- Candida albicans is a yeast that occurs naturally in the human body, but can cause a host of health conditions if growing in overabundance, in particular “leaky gut syndrome.”
- Candida overgrowth or candidiasis can manifest as gut dysregulation, thrush, chronic fatigue or cognitive impairment – or all of these.
- Fulvic acid is a powerful natural antifungal that kills candida by disrupting its cell membranes, allowing healthy microbial balance to be restored.
What is candidiasis?
There are hundreds of different species in the Candida family, but Candida albicans is the one you’ve probably heard of before, and the one most likely to cause trouble.
It may surprise you to know that the Candida albicans yeast grows on every human body, usually harmlessly. It’s only when fungal populations are allowed to overgrow that they cause the problems associated with candidiasis, or candida infection. It’s this infection that’s behind conditions like thrush, athlete’s foot or nappy rash, but can also be the culprit for seemingly unrelated disorders like digestive trouble, depression fatigue and allergies.
The throat, gut, skin and vagina all contain soft tissue that provides an ideal habitat for candida to thrive. However, “good bacteria” work constantly to keep candida populations in check. Antibiotics, birth control pills, chronic stress, a diet high in alcohol and refined sugars or a compromised immune system can all throw this delicate balance out of whack, however, giving candida the opportunity to multiply.
Symptoms depend largely on the area infected – for example gut symptoms, vaginal symptoms, chronic fatigue or overall cognitive impairment. Candid overgrowth in the gut, however, can often manifest as a system-wide syndrome that can be difficult to treat, precisely because there are so many varied symptoms.
Diagnosing candida overgrowth
Some people struggle with countless symptoms for years before realizing that this single yeast is at the root of them all. There are many different signs and symptoms of candida overgrowth, and naturally not all of them indicate beyond doubt that candida is to blame. Nevertheless, certain tell-tale signs include frequent yeast infections (thrush) and urinary tract infections.
In the mouth, candida makes itself known via the growth of white patches on the inside of the mouth and tongue, but you may also notice rashes and irritation on your toenails, fingernails, or scalp.
Gastrointestinal symptoms commonly associated with irritable bowel syndrome can actually be caused by candidiasis – constipation, diarrhea, bloating and even severe sugar cravings can be a result of excessive candida. Finally, joint pain, fever and chills may all indicate overgrowth in a more advanced stage, as the fungus moves into the bloodstream and wreaks havoc throughout the body.
Leaky gut and candida
If candida populations spread to a great enough extent in the GI tract, they can start to compromise the health of the intestinal lining. Disruptions to the normal microbiome composition can mean impaired nutrient absorption, digestive issues, and even compromised immunity, since the body’s first defense against pathogens is in the gut.
Prolonged candida overgrowth can create what’s called a leaky gut, wherein the intestinal lining is damaged and becomes overly permeable. Instead of sealing off harmful pathogens and particles, the membrane permits larger fragments to enter into the intestinal cells, where they join the bloodstream. From here, foreign particles can trigger an immune response, instigating a system-wide allergic and inflammatory reaction. Candida microbes can also enter the bloodstream and carry the infection to other parts of the body, with disastrous consequences.
How fulvic acid can help
Current treatment for leaky gut and candida overgrowth is somewhat hit-and-miss. In fact, many conventional doctors are hesitant to recognize the existence of leaky gut at all, and will only diagnose candidiasis in its most advanced stages.
Though some relief is possible when refined sugar, alcohol and fermented foods are eliminated from the diet (these can feed candida populations) more advanced infections may need more aggressive interventions. Fulvic acid is an excellent defense against candida because it’s a powerful anti-fungal agent. A 2012 study showed that compared to four other conventional anti-fungals, fulvic acid was the most effective and fastest acting.
Fulvic acid has been shown in other studies to work by actively disrupting the integrity of candida’s cell membrane. Essentially, fulvic acid has the ability to puncture holes in the cell walls of the candida cells, killing them. Fulvic acid has even proven effective in tackling particularly stubborn biofilms (aggregates of many kinds of bacteria and fungi living together) when other antifungals fail.
Research into the best form of fulvic acid, the optimal dose concentration and the ideal mode of delivery is still ongoing, but it’s clear that this is a potent fungicide with the power to restore optimal bacterial balance throughout the body, and relieve acute and chronic symptoms of fungal overgrowth.
A purified supplement containing 100% fulvic acid most closely resembles the treatments investigated in these studies, and offers the greatest potential for addressing even stubborn candida overgrowth symptoms.
Borghi E, Morace G, Borgo F, et al. New strategic insights into managing fungal biofilms. Front Microbiol. 2015;6:1077. Published 2015 Oct 6. doi:10.3389/fmicb.2015.01077
Shalini, Srivastava R. Antifungal activity screening and hplc analysis of crude extract from Tectona grandis, shilajit, Valeriana wallachi. Electronic Journal of Environmental, Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 2009;8(4):218–229.
