Causes of Yeast Overgrowth

So, what are the factors that alter the biological terrain and result in yeast overgrowth? Well, I would have to say that the number one factor is the widespread use of antibiotics.

We’ve already noted that antibiotics are made from yeasts. The first antibiotic, penicillin, was created from a soil fungus, Penicillium chrysogenum. There are many types of antibiotics, and not all are derived from fungus, but any broad spectrum antibiotics (those which kill many types of bacteria) will knock down the friendly intestinal bacteria, allowing yeast to grow uninhibited in the digestive tract. So, the widespread incidence of various types of yeast infections, including vaginal yeast infections, jock itch, athlete’s foot, toenail fungus and yeast overgrowth in the intestines is most likely caused by the routine overuse of antibiotics.

Antibiotics are not effective against viral infections such as colds and flu, most ear infections and a number of other conditions for which they are routinely prescribed. Antibiotics are also routinely fed to chickens, turkeys, dairy cows and beef cattle. This causes them to end up in our food supply (especially in dairy products) as well as being taken via prescription. All of this contributes to the development of antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria, yeast overgrowth and the depression of natural immune functions.

Of course, antibiotics aren’t the only drugs that disrupt the friendly flora of the digestive tract. Sulfa drugs, chemotherapy, birth control pills, corticosteriods, antacids and acid blockers can also contribute to yeast overgrowth. The sulfa drugs and chemotherapy will also knock down friendly bacteria because of their toxic nature. Since the drugs used to treat AIDS are similar to many powerful chemotherapy drugs, I’d guess that the yeast infections are more the fault of the drugs than the AIDS. Steroids, like corticosteriods and birth control pills, will affect the immune system which can allow for opportunistic infections like yeast to get started. Antacids and acid blockers contribute to yeast overgrowth because the hydrochloric acid in the stomach helps control the growth of yeast and other harmful microbes in the digestive tract.

Mercury may also contribute to yeast overgrowth. There are several reasons for this. First, mercury reacts with hydrochloric acid in the stomach to produce antibacterial agents. Mercury also displaces iodine in the body and iodine acts as a natural antifungal (and antibacterial) agent. Finally, mercury depresses the immune system. All of these factors can contribute to the overgrowth of yeast.

Diet and Yeast Overgrowth

Dietary factors will help to feed yeast overgrowth. As anyone who has used yeast for baking or brewing understands, yeast feed on sugar. So, excessive sugar and refined carbohydrates in the diet will feed yeast overgrowth. In fact, if you do get yeast infections, one dietary change you have to make is to eliminate all refined carbohydrates from your diet. You will probably even need to eliminate many natural high carbohydrate foods from your diet (such as fruit juice, sugary fruits, and large quantities of starchy foods like grain and potatoes) at least temporarily while you get the yeast under control.

Furthermore, while yeast overgrowth is not caused by eating natural sugars or foods made with yeast, such as bread, wine or beer, foods containing mold such as aged cheeses and so forth, you may need to be cautious about some of these foods, particularly the ones containing mold. This is simply a temporary measure to allow the internal environment to shift in favor of the lactobacillis bacteria. However, I seriously doubt that one has to go to the extreme measures recommended in some books on candida.

Alcohol may contribute to yeast overgrowth only because alcohol is converted to sugars in the body and should be thought of nutritionally as a simple sugar. It contributes to hypoglycemia, which contributes to cravings for sugar and carbohydrates, a bad thing if you’re trying to control yeast.

Personally, I think that the approach a person should take to controlling yeast overgrowth with diet is the same dietary approach they should follow for improving general health. One should eat high quality proteins along with ample amounts of non-starchy vegetables as the main part of their diet.

I am quite certain that I had a huge yeast overgrowth problem at one time. As a child I was taken to the doctor every time I got sick and given penicillin (as were many other kids at that time). I developed chronic sinus infections and the doctor put me on daily doses of penicillin for two years. My sinus problems were worse at the end of those two years, not better. By age 19, I was getting sick more and more often and wound up with walking pneumonia.

This story is typical of what happens to people who take a lot of antibiotics. As the friendly flora found in the intestines are destroyed, the yeast multiply out of control. They secrete toxins that weaken the immune system and inflame the intestines producing leaky gut. Toxins are absorbed into the body and it becomes more congested, resulting in a host of health problems, such as acne, asthma, chronic sinus infections, frequent colds and flu and many other illnesses.

I was able to recover most of my health before I ever heard of candida. I got off of refined sugar, white flour and other refined carbohydrates. I did use natural sugars like honey, real maple syrup and fresh fruit, however. I took herbs to build my system and used enemas and herbs for detoxification. My health dramatically improved suggesting that these measures alone helped get the yeast in my body under control, without extreme dietary changes or any antifungal herbs except raw garlic (which I used for infection).