11 Common Symptoms Of

Candida

Candida Related Complex is such a difficult condition to diagnose

because it tends to affect each sufferer in a different way. Candida
symptoms can occur on different parts of their body, in ways that may
even be unique to that particular person.

For this and other reasons, Candida is often misdiagnosed. If you have a
doctor who is unaware of the importance of gut health, he or she may
treat the symptoms rather than the cause. Fatigue might be written off
as depression, and digestive problems might be blamed on IBS. The
underlying cause, an imbalance in the gut flora, might not be
recognized or treated.

Just like other syndromes and chronic conditions, the symptoms of

Candida can flare up in different places. There are tests for Candida
overgrowth but in many cases patients do much of the diagnostic
work themselves. Looking at the various symptoms that youre
experiencing can give a good indication of whether you have a deeper
issue with your gut flora.

The consensus is that many more people are suffering from Candida
than those few who are diagnosed correctly. You may find yourself
suffering from any or all of the following symptoms if you have Candida.
All of them can be linked to an imbalance in the gut flora.

Here are the 11 of the most common Candida symptoms that you
may be experiencing:

Chronic fatigue

Brain fog

Digestive issues

Recurring yeast infections

Oral thrush

Sinus infections

Food allergies/intolerances

Fungal infections on the skin and nails

A weak immune system

Joint pain

Low mood
These are the symptoms that are most commonly seen. You may have
just a handful of these, or you might recognize most of the list. Lets
start by taking a look at these symptoms in more detail. Then Ill list a
few of the less common symptoms that you might be experiencing.

Chronic Fatigue
Do you feel like youre tired all the time? A gut imbalance like Candida
overgrowth could be to blame. A pathogen such as Candida albicans
can affect your energy levels in several different ways.

When an external factor like antibiotics disturbs the balance in your

gut flora, one of the most immediate effects is on the way that you
absorb nutrients. Your gut is the place where much of the digestive
heavy lifting takes place. Its here that nutrients are broken down,
processed, and absorbed.

If Candida (or another pathogen) has expanded its colonies to the point
where it affects this balance, your nutrient absorption can suffer.
Foods can pass through your gut without being properly broken down,
and you lose the opportunity to absorb the nutrients they contain. Over
time, this can lead to fatigue as your body simply doesnt get the fuel
that it needs.

In the meantime, these Candida cells are not sitting idle. Their metabolic
processes produce a wide variety of chemicals, many of which are toxic
to us. These include a neurotoxin named acetaldehyde, which is
coincidentally the same chemical that causes hangovers.

In a healthy individual, the small amounts of acetaldehyde produced by

Candida are easily processed by the liver. In a person with a Candida
overgrowth, this is not necessarily the case. The liver becomes
overworked as it struggles to process larger amounts of
acetaldehyde. This build-up of acetaldehyde and other toxins can slow
down various processes in your body. And dont forget that the liver is
responsible for energy storage too.
This leads us on to the last reason why Candida can lead to fatigue.
Things like an overworked liver, a weakened immune system, and
chronic fatigue can put pressure on other organs. For example, adrenal
fatigue is often seen at the same time as Candida.

The reason is that many of your bodys resources are being diverted to
process Candida toxins, fight the Candida overgrowth, and maintain
your energy levels. Over time, this can deplete the hormonal precursors
that are needed to produce crucial hormones like pregnenolone,
cortisol, and DHEA. As your levels of these hormones drop, it can
start to affect your energy levels, your libido, and much more.

Brain Fog
Ive already touched on the reason why a Candida overgrowth can lead
to brain fog, confusion, difficulties with memory, and poor
concentration. A chemical named acetaldehyde, one of the toxic
metabolites produced by Candida albicans, is to blame.

Acetaldehyde is one of many chemicals produced by Candida (by one

count, there are at least 79). Others include ammonia and uric acid. But
its acetaldehyde that is likely to have the greatest effect on your
wellbeing. If your head is permanently foggy, you struggle to stay
focused, and you are more forgetful than you used to be, acetaldehyde
could be to blame.

During a Candida overgrowth, there may be too much acetaldehyde in

your blood stream for your liver to process efficiently. This allows it to
circulate to your nervous system and brain.

There are several ways in which acetaldehyde can affect your mental
focus:

Red blood cells that combine with acetaldehyde can carry less
oxygen to the brain and travel more slowly through blood vessels.

Acetaldehyde can cause a deficiency in vitamin B1, which is crucial

for good brain health.
 Acetaldehyde can also damage nerve cells in a similar way to
chronic alcoholism or Alzheimers.

