Intestinal Yeast Infection

Intestinal yeast infections have seen a rise in frequency over the past years, due, in particular to the introduction and widespread use of wide spectrum antibiotics. While it was believed until recently that an intestinal yeast infection would most likely appear in immunodeficient patients, such as those suffering from AIDS, or cancer patients who had undergone extensive chemotherapy, it appears that intestinal infections with Candida Albicans (the fungi commonly responsible for yeast infections) can affect seemingly healthy individuals.

People suffering from sustained stress, sleep deprivation, who use antibiotics in excess (for instance, teenagers who abuse antibiotics in order to treat acne or people who use strong, wide spectrum antibiotics to treat a banal cold), have an unbalanced, carbohydrate rich diet and an unhealthy lifestyle (intensive alcohol consumption) are prone to developing an intestinal yeast infection. Of course, intestinal yeast infections can occur in patients that have required extended antibiotic treatment as a result of a certain illness. The digestive system hosts a series of microorganisms, which form the gastrointestinal flora. In a healthy individual, this flora is balanced and no particular species of microorganisms is in excess. When the immune system is weakened or when a certain type of medicine wipes out most of the flora, certain types of microorganisms, such as the Candida, proliferate, creating infections.

Some of the symptoms of intestinal yeast infection are chronic fatigue, frequent bloating and gas, as well as the alternation of diarrhea and constipation, powerful intestinal cramps and rectal itching. Intestinal yeast infection can also be associated with oral thrush. Alternative medicine specialists list the “leaky gut” syndrome as a complication of the intestinal yeast infection. While conventional medicine practitioners tend to discharge their claim as scientifically baseless, an increasing number of alternative medicine followers tend to believe that many health problems that generally remain unexplained or just partially treated are being caused by infections with Candida. In the descriptions of the “leaky gut” syndrome, it is said that the development of the Candida leads to the penetration of the intestinal walls, which allows for larger particles than usual (including toxins) to be transported from the intestine into the bloodstream, with negative effects on the body. Amongst these effects are extreme fatigue, lack of concentration, degrading memory, dizziness and even the development of autoimmune diseases.

Diagnosing an intestinal yeast infection can be difficult. On one hand, a simple stool sample can’t be enlightening because Candida resides in the human gastrointestinal system normally, so special lab tests must be conducted. On the other hand, it is possible for Candida deposits to be visualized during colonoscopies, and for a positive Candida infection diagnosis to me made through biopsy, but those are relatively invasive procedures that doctors and patients would rather avoid if at all possible. Thirdly, some of the symptoms an intestinal yeast infection might give are also common for other gastrointestinal problems, such as gastritis, which is far more widespread, so the possibility of the patient suffering from intestinal yeast infection can sometimes be overlooked.

The treatment for the intestinal yeast infection is not dissimilar to that for other yeast infections, and consists of anti fungal medication and the strict following of a special diet. Remember, if you are experiencing any of the symptoms for intestinal yeast infection, you must visit your doctor immediately.