Candida Related Complex
Candida Related Complex is a term coined by my friend and colleague George Kroker, M.D. of La Crosse Wisconsin. The term appropriately fits the problems caused by Candida because of the diversity and complexity
Candida Related Complex
Candida Related Complex is a term coined by my friend and colleague George Kroker, M.D. of La Crosse Wisconsin. The term appropriately fits the problems caused by Candida because of the diversity and complexity of symptoms it causes. Candida is a normal inhabitant of our intestinal trac, as well as, mammals including cattle, monkeys, dogs and whales. Candida is an opportunistic yeast that we normally live in peaceful coexistence with. However, if Candida gets out of balance and proliferates, it can cause a wide variety of symptoms that are often misdiagnosed.
Antibiotics are by far the major cause of Candida proliferation. This is followed by cortisone drugs and diets high in refined carbohydrates, especially sugar. Other causes include toxic chemical exposures, excessive mold exposure, long-term stress and patients with compromised immunity such as in AIDS. Everyone is susceptible, infants, children, adults and it is more prevalent in women.
Patients may have had health problems for many years due to Candida and their condition never gets properly diagnosed. Sometimes the problem starts shortly after taking antibiotics. At other times the symptoms develop gradually over a number of years, perhaps from taking antibiotics during childhood for ear infections or teenage years for acne. There is usually a triggering event, when the symptoms become much more acute. Triggering events include recent infection, toxic exposure, mold exposure, major stress or trauma.
Patients with Candida Related Complex often have widespread symptoms affecting multiple organ systems:
- Gastrointestinal symptoms are among the most common-gas, bloating, alternating constipation and diarrhea, sometimes reflux symptoms. Typical irritable bowel syndrome symptoms.
- Chronic allergies-stuffy nose, congestion, postnasal drip, asthma
- Unexplained fatigue, always tired, sleep not refreshing.
- Central nervous system-brain fog, mood swings, irritability, depression.
- Skin-rashes, itchiness, fungal infections between toes, toenail infections, diaper rash, dandruf
- Cravings for sugar, carbohydrates, bread, beer.
- Most of these women have had only a few or perhaps no history of vaginal yeast infections.
- Infants with early onset of diaper rash and eczema especially after getting antibiotics for ear or sinus infections.
Treatment—Getting Candida under Control
By far the majority of patients with Candida require a three pronged approach to get better:
- Anti-yeast medication to reduce the level of Candida
- Dietary restrictions to inhibit Candida growth
- Probiotics to restore normal bacteria flora in the GI tract.
Many effective prescription medications are available-Nystatin, Diflucan (fluconazole), Nizoral(ketoconazole), Sporanox (itraconazole). Less well-known drugs include clotrimazole, miconazole and amphotericin. Caprylic acid is one of the more effective non-pharmaceutical treatments I've used. Others with a good reputation include undecanoic acid (from castor bean oil) medicinal oregano, and grapefruit seed extract.
Diet is very important, especially if you've been eating an unhealthy diet, over consuming sugar, refined carbohydrates, soft drinks and junk food. There is no question that these foods have to go, not only do they cause Candida to proliferate, but they weaken your immune response so you are more susceptible to it. The ideal diet is the Caveman Diet-meat, fish, vegetables. Low carbohydrate is the general approach. The more you can stick to this type of diet the quicker you will get better. That being said, some people need a certain amount of carbohydrates to feel okay. If you are one of these people, then be sure to use only whole foods, whole grains. I don't really expect people to stick to such a diet 100%, it's not realistic for most people, but you should do the best you can-shoot for 80% of the time.
Nystatin is a prescription anti-fungal medication which works against a wide variety of yeast and yeast-like organisms. Nystatin is poorly absorbed from the intestinal tract so it can be safely used by children and even infants. The medication is virtually non-toxic and is well tolerated by most people even on prolonged administration. Nystatin is produced by a bacterium called Streptomyces Noursei.
Herxheimer reactions are very common with Nystatin therapy. Herxheimer or "die off" reactions are related to the release of yeast toxins when the yeast is killed by Nystatin. Nystatin breaks the cell membrane of yeast, causing it to release it's various antigens which can cause allergic reactions. Herxheimer reactions may show up as flu-like symptoms and/or an aggravation of the yeast related symptoms that you have had in the past. If the symptoms are mild, stay on the Nystatin dosage protocol. Each time you increase the dose, there may be some temporary aggravation of your symptoms. If the symptoms are too intense, then back the dose down.
Nystatin oral power is preferred rather than capsules because it contacts the esophagus and upper GI tract. Nystatin oral powder as other advantages such as having more ability to titrate the dose and it doesn't contain the fillers commonly used in tablets.
It will be very obvious that nystatin doesn't taste very good. Mix it in 3 ounces of wate