Candida Related Complex: A Complicating Factor in Lyme Disease

[Guest guest]

Poster's note:This has useful information for anybody dealing with any

fungus related disorder.

 

Candida Related Complex: A Complicating Factor in Lyme Disease

by Scott Forsgren

_http://www.publichealthalert.org/Articles/scottforsgren/candida-levin.html_

(http://www.publichealthalert.org/Articles/scottforsgren/candida-levin.html)

 

For many people struggling with chronic Lyme disease, symptoms such as

headaches, inability to think clearly, mood swings, muscle aches, joint pain,

poor

memory, depression, sinus congestion, allergies, chemical sensitivities,

digestive disturbances, fatigue, anxiety, and skin rashes are not uncommon.

What

may not be readily apparent, however, is that these same symptoms, and

others, are attributable to a common yeast called Candida (can'-di-duh), which

results in what has been termed " Candida Related Complex " . A failure to

understand and address this issue may result in a less than optimal overall

Lyme

disease treatment outcome.

 

Warren M. Levin, MD, PLLC blends conventional and alternative medical

philosophies in his private practice in Vienna, VA. Dr. Levin has found Candida

Related Complex (CRC) to be a significant factor in the presentation of many

chronic conditions. Dr. Levin identifies CRC as a common iatrogenic

complication

in the majority of people with Lyme disease and believes that it must be

adequately addressed in order to return one to an ideal state of health and

wellness.

 

Of the family of yeasts known as Candida, Candida albicans is the most

common, though there are numerous species that may result in clinical symptoms.

Symptoms of Candida can affect every bodily system and are often

incapacitating.

 

The majority of practitioners in mainstream medicine today still do not

recognize the importance of the presence of Candida on overall health. They

often

suggest that Candida is only an issue in patients that are severely

immunocompromised, such as patients with HIV, cancer, or patients that have

undergone

chemotherapy or radiation. This perspective is quite limited and misses the

majority of patients whose health is in fact impacted by Candida.

 

Candida Related Complex has been called the **Yeast Syndrome**, the **Yeast

Connection**, and Thrush, among other terms. It has also been called

*imaginary*, *nonsense*, *fraud*, and *charlatanism* by those that do not

understand

its implications and prevalence.

 

Not only does Dr. Levin believe that CRC is real, often overlooked and

generally under-treated, but he has found that many people with a diagnosis of

Lyme disease are experiencing symptoms that are partially, or entirely,

attributable to Candida Related Complex, not to Lyme disease itself. Since the

mid

20th century, five major changes in Western societies have created the perfect

storm for establishment of Candida Related Complex:

 

1. The tremendous increase in refined and processed foods, especially sugars

and chemical additives.

 

2. The introduction - and overuse - of antibiotics.

 

3. The introduction - and overuse - of cortisone and its natural and

artificial derivatives.

 

4. The introduction and widespread use of Birth Control Pills, which are

supposed to be **estrogen and progesterone** combinations, but are actually

artificial, synthesized foreign molecules that are very successful in

preventing

pregnancy. Unfortunately, they also interfere with normal hormonal balances,

and produce changes in the vaginal tissues that predispose women to Candida

infection.

 

5. The introduction- and overuse - of drugs that suppress stomach acid

production, thus depriving the users of the normal killing of foreign organisms

that are ingested with food (such as Candida) and also preventing the proper

digestion of protein which over time leads to malnutrition, even with healthy

diets.

 

 

Dr. Levin believes that CRC is a complex problem which plays a role in

multiple chronic and degenerative disease syndromes. CRC is more than just a

yeast

infection. In fact, most often, CRC exists without the presence of an

obvious yeast infection. The belief that CRC occurs only in women is erroneous.

Men

are commonly impacted by CRC and its many resulting effects as well.

 

It is not only the presence of these disease-causing fungal organisms that

results in illness. Symptoms are often the result of the body's allergic

response to the organisms. It is this chronic Candida infection mixed with the

body's allergic response to the organisms that results in Candida Related

Complex. Asthma, otitis, colitis, fungal infections such as athlete's foot,

eczema,

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, cystitis, ADHD and many other conditions can be

the direct result of CRC. Every child that has had repeated courses of

antibiotics, often to treat ear infections, should be considered a suspect for

CRC

especially when the child presents with conditions that appear to be

allergy-based.