Digestive Issues
This one takes us right to the heart of Candida Related Complex.
Candida is, after all, a gut-related condition. The changes in your
digestive tract are what ultimately leads to all of the other symptoms on
this list.

Whatever caused your Candida, whether it was a course of antibiotics

or a sustained high-sugar diet, your gut flora can become imbalanced.
As well as weakening your immunity, this can really affect the way that
your body digests food. Those good bacteria that normally reside in
your gut are a crucial part of your digestive system, responsible for the
processing of starches, fibers, and some sugars.

When the healthy gut flora is overwhelmed by Candida albicans, your

small and large intestine can start to malfunction. This can mean
diarrhea, constipation, gas, bloating, cramps, nausea, and many other
gut-related symptoms.

Recurring Yeast Infections

Next up is perhaps the most obvious sign of an intestinal Candida
overgrowth. Recurring vaginal yeast infections are a clear sign that
something deeper is wrong.

Even if you clear up the localized yeast infection, Candida albicans has
the ability to grow and spread to different areas around your body. So
even though your vaginal infection might have disappeared, the same
area may continue to be reinfected until you eliminate your Candida
overgrowth.

Oral Thrush
The mouth is another part of the digestive tract that is particularly
vulnerable to Candidiasis. Oral thrush is incredibly common, and in
its mild form is frequently undiagnosed until it becomes quite bad. An
intestinal Candida infection often occurs at the same time as oral
thrush.

This is because the same environmental changes that cause an

intestinal overgrowth can also lead to an oral Candida infection. If you
take antibiotics or eat a high-sugar diet, they will change the
environment in both your gut and your mouth, making both locations
more appealing for the Candida fungus.

Sinus Infections
Doctors used to assume that almost all chronic sinus infections were
caused by bacteria. Newer research suggests that this is not the case.
Although acute (short term) sinus infections are mostly caused by
bacteria, many of the longer term, chronic sinus infections may in
fact be fungal infections.

Heres the problem. The most common treatment for chronic sinus
infections is antibiotics. And antibiotics are pretty much useless for a
fungal infection. Even worse, antibiotics can kill off many of the
good bacteriaand allow the fungal infection to spread. If you suffer
from chronic sinus infections, improving your diet and rebalancing your
gut bacteria may be a far better solution than antibiotics.

Food Sensitivities
This is a good time to mention intestinal permeability, or what we
know as Leaky Gut Syndrome. This condition is caused when the
fungal Candida grows long branches (hyphae) that penetrate the walls
of your intestines. If left unchecked, this results in a highly permeable
intestinal membrane which allows food particles and metabolites to
escape the intestinal lumen and enter the bloodstream behind the wall
via the blood vessels.
These particles and bacteria are then identified as foreign substances
by your immune system. In the case of bacteria, they may be quickly
neutralized. However, your immune systems reaction to escaped food
particles can potentially lead to food sensitivities. As these foods enter
the bloodstream, an area where they really dont belong, your body
begins to treat them as threats to your health. When you eat those
foods again, your immune system might react to them.

Fungal Infections On The Skin And

Nails
Just like the microorganisms inside the gut, there are bacteria on your
skin that protect you and prevent pathogens like Candida albicans from
spreading in an uncontrolled way. These protective microorganisms are
often known as the skin flora or skin microbiota.

The same conditions that lead to an intestinal overgrowth (a high-sugar

diet, weakened immune system, etc) can also change the environment
on your skin and allow Candida to overwhelm the local flora. This can
result in fungal nail infections and skin rashes. Warm, moist areas like
the armpits and groin are particularly vulnerable.

As with oral thrush, changing the environmental conditions is the key to

eliminating superficial fungal infections in the long run. The same
therapies that can reverse an intestinal Candida overgrowth (i.e.
probiotics, antifungals, and a low sugar diet) can also help to eliminate
fungal skin infections for good.

A Weak Immune System

When it comes to a Candida albicans infection, your immune system
can play the role of both cause and effect. A weakened immune system
is typically what allows an intestinal Candida overgrowth to happen in
the first place. But Candida can also play a role in weakening your
immune system, all by itself. Here are three ways this happens:
 1. An imbalanced gut flora
Your intestines are one of the most significant parts of your
immune system. Researchers have found that the bacteria and
yeast in your gut prime your immune system and keep it ready to
fight off pathogens like Candida. Without the correct balance of
microorganisms in your gut flora, your immune system can be
significantly weakened.

