these two areas are not adhered to, even the best
treatment program will be sabotaged.
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