From a completely normal inhabitant to a real imbalance – a look at what is actually known about it
Candida is a normal part of the gut flora in almost everyone. The yeast only becomes a problem when it multiplies more than the gut can compensate for.
What causes a fungal infection in the gut?
Candida is a yeast that is found on the skin and mucous membranes of almost everyone – including in the gut. This is completely normal at first. It becomes critical when the conditions in the gut change in such a way that the fungus can suddenly spread more. This is then referred to as the gut flora being out of balance: The protective bacteria lose ground, and the fungus gains.
Causes: How overgrowth occurs
- Antibiotics: They not only eliminate harmful bacteria but also beneficial bacteria that would otherwise keep Candida in check. Without this competition, the fungus has a clear path.
- Lots of sugar in the diet: Yeasts love sugar. Anyone who regularly eats a lot of sweets or fast carbohydrates also feeds Candida.
- A weakened immune system: Whether due to illness, stress, or certain medications – when the immune system weakens, the body also loses control over the amount of fungus in the gut.
- Altered gut environment: The gut prefers to be slightly acidic. If the "good" lactic acid bacteria are missing, it becomes more alkaline there – and Candida thrives precisely on that.
- Sluggish digestion: If the gut moves more slowly, microorganisms – including fungi – remain there longer and can multiply undisturbed.
- Cortisone and similar medications: They specifically suppress the immune defense and thus also the natural control of fungi.
- Chronic stress: Chronic stress affects both the immune system and digestion – a factor that appears repeatedly in technical texts.
Consequences: What Candida is associated with
- Abdominal problems: Bloating, fullness, nausea, and diarrhea are the most well-documented complaints.
- Anal itching: Occurs more frequently, but is rather non-specific.
- Fatigue: Many affected people report this, although it is not entirely clear how exactly it is related.
- Connection with inflammatory bowel diseases: In people with ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease, elevated Candida levels are found significantly often in stool. In animal experiments, inflamed areas in the gut heal more slowly when Candida is involved.
- Poorer nutrient absorption: If the imbalance persists for a longer period, the gut's ability to absorb nutrients may suffer.
For classification: For some of the often-mentioned "systemic" complaints – skin problems, poor concentration, sugar cravings – the current state of research is not yet sufficient to prove them reliably. There are indications, but no clear proof yet.
Prevalence: How common is it really?
- Candida is normal: Almost every person has the fungus in small amounts in their gut – its mere presence is therefore not yet a cause for concern.
- More common with digestive problems: Studies in people with abdominal problems who are otherwise healthy found evidence of a stronger fungal colonization in the small intestine in about one in four.
- Often together with bacterial overgrowth: Candida overgrowth often occurs in practice together with bacterial overgrowth of the small intestine – both often arise from the same reasons, such as antibiotics or sluggish digestion.
- Different perspectives: Naturopathically oriented practices have long treated gut fungi as a separate issue, while conventional medicine remains rather cautious on the question of "overgrowth or completely normal." Incidentally, it was similar with bacterial overgrowth of the small intestine in the past, before it was recognized as a distinct disease.
Why there are so few clear figures
A fundamental problem: When is it really an overgrowth and when is it still normal colonization? This boundary has not yet been uniformly defined. This makes studies difficult to compare and is also the reason why there are still no reliable figures on how many people are affected in total.
