Is Candida an Endocrine Disorder?

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(Article from the Candida Digest July 2000)

 

Is Candida an Endocrine Disorder?

http://www.candida-society.org.uk/

 

Candida is usually thought to result from a weakness of the immune system

following antibiotic therapy. This may be true, but it may not be the whole

truth. If it isn't then any treatment based on it is unlikely to be completely

successful in all patients. Our data indicates that whilst the majority of

sufferers do recover (occasionally relapsing at a later date) a minority fail to

recover at all. Effective treatment requires satisfactory explanations of

underlying causes.

 

As long ago as the 1980s American physicians noted that their most

difficult-to-treat candida patients had endocrine systems that were not working

properly, known as the APICH syndrome. As an unbalanced endocrine system may

play a

role in all candida overgrowth, it is important to look carefully at the

relationship between candida and the endocrine system. We begin with the usual

description of the causes of candida.

 

What is candida?

 

'Candida' is the popular term for an overgrowth of candida - a condition

known to medical doctors as 'intestinal candidiasis' when found in the

intestines

or 'systemic candidiasis' when found elsewhere in the body. It was first

diagnosed by American physicians in the 1970s.

 

When we are healthy, candida lives (in its yeast form) in our intestines

where it competes with bacteria for room. Like bacteria, it is aerobic i.e. it

needs oxygen to live. When we die, oxygenated blood stops coursing through our

bodies, suffocating the bacteria. But candida (like all yeast) can survive

without oxygen by changing into its fungal, anaerobic form. It spreads rapidly

into

the area vacated by the dead bacteria, putting down roots into the walls of

the intestines, and sporing through the gut wall into the rest of the body.

 

Candida decomposes cell membranes, providing food for other microbes,

particularly the maggots which infest corpses. The Egyptians realised this

thousands

of years ago. When they wanted to mummify a body they extracted the intestines

as soon as possible after death, to stop the body rotting from the inside

out, embalming the rest of the body with eucalyptus and other anti-fungal oils

to

kill any remaining candida and other microbes.

 

Sounds revolting, but a diagnosis of 'candida' means that this process has

started, whilst we are still alive. It doesn't mean that you are at death's

door. On the contrary candida rarely kills. But its presence in large numbers

means that your immune system has an unremitting battle to keep it under control

-

a battle which takes a terrible toll on your health.

 

Common symptoms of candida

 

The damage to the intestinal wall allows toxins to enter the bloodstream.

This condition called 'leaky gut syndrome' often leads to food allergies, foggy

brain, migraines and depression. Symptoms in the intestines include diarrhoea

or constipation, bloatedness, flatulence and itchy anus. Once through to the

rest of the body, the candida can live anywhere there are mucous membranes - it

particularly likes the vagina, lungs and the sinuses, providing food for

bacteria and viruses. It has an ability to disrupt the endocrine system causing

symptoms such as weight gain or weight loss, PMS, menstrual irregularities,

joint

pains, asthma, hayfever, muscle fatigue and chronic tiredness. Testing

usually reveals vitamin, mineral and enzyme deficiencies and low blood sugar.

Thyroid tests often indicate that the thyroid is functioning normally, but body

temperature is inexplicably low.

 

Some of the most obvious symptoms of candida overgrowth are thrush, cystitis

and fungal infections of the nails or skin, such as athlete's foot. Local

medication is not permanently successful. This list of symptoms is illustrative

not exhaustive.

 

Causes of candida - the traditional view

 

A decade ago books on candida were hard to come by - but now most bookshops

stock a good choice. We have a lot more information and a vast increase in the

choice of supplements, as new anti-fungal properties of herbs are discovered

and added to supplements. But we haven't made any progess in understanding why

candida has become so prevalent. Authors of recent publications seem to agree

that the number one cause is overuse of broad spectrum antibiotics. Candida

then overwhelms the immune system by producing toxins which repress

T-lymphocytes, the main search-and-destroy cells in the immune system.

 

This is a far simpler account than that given by earlier writers (often

practising physicians) who cited a complex mix of contributory factors. GPs have

difficulty accepting this simpler hypothesis. They know that antibiotics cause

thrush in susceptible individuals, which they (wrongly) regard as little more

than a temporary nuisance, restricted to the genitals and mouth. They don't

believe that a microscopic organism (which our bodies have accommodated for

thousands of years) can permanently overwhelm a healthy immune system to do such

wide-spread damage.

 

It seems that we are in danger of talking up one possible hypothesis

(disregarding others) and unfortunately our chosen one alienates the medical

profession and provides poor guidance for the very people who need it most:

severe

cases with complications, and those who relapse. It is time to take a fresh look

at the underlying causes of candida.

 

Who suffers from candida?

 

Females! Males do get it - see our last edition for a male member's story,

but overwhelmingly it is a female condition. At least 60% of sufferers are

women; 20% are men; and 20% are boys and girls. If candida is caused primarily

by

antibiotics, why is it predominantly a female condition? Do women swallow more

antibiotics than men? Maybe they do, but anecdotal evidence suggests not -

women avoid oral antibiotics because they know they will get vaginal thrush if

they don't.

