At least a couple times a week a new patient will ask me about Candida. Usually, they say something like, \u201ca friend of mine who had similar symptoms told me they had Candida, how do you treat Candida\u201d? I always answer this question by saying, \u201cfirst we need to determine if your symptoms are from Candida or something else. One of the most important jobs of a physician is to make an accurate diagnosis. Once an accurate diagnosis is made we can then move into treating the Candida overgrowth. In this week\u2019s article, we will investigate 4 nutrients that have been proven to successfully treat Candida.<\/p>\n
Undecylenic Acid<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n Undecylenic acid is a fatty acid that comes from the castor bean. It is a natural anti-fungal nutrient that can be found in many cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and other personal care products. In a very famous study on denture linings undecylenic acid inhibited not only the growth of Candida albicans but also prevented it from converting to its hyphal form. The hyphae form of a yeast like candida is more aggressive and symptomatic that the simple yeast form. The properties of undecylenic acid can be used to halt Candida\u2019s growth and conversion to hyphae.<\/p>\n Oregano Oil<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n Oregano oil is an essential oil from the oregano plant. It has received a great deal of attention recently regarding its immune-supportive properties. One of the uses of oregano oil is with the treatment of Candida overgrowth. In a 2002 study, oregano oil was able to inhibit the growth of Candida albicans by 50-75%.<\/p>\n Berberine<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n Berberine is an alkaloid found in a few different botanicals like Oregon grape and Goldenseal. It has a long track history of use with bacterial and viral infections. Recent research has also shown its ability to treat Candida overgrowth. In a 2009 study, low concentrations of berberine almost completely halted the growth of Candida while high concentrations completely inhibited its growth.<\/p>\n Clove Oil<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n Clove oil is as it sounds the essential oil derived from cloves. Like most essential oils it has been used traditionally as an anti-viral and anti-bacterial. However, recent research has shown that clove oil can cause damage to the cell membrane of many yeast species including Candida albicans. The study also showed that clove oil had a near complete inhibition of germ tube formation, which means it stops the growth of Candida.<\/p>\n Conclusion<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n These nutrients all have very good research behind them. I typically use them in a combination supplement in conjunction with an anti-candida diet, detoxification support, and probiotics. In next week\u2019s column we will discuss the use of probiotics to treat Candida overgrowth.<\/p>\n