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All About Male and Female Yeast Infections

Candida albicans - The Yeast Responsible for Yeast Infections

The yeast that is responsible for vaginal yeast infections, male yeast infections, diaper and skin rashes and oral thrush is a tiny fungus called Candida albicans.

Occasionally, a yeast infection is caused by a form of yeast other than the common C. albicans. Some of these other yeasts include C. dubliniensi and C. stellatoidea, but infections by yeasts other than Candida albicans are rare.

It is important to note that Candida doesn’t technically cause a yeast infection. This yeast lives in and on most humans most of the time, and we are rarely aware of it. Something must happen to upset our internal balance or the health of our immune system before the organism becomes a problem for us. If we remember that yeast is really not the enemy, it is easier to understand how to prevent future infections.

When our system is upset, perhaps because of a hormone change, antibiotic use, or poor diet, your normally “nice” yeast can morph into an infectious form. As soon as your health conditions improve, the yeast will morph back to its benign form, and stop making you itch.

Some of the things that cause yeast to switch from friendly to aggravating can be controlled by diet or lifestyle changes, while other conditions need the assistance of a health care provider.

The following list shows some of the more common things that can trigger a yeast infection:

1. The balance of power between bacteria and yeast is disturbed.

The beneficial bacteria that live in our intestines, gut and skin are our first line of defense against yeast. Bacteria and yeast are natural enemies, so your beneficial bacteria will keep your internal population of yeast from growing out of control. Generally, bacteria in the colon and vagina vastly outnumber yeast cells.

However, when antibiotics are used to fight a bacterial infection, we lose this important safeguard and yeast is able to take over.

A diet high in refined sugars and other carbohydrates will also favor the growth of yeast and inhibit the growth of bacteria. This can result in the same type of imbalance that is caused by antibiotics. This imbalance can lead to a yeast infection in the mouth or vagina, and is one of the main reasons why so many otherwise healthy women keep having yeast infections. (See sgmjournals.org and pubmedcentral.nih.gov)

2. Changing hormone balances, due to pregnancy, hormone replacement therapy during menopause, using oral contraceptives, and certain illnesses like diabetes.

The hormones in your body affect your chemical balance and pH, and changes in the hormone balance can create the conditions that cause Candida to change into its infectious form. Insulin resistance, which is a symptom of type 2 diabetes, is another thing that can change the hormone balance and create an opportunity for a yeast infection.

Obesity can cause insulin resistance, and obese women are more likely to get yeast infections than their thinner sisters.

3. The immune system is compromised by an HIV infection, chemotherapy or radiation treatment, Lyme disease, or immune-suppressing medication used after an organ transplant. Premature babies are also at risk of yeast infections. Yeast infections can be fatal for some immune compromised patients.

The use of steroid medications to combat auto-immune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis can also trigger a yeast infection.

4. An underlying illness or condition. Chronic yeast infections are often the first symptom of a more serious underlying illness, such as diabetes, thyroid disorder, leukemia or AIDS.

To learn more about Candida albicans yeast, and how it causes those irritating yeast infections, please see the following articles:

• How Candida Yeast Becomes Drug Resistant
• How Candida Yeast Becomes Invasive
• The Different Kinds of Yeast Infections
• About the Yeasts Responsible for Yeast Infections
• Why Are So Many Scientists Studying Candida?

Important: The information presented on this page and other pages on this site is based upon the opinions of the author, and on the author's interpretation of published reports and articles. It is not intended to replace your relationship with a qualified health care professional, and is not intended as medical advice. 

The author encourages you to make your own health care decisions based upon knowledge of the issues of nutrition and health, and in partnership with a qualified health care professional.

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