 

Considering the number of male teenagers who take antibiotics for acne and

the children dosed with antibiotics for infections, shouldn't this ratio of

sufferers be more balanced? Perhaps this imbalance can give us a clue about the

causes of candida. Some of our male members think that antibiotics caused their

candida, but a significant number think otherwise. They cite:

 

-- handling chemicals e.g. pharmaceutical workers, farmers

 

-- dental mercury amalgam poisoning

 

-- use of recreational drugs

 

-- side-effects of medication, especially corticosteroids

 

-- stress (usually as a contributory factor).

 

Causes in women?

 

Mandy Smith (then Bill Wyman's wife) was the first UK public person reported

in the press to be suffering from candida, which was attributed to her

continuous use of the contraceptive pill from puberty. In fact, it still seems

likely

that hormonal pills are the major factor in women developing candida. The

factors are:

 

-- contraceptive pill or HRT including 'natural' progesterone cream

 

-- other corticosteroids (hydrocortisone, beconase, prednisolone etc.)

 

-- hormonal changes e.g. puberty, sexual maturity, pregnancy, sterilisation,

menopause including peri- and post-menopause

 

-- broad-spectrum antibiotics

 

-- dental mercury amalgam poisoning

 

-- chemical poisoning in the home or office

 

-- stress (usually as a contributory factor).

 

Causes in children?

 

Our evidence is too scanty to offer any definite conclusions, but we note

that most of our young members (if not all) have had antibiotics and/or

corticosteroids.

 

What do these factors have in common?

 

They all disrupt the body's endocrine system, causing hormonal abnormalities,

which can be aggravated by antibiotics, and even by candida.

 

What is the endocrine system?

 

The endocrine system is the regulatory system of the body. Whilst the immune

system is our defence system (an army), the endocrine system is our internal

policeforce, preventing local trouble from escalating and keeping everything

running smoothly.

 

How does the endocrine system work?

 

In simple terms, the endocrine system (part of the hormonal system) has a

number of glands e.g. ovaries, testes, adrenals and thyroid all controlled by

the

pituitary gland (the master gland) and the hypothalamus in the brain. Under

direction from the brain, each gland releases a chemical messenger (hormone)

into the blood stream, that circulates until it finds its target site - a

receptor specially-shaped for it on various organs. The hormone fits into the

receptor and turns it on - like a key opening a lock. All of our organs

(including

the brain) have receptors, and the arrival of the hormone messenger governs the

activity of the organ, turning it up or down, on or off.

 

This is the basic mechanism for how most drugs work in the body, as drugs are

made to mimic hormones. Quantities of all circulating hormones are

continuously monitored and adjusted by the brain. It is a complex system because

some

hormones have more than one function, and hormones work with or against each one

other.

 

Let's look at how your hormones affect thrush. The endocrine system governs

the acid-alkaline balance in the vagina. Normally it is kept slightly acidic,

but if the endocrine system decides to raise the pH level (making it alkaline),

the vaginal wall becomes less hospitable to the bacteria that live there.

They die, and the vacated space is filled by an organism that likes an alkaline

environmentl i.e. thrush. This is why to get rid of thrush permanently, you

need to return the vagina to its natural acidic state. Go gently - drastic

treatment will certainly banish the thrush, but a sudden vacuum will be quickly

filled by an opportunistic strain of bacteria that will bring as many problems

as

the thrush. You also need to discover why your endocrine system is altering

the acid-alkaline balance (e.g. are you taking HRT or other corticosteroids?)

and let the body get back to the balance that it wants to maintain for your good

health.

 

Relationship with candida?

 

Let's return to the factors that members thought might have caused their

candida, and look at one way that they might disrupt the endocrine system

(undoubtedly there are others too). Corticosteroids, dental mercury amalgam and

chemicals such as dry cleaning materials, carpet sprays, plastics, paints and

pesticides can all jam oestrogen receptors. Oestrogen is a hormone that is made

in

the ovaries (in pre-menopausal females), in the adrenals (in men and in

post-menopausal women), in fat cells and in the bowels. As oestrogen and its

opposite

number progesterone are particularly important in a female, we would expect

any imbalance to have more effects on the female than male. In addition, both

of these hormones have more mundane functions (in both sexes) such as

controlling the bladder, bowel functioning, blood sugar regulation. In fact, all

of the

symptoms of candida mentioned earlier, including weight gain, asthma etc. can

result from hormonal imbalance.

 

Effect of blocked oestrogen receptors?

 

The exact effect is unknown. Depending on which receptors are blocked and

what activity the receptor was governing, the net result could be excess or

insufficient oestrogen. Excess oestrogen is a cancer risk e.g. for breast

cancer.

Progesterone dominance (low oestrogen) can cause headaches, migraines,

depression, blood sugar irregularities leading to asthma and adrenal gland

exhaustion

leading to allergies particularly environmental allergies. Low body

temperature (but normal thyroid tests) are another sign of adrenal dysfunction.

So we

find that all of our symptoms listed earlier are signs of an endocrine disorder.

Interesting!