 

Yeast can result in prostate infections in men as well as chronic bladder

disorders and urinary symptoms in both men and women. Seborrhea ( " dandruff " )

and Psoriasis are common signs. Approximately 40% of psoriasis cases can be

controlled with an anti-Candida program.

 

Itching around the vagina, or vaginitis, is often caused by yeast. It has

been demonstrated that specific anti-Candida IgE antibodies can be found in the

vagina illustrating that persistent vaginitis is largely the result of

allergy. In much the same way that sinus problems can be due to food allergies,

although there are no foods in the nose, symptoms in the vagina can be the

result of an allergic response to infection elsewhere in the body.

Abnormalities

in the immune system can be related to chronic yeast infection. Polycystic

ovaries and endometriosis are conditions that can be greatly improved through

the proper treatment of Candida.

 

Women with recurring vaginal yeast infections that don't seem to resolve

after repeated localized treatment courses may be re-infecting themselves due

to

the close location of the anus to the vagina. It is not difficult for yeast

colonizing the digestive tract to make its way from the rectum to the vaginal

area. When the intestinal reservoir of yeast is diminished, vaginal yeast

infections are often controlled as well.

 

Allergic reactions such as hay fever, asthma, headaches, and eczema are

exacerbated by chronic yeast infections. Arthritis and Systemic Lupus

Erythematosus have responded in some patients to anti-fungal treatment. IBS,

Colitis,

and Crohn's disease are often complicated by the presence of chronic yeast,

parasites, and food allergies.

 

Dr. Levin uses the analogy of **weeds in the garden** to explain the balance

of organisms in the digestive tract. A healthy lawn is one that has been

cultivated with topsoil, tilled, fertilized, watered, weeded without poisons,

and seeded. This is a lawn that is both beautiful and without weeds. One can

blow dandelion seeds on the lawn and though they will sprout, they cannot

penetrate the interlocking root system. They are rejected and die.

 

When looking at the inevitable number of organisms that we swallow on a

regular basis, it is the healthy bacteria in the digestive tract that should

create an environment that does not support the persistence of these

pathenogenic

microbes. Unfortunately, antibiotics destroy good bacteria and create a

perfect environment which supports the growth of undesired yeast. When the

healthy bacteria are gone and the yeast takes over, we are further predisposed

to

other unhealthy parasites and bacteria. All of these become weeds in the

garden. Unfortunately, once yeast, parasites, and harmful bacteria have all

arrived to the party, an attempt to resolve the yeast infection without also

resolving the parasite and bacterial overgrowth generally fails. When yeast is

present, one must aggressively look for and address other organisms in order to

ensure the highest possible chance of treatment success.

 

Healthy bacteria in the digestive tract serve a number of important

functions in the body. They produce vitamins which cannot be manufactured by

the body

itself. They also help to control the overgrowth of pathenogenic microbes in

the gut. In fact, there are more bacteria in a healthy stool than cells in

the entire human body. More than 50% of the dry weight of the stool is

bacteria. These bacteria defend us against many harmful organisms such as

yeast.

 

Unfortunately, antibiotics destroy healthy bacteria and result in a

welcoming environment for **weeds in the garden**. At first, these weeds are

like the

dandelions, though these organisms quickly seize the opportunity to colonize

and shift the balance in their favor. At this stage, even when the healthy

bacteria are restored, it may not be enough to eradicate the well-implanted

yeast. The yeast take nutrition from the environment and make waste products,

which are then dumped into our bodies and are absorbed, acting as toxins or

poisons. Most people can tolerate small amounts of toxins, but when a certain

threshold is reached, symptoms begin and we become toxic. Headaches,

intestinal problems, aches, pains, fatigue, fuzzy thinking, and nasal stuffiness

are

among the many symptoms that these fungal toxins may produce.

 

It is the body*s allergic response to these organisms and the toxins they

produce that generate the majority of the symptoms experienced. Once an

allergic response begins, even the elimination of the majority of the yeast may

not

be enough to resolve symptoms. A small remaining amount becomes enough to

trigger the allergic response and thus produce ongoing symptoms.

 

Unfortunately, much like with Lyme disease, lab testing often misses the

presence of Candida infection. Testing for Candida using stool samples often

yields many **false negative** results. Dr. Levin has come to the conclusion

that Candida creates *roots*, or fungal filaments, which anchor it strongly to

the wall of the digestive tract. He believes this is a survival mechanism as

the organisms could not persist if they were purged from the body. In the book

The Biology of Belief by Bruce Lipton, PhD, this theory of a consciousness

for self-preservation is scientifically supported. This adherence to the gut

wall significantly reduces the amount of Candida that may be observed in the

stool and results in these **false negative** test results.

