Candida Symptoms and Signs

Extreme exhaustion. If you feel tired all the time, it might be attributable to a Candida infection. Candida albicans is what causes Candida infections. When you have a Candida infection in your gut, you are unable to properly digest food and may suffer from a lack of nutrition. This obviously can cause extreme fatigue, as you simply aren’t taking in enough nutrition to offset the energy demands of your day.

Gorging on sweets. Eating too many sweet things is not a symptom of Candida – rather it is one of the causative factors. Candida tends to multiply rapidly when it is supplied with sugar. If you look out at the street and see how many people are obese, and therefore, are probably gorging on sugar, you’ll realize that nearly two-thirds of people everywhere actually have a Candida problem. The simple fact is that an addiction for sugar is programmed into us in childhood, and remains with us as we grow up. Almost everyone today has a craving for sugar. The best thing you can do if you want to avoid a Candida problem is to considerably reduce the amount the sugar you take in. In many cases, simply reducing one’s sugar intake can cause a Candida infection to subside.

Problems with thinking clearly. While there may be a number of issues which can cause problems with thinking clearly, it could also be due to a Candida infection. When you’re suffering from an overgrowth of Candida albicans, this produces a toxin called acetaldehyde. If you have a serious Candida infection, your blood may literally be awash in acetaldehyde, and it may not be possible for your liver to process it all before some of it reaches your brain or your nervous system. Acetaldehyde can cause confusion in thinking, and can also prevent you from remembering things that would otherwise easily come to mind. It is also associated with an inability to concentrate. So, if you are experiencing any of the above symptoms, you might consider the possibility that you are suffering from a yeast infection.

Problems with your immune system. A Candida infection can cause an auto-immune disorder, or if you have an existing auto-immune disorder, it can be made considerably worse if you’re also suffering from a yeast infection. You must be especially careful if you have conditions such as Multiple Sclerosis or Arthritis because the effects of these can be magnified by Candida. Some studies have shown a similar reaction to a protein in Candida, as that which some people exhibit to gluten. It has also been shown that fibromyalgia, and other serious health issues such as chronic fatigue syndrome, are both very closely related to a Candida infection.

Serious problems with digestion. The usual cause for Candida is an imbalance in the flora of your gut. Your stomach usually contains beneficial bacteria, but when these are killed off by antibiotics or by a sustained and concentrated intake of sugar, Candida dominates over all the other strains and completely imbalances the flora of the gut. When this happens, digestion is inevitably affected. With the beneficial bacteria dominated by Candida, you will find that your body has considerable difficulty dealing with starches and certain kinds of sugar and that it is impossible for you to digest fiber.

Fungus infections of the nails. If you’re suffering from fungus growths in your nails, this can be an extremely strong indicator that you are also suffering from Candida. The two are extremely closely related. As a matter of fact, other seemingly external disorders such as ringworm or athletes’ foot, can also be indicators of a Candida infection. People usually try to treat these with casual products bought at their local medical store, but a persistent nail fungus infection will require that you be treated for Candida and that you possibly must make changes to your diet to eliminate the high sugar content that fuels the Candida.

Infections of the vagina. Yeast or fungal infections anywhere in the body are generally a sign of a central Candida overgrowth, as a central overgrowth of Candida albicans is perfectly capable of spreading to other areas. Even though a yeast infection of the vagina can be dealt with separately, you will find it recurring again and again unless you deal with the central Candida infection.

Accentuated allergies. If you have a strong overgrowth of Candida, you will find that this adversely affects the way you react to your environment, and massively accentuates your allergies. If you have allergies to different seasonal and environmental effects, you will find that these flare up far more when you have a Candida infection. Food allergies are also very adversely affected. As a matter of fact, some studies show that a strong Candida infection can actually cause allergies to begin with. Your doctor can refer you to an allergist, who will work closely with you to find out what substances in your environment are actually at the root of your allergy, after which you will have to remove them from your environment or diet.

Extreme moodiness. While women tend to associate moodiness with the menstrual cycle, they often miss the fact that they might be suffering from a Candida infection. This is because Candida infections can also cause mood swings that are very similar to the menstrual cycle. Try to pay attention to your moods and see whether you experience irritability or feelings of depression with no obvious cause. If there is no obvious cause for certain feelings, you should look into the possibility that a Candida infection might be causing those feelings. Make a diary of the feelings you experience and show it to your doctor.

Severe skin issues. Persistent issues with your skin or issues that keep coming back might well be signs of a Candida infection. Persistent rashes or dry or itching skin may all be signs that you have a serious Candida infection. Sometimes you may develop eczema, and your doctor may prescribe steroids that seem to cure it. If it comes back again and again, it could be a sign that you have a serious Candida problem. There are tests for Candida available that you can do in the comfort of your home, or you can consult your doctor.