 

Why do antibiotics bring on candida?

 

Antibiotics can be the final straw that breaks the camel's back. We have

already seen how the presence of antibiotics can cause the vagina to become more

alkaline predisposing thrush. Short term antibiotics can have another effect as

oestrogen is passed into the intestines in bile fluids for conversion to a

more active form by bacterial action. (In other words, gut bacteria allow you to

make maximum use of your available oestrogen). Broad-spectrum antibiotics

kills the bacteria stopping this process. The level of oestrogen plummets below

that necesary. Repeated doses of antibiotics can disrupt the endocrine system

similar to corticosteroids.

 

Effect of candida on the endocrine system

 

Once candida has overgrown, it can bind to hormones changing their ;key'

shape so they are unable to fit 'lock' in their receptor. This effectively

inactivates the circulating hormone, making all endocrine problems ten times

worse.

 

What is the APICH syndrome?

 

Autoimmune Polyendocrinopathy Immune-dysregulation Candidosis

Hypersensitivity syndrome. This syndrome was identified in the USA in the 1980s

as an

endocrine disorder afflicting all really difficult-to-treat candida patients. It

is

far more prevalent in females. (We covered the details in our Factsheet 005,

but note that symptoms include ovarian, thyroid and adrenal insufficiency).

 

Summary of the argument

 

We are suggesting that candida is a side-effect of an endocrine disorder

(hormonal imbalance). It is a continuum with thrush at one end and the APICH

syndrome at the other - most severe - end. The primary mechanism may be the

blocking of oestrogen receptors, although there will be others too. This

hypothesis

provides an explanation for the male-female imbalance. Blocked oestrogen

receptors can lead to a relative dominance of progesterone, a hormone candida

loves.

Once candida has taken hold, it can further disrupt the endocrine system by

inactivating circulating hormones. The immune system attacks the candida and

the candida retaliates weakening it, but the disruption is primarily in the

endocrine system.

 

Steps to recovery

 

If we accept the premise that candida may be an endocrine disorder, then the

key to getting rid of candida for good is to stop this imbalance. In further

editions of the Candida Digest, we will investigate how to do this in detail.

Here, we outline an approach.

 

Step One: As candida aggravates any endocrine disorder, reduce candida

overgrowth.

 

Classic candida therapy has four aspects to it:

 

-- Diet, restricting banned foodstuffs including allergens.

 

-- Anti-fungals to kill the candida - there are good quality herbal

alternatives.

 

-- Repopulation of the digestive tract with good bacteria e.g. acidophilus.

 

-- Dietary supplements as needed to boost the immune system and help with

digestion.

 

All practitioners have their own regime which they advocate. We provide

general guidelines to all members, and individual support on request.

 

Step Two: Consider how you have disrupted your endocrine system. You are

unlikely to get well if the disruption is ongoing e.g. by taking the

contraceptive

pill or HRT. You may want to take expert advice on alternatives. We

particularly recommend this if you are menopausal.

 

Step Three: If you can't work out what may have caused your candida (or are

undecided how to proceed) you may benefit from expert help. We can help you

find a practitioner, many of whom are using electronic machines to take the

guesswork out of identifying causes.

 

Step Four: Get tested - don't self-diagnose. If you see a good practitioner,

they will order tests if they are necessary, or your GP may be willing to do

so. There are some fabulous tests available now, we particularly like Great

Smokies' 28 day saliva test, Female Hormone Profile. The results are given in an

easy-to-understand format. Please don't assume that you are low in oestrogen

just because you are a female in your forties - remember that high oestrogen is

a cancer risk, so you need to be sure!

 

Step Five: If you discover that dental mercury amalgam is poisoning your

system, be sure to follow the correct procedure to remove ALL mercury from your

body. If you don't, then changing your fillings is unlikely to give you the

health improvement that you are hoping for. The body will not give up mercury if

it is deficient in any mineral, so address that in advance of treatment. After

the fillings have been changed, the mercury has to be removed from the blood

and then from receptor sites. There are various protocols for doing this - we

can put members in touch with the Mercury Amalgams Helpline.

 

Step Six: If you are sure that your oestrogen level is suboptimal, there are

a number of herbal supplements that can help - known as phytoestrogens. These

can remove excess oestrogen or increase oestrogen activity by unblocking recept

ors. They help to rectify whatever imbalance is found. They are precusors to

hormones but not hormones themselves. We recommend that you stay away from all

hormones including so-called 'natural' progesterone cream which can have some

very nasty side-effects. (Remember candida loves progesterone, and excess

progesterone can transform itself into oestrogen or testosterone causing those

hormones to rise dangerously - this is discussed in detail in Volume 4 Issue 4

of the Candida Digest).

 

Herbs include:

 

Black cohosh

 

Red Clover

 

Siberian Ginseng

 

Dong Quai

 

Wild Yam

 

Licorice root (not with high blood pressure)

 

 

Avoid or reduce:

 

-- Hormones in milk or meat

 

-- Soya is beginning to get a bad press. It has been reported that animals

fed soya have had their intestines ripped by its long strands. This sounds like

bad news for candida sufferers,