 

As is seen with Lyme disease, antibody testing for Candida often yields

negative results as well. This is a characteristic sign of a suppressed immune

response that simply does not have the fortitude to create antibodies.

 

In the past, darkfield microscopy was used to observe fungal forms in the

blood. Unfortunately, the practice of using darkfield microscopy by MDs and DOs

in this manner has since been outlawed by CLIA, the federal agency in charge

of laboratories. The technique may still be employed by chiropractors and

naturopathic physicians, but they do not have the ability to prescribe the

necessary antifungal agents potentially required to address the issue.

Interestingly, fungal forms observed in the blood with darkfield microscopes do

not

persist in the blood after subsequent antifungal treatment with a systemic

antifungal agent.

 

More recently, additional mechanisms for evaluating the presence of Candida

have become available. William Shaw, PhD, the force behind Great Plains

Laboratory, discovered metabolic waste products which could be identified in

the

urine using a test called the **Organic Acids Test**. More specifically, the

presence of Arabinose and Tartaric Acid, never found in healthy humans, are

powerful indicators of the presence of Candida. This can often help to confirm

the presence of systemic yeast when stool cultures, or other similar tests,

have returned negative but suspicion of yeast involvement remains high.

 

There have also been additional advances in the area of Candida testing

which may be helpful when yeast organisms are found in cultures. The first is

the

ability to identify the specific yeast species. The second is testing to

determine the best possible treatment option by performing an anti-fungal drug

sensitivity test. This test will look at various options available, both

herbal and prescription, and suggest which may be the most effective treatment

intervention for a given patient.

 

In looking at treatment options, Nystatin is generally considered to be a

good option for treating Candida infections in the digestive tract. The major

advantage of using Nystatin is the low risk of serious systemic side effects,

as the drug is not systemically absorbed. Unfortunately, this characteristic

of Nystatin is also its downside. It can act as a lawnmower to remove the

dandelions, though it cannot get to the root system and, as a result, may not

be

an effective approach in the treatment of CRC after it has passed the

initial stages. Once the yeast has penetrated the intestinal wall, Nystatin may

be

able to help clear out the intestines, but it leaves the roots behind and the

yeast will simply reemerge.

 

Until about twenty years ago, there were few other options for the treatment

of Candida. Fortunately, today, there are several oral medications that are

absorbed and work their way through the blood to attack the root system and

more successfully address entrenched chronic fungal infection.

 

Ketaconazole (Nizoral), Fluconazole (Diflucan), Itraconazole (Sporanox) and

more recently Voriconazole (VFend) are some of the more common agents that

can help to address CRC at a deeper level. Clotrimazole (Lotrimin) is another

" azole " drug used for the treatment of yeast, though it is generally only used

for external yeast infections such as vaginal infection, athlete's foot,

jock itch, and ringworm and is not used to address yeast systemically in this

country. Tinidazole (Tindamax) is not FDA-approved for the treatment of yeast

and may not be available in an oral form strong enough to be beneficial,

though it is beneficial in cases of parasites such as giardia, amoebas, and

trichomonas. Metronidazole (Flagyl) is often the drug of choice for parasites

and

vaginal trichomonas, though it does not have any anti-Candida properties. In

fact, the PDR warns that using Flagyl may promote the overgrowth of Candida.

Long-term use of Ketaconazole can inhibit adrenal function and production of

testicular hormones. Unfortunately, the FDA made a decision years ago to allow

a single dose of Diflucan to be used for the treatment of chronic recurrent

vaginitis. This decision has created a super-strain of Candida that is not

only resistant to Fluconazole but to other **azole** drugs as well.

 

It is important to understand that while Nystatin is not absorbed and thus

has a low incidence of side effects, the more systemic anti-fungal agents such

as the " azoles " do bring with them a higher risk of liver toxicity and

elevation of liver enzymes. It is necessary to monitor the liver closely when

using these systemic agents. Given the significance of CRC on overall health,

these medications offer great potential, even with the possible side effects

they may bring, as long as the patient is appropriately monitored.

 

Other important considerations when treating CRC are the prebiotics and

probiotics. Lactobacillus and Bifidus are healthy probiotic organisms that help

to inhibit the overgrowth of yeast, as well as producing vitamins and

conferring numerous other health benefits. Prebiotics are less commonly

understood.