2. Leaky Gut Syndrome

This Candida-related condition, often known as intestinal
permeability, provokes inflammation and a strong immune
response. The inflammation and food sensitivities that it causes
put pressure on your overloaded immune system.

3. Adrenal Fatigue / HPA Axis dysfunction

Lastly, Candida can overwork your adrenals and HPA Axis. These
important organs play a role in regulating your immune system,
among other things. Things like chronic fatigue and nutrient
malabsorption can lead to hormonal imbalances that weaken the
adrenal glands. A lengthy Candida infection can affect levels of
hormones and neurotransmitters like cortisol that regulate the
immune system.

Does any of this sound like your experience? If you find that you are
regularly suffering from colds and flus, and you dont know why, a gut
imbalance like Candida might be the cause.

Joint Pain
Ive already discussed acetaldehyde, but this is far from the only
Candida metabolite that can cause unpleasant symptoms. Uric acid is
another toxic byproduct of Candida, and it can lead to pain in various
parts of the body.

If it builds up to sufficient levels, uric acid can lead to gout, a form of

arthritis associated with pain, stiffness, and swelling in your joints. These
attacks can happen relatively suddenly, and can occur repeatedly until
the underlying problem is addressed. Longer term, high levels of uric
acid can do damage to your tendons and joints.

Low Mood
So far, weve discussed a wide range of symptoms that include
tiredness, joint pain, brain fog, and more. If you are experiencing a few
of these different symptoms, it could be affecting your mood. But there
is also a more direct link between Candida and depression.

An intestinal Candida overgrowth can suppress production of

serotonin, one of the neurotransmitters that boosts your mood. Most
serotonin is produced in the gut, so a major gut problem is likely to
throw this production out of balance.

Dopamine is another neurotransmitter that affects your mood, and low

dopamine levels are strongly associated with depression. Candida has
a role to play here too, as one of its metabolites (acetaldehyde) binds
with dopamine. This, incidentally, is also one of the reasons why
alcoholics tend towards depression.

Lastly, an overworked liver can reduce your ability to store and use
vitamin B12. This important vitamin helps your brain and nervous
system to function properly, and low levels have been linked to
depression and mental illness.

37 More Candida Symptoms

The symptoms listed above might be the most common signs of a
Candida problem, but they are far from the only ones. A chronic gut
imbalance can affect your hormone and neurotransmitter levels, your
immune system, your liver, and much more.

The signs of Candida Related Complex can also include any of the
symptoms listed below. If you recognize a few of these, along with some
of the more common symptoms listed above, it might be time to
evaluate whether poor gut health might be causing your health
issues. If you have a wide selection of seemingly-unrelated
symptoms, Candida albicans might be to blame.

Acid reflux

Acne

Allergies

Asthma

Bleeding gums

Bloating

Body odor

Constipation

Cracked tongue

Cravings for sugary snacks

Crying spells

Diarrhea

Dizziness

Flatulence

Flu-like symptoms

Fungal skin rash

Halitosis

Inability to focus

Inability to lose weight

Indigestion
 Insomnia

Irritability

Itchy anus

Itchy eyes

Low libido

Mucus in stool

Muscle aches and stiffness

Nausea

Panic attacks

Persistent extreme fatigue

Poor coordination

Poor memory

Psoriasis

Sensitivities to fragrances and chemicals

Sensitivity to light

Stomach cramps

Water retention

Check out our Candida Questionnaire to see if you might have excess
Candida in your gut or elsewhere.

Candida Misdiagnosis
Gut dysbiosis, of which Candida overgrowth is one of the most common
forms, is possibly the least understood, and most widespread cause of
ill health today. Poor digestive health has become an epidemic that
affects millions of people. If you suffer from some of the above
symptoms, remember that they might be connected and have a
common underlying cause.

However, your doctors may not be familiar with gut-related

conditions like Candida. They may see your fatigue and diagnose it as
depression; they may treat your chronic sinus infections with antibiotics;
and they may prescribe creams for your yeast infection. These
treatments might be helpful only temporarily, or they might actually
make your underlying infection worse.

Doctors are under tremendous pressure to make quick diagnoses. This

can result in treating one or two localized symptoms instead of looking
at the whole picture. Other conditions that may be diagnosed in place
of Candida might be IBS, arthritis, Crohns, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome,
and more. A healthcare practitioner who is trained to take a more
holistic view of the body, such as an integrative doctor or naturopath,
will be more likely to have the time and inclination to get to the bottom
of your health issues.