Their purpose is to serve as fertilizer for the good bacteria. Prebiotics

consist primarily of fructooligosaccha rides (FOS) and inulin. They are

indigestible carbohydrates that support the growth of the probiotics. They are

in

effect a form of **Miracle Gro®** for beneficial bacteria. A number of

prebiotic

and probiotic products are readily available.

 

Beyond killing yeast with an anti-microbial, any CRC treatment program

should include both a probiotic and prebiotic. Dr. Levin recommends that

patients

use only the highest quality products among the probiotics, and that the

specific product should be changed after six-to-eight weeks to provide as many

different strains of probiotics as possible. Glutamine can be helpful for

restoring the integrity of the bowel wall. Butyric acid can provide an energy

source for the cells of the colon.

 

Non-prescription products which can be helpful include oregano oil, tea tree

oil used topically, and high quality colloidal silver products (Note:

Colloidal silver products should be obtained from manufacturers, not made at

home.

Attempting to make colloidal silver at home significantly increases the risk

of adverse events.). These interventions are more beneficial earlier in the co

ndition. Once the yeast is well-entrenched, the more powerful prescription

anti-fungals may be required.

 

Another technique that Dr. Levin finds useful is to measure RBC (red blood

cell) levels of minerals. If molybdenum is low, it should be supplemented. A

waste product of Candida is called **acetylaldehyde**. Aldehydes affect

neurological, metabolic, endocrine, and immune function. More specifically,

with

Candida, it is the creation of acetylaldehyde that overload the system.

Molybdenum helps to break down the aldehydes produced by the yeasts so that

they can

be more readily excreted by the body.

 

Diet is another key to resolving CRC. A diet high in simple sugars nourishes

the yeast organisms. A low-carbohydrate, high protein diet should be

followed. The diet should restrict fruit and contain no fruit juices. Yeast in

any

form should be avoided. This includes fermented foods made with yeast such as

wine, beer, vinegar, breads, cakes, pastries, and most cheeses. Strawberries,

blueberries, raspberries, and grapes tend to become moldy and should be

avoided. Even small amounts of yeast can trigger yeast allergy symptoms to

emerge. Another important aspect of diet when treating yeast-related conditions

is

the focus on an alkaline diet which may include the incorporation of one of a

number of high-quality **Green** drinks.

 

Not only do the symptoms of Candida Related Complex and Lyme disease have

significant overlap, but often, the treatment of Lyme disease contributes to

CRC. The refusal of mainstream doctors to consider Candida combined with the

use of antibiotics to treat Lyme disease results in the stage being set for the

development of CRC.

 

Anyone that takes more than four weeks of antibiotic therapy and is on the

**Standard American Diet**, which Dr. Levin refers to as **SAD**, is likely to

have Candida overgrowth. Ideally, a combination of probiotics and the

anti-fungal Nystatin would be considered a protective therapy and given to

everyone

on antibiotics in order to minimize the risk of a more entrenched systemic

fungal infection. Once CRC takes hold, more aggressive therapy is often

required.

 

The more one understands about Candida Related Complex, the better

positioned they are to work with their doctor on evaluating whether or not CRC

is a

part of the overall symptom picture. In a significant number of cases of people

with Lyme disease, CRC plays a key role. A failure to address this

likelihood undermines the overall Lyme disease treatment protocol. Successfully

addressing CRC often leads to a significant improvement in overall health and

wellness.

 

Resources:

 

Dr. Levin has several lectures available on CD, including one on Candida.

Others include Asthma, Hypoglycemia, Food Allergy, and Intravenous Chelation

Therapy. He can be contacted through his web site: _www.warrenmlevinmd.net_

(http://www.warrenmlevinmd.net) _info_

(info)

 

To find a doctor in your area visit the American College for the Advancement

of Medicine at _www.acam.org_ (http://www.acam.org) or The American Academy

of Environmental Medicine at _http://www.aaem.com_ (http://www.aaem.com) .

 

The Yeast Connection For Women: A Medical Breakthrough by William G. Crook

 

The Yeast Connection Handbook by William G. Crook

 

The Yeast Syndrome: How to Help Your Doctor Identify & Treat the Real Cause

of Your Yeast-Related Illness by John P. Trowbridge and Morton Walker

 

Coping With Candida Cookbook by Sally Rockwell

 

Marjorie Crandall, PhD _www.yeastconsulting.com_

(http://www.yeastconsulting.com)

 

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