Category Archives: Yeast Infection Testing

There Are Many tests Which Will Determine Whether You Have A Candida yeast Infection Or Not. In My Book, The Candida Crusher, I Explain Many Different Tests You Can Do At Home – And Free Of Charge, Which Will Determine If You Have A yeast Infection or Not. There Are Also Many Laboratory Tests Which Will Confirm Or Not If You Have A yeast Infection. I Explain All.

Yeast Infection Testing

Functional Testing For Candida – The Comprehensive Stool Test

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Although you will hear many clinicians claim that stool testing is less than effective when it comes to Candida, there is one exception to that rule: the Comprehensive Digestive Stool Analysis. Over the years I have found this to be an essential diagnostic tool which can both identify and, sometimes just as importantly, rule out many issues concerning the digestive tract.

It is particularly effective when it comes to identifying yeasts and so providing a functional basis for treatment. I also recommend the CDSA x 3 which includes an analysis of gut parasites in addition to bacteria, protozoa, and yeast levels. This also provides patients with an idea of not only how effectively they are metabolizing and absorbing nutrients but where any problems are occurring.

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As you can see I also recommend that three stool samples are analyzed rather than just one. This is because yeasts are not dispersed equally throughout stools and what may not appear in one sample can often appear in the next or even the one after that. If you are considering having a stool sample analysis, or have even had stool samples analyzed in the past which returned a negative result, it is worth considering having the CDSA x 3 done to confirm the results. By having stool tests done which use three samples you obtain a much higher probability of returning not only accurate test results but also positive ones and this gives you a much better chance of diagnostic assessment and recovery.

Because bacterial overgrowth affects absorption it can also cause symptoms which often conflict with other illnesses. To save not only money but also pain and suffering in the long run, it is often better to have stool analysis undertaken, if only to rule out the possibility that dysfunctional microflora are the root cause.

To give you some idea of the issues which can arise, this is what the CDSA test is able to establish:

    • Absorption and Digestion Markers – including, elastase, carbs, fat stain, muscle and vegetable fibers.
    • Bacteria Culture
    • Giardia and Cryptosporidium assay
    • Immunology (SIgA – Secretory immunoglobin)
    • Inflammatory markers
    • Intestinal markers including pH, occult blood and red blood cells
    • Macroscopic appearance
    • Parasitology
    • Short chain fatty acids
    • Yeast culture

So what you are essentially looking at is a test which can identify if your symptoms are caused by parasites, dysfunctional fat digestion (which can also indicate pancreatic issues), inflammatory markers which may suggest leaky gut syndrome, bacterial overload, yeast overload and autoimmune issues. All of these can be directly or indirectly influenced by yeast overgrowth, in particular Candida albicans, which I am now sure you are aware, that among other things has a negative impact on the intestinal wall. The good news is that all of the problems noted can be treated effectively without resorting to aggressive drugs which may in themselves not only produce some negative side-effects but which can also aggravate the symptoms.

Although Candida itself has a hard time surviving the long journey through the intestinal system, and yeasts will be found in small amounts even under normal circumstances, it is the finding of abnormal amounts of yeasts which will indicate overgrowth in patients, and this is what the test will indicate. Of course, there are the other, indirect indicators, such as the absorption markers, which would also point a clinician toward dysbiotic function of the microflora in general, or even, in some patients, parasites which could in themselves stimulate or aggravate microbiota dysfunction.

Complicated it may seem, but when it comes to the CDSA I prefer to use the word ‘comprehensive’ and this test, more than any other individual assay or indeed several different ones, can point the clinician to the correct diagnosis and, in the long run, save the patient much money, time and distress. Neither, it must be said, is this test in any way invasive other than possibly being thought of as slightly distasteful by a small minority of people. However I can reassure patients that the process in itself is simple and involves no embarrassing situations because the patient simply follows the instructions provided in a simple test kit.

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As a clinician involved with treating many patients I find that the CDSA to be the Gold Standard for tests when it comes to gastrointestinal function and Candida. Although it may not be cheap, it can start from a couple of hundred dollars, I have found it essential in diagnosing many cases and particularly those of a difficult nature. However for many patients, even in the earlier stages of illness, it can be extremely helpful in identifying the underlying cause of symptoms and is well worth the outlay if at all possible. .

Urinary Metabolite Testing, Yeast Infection Testing

Functional Testing for Candida: The Organic Acids Urine Test

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I have only started to use this form of urine testing more recently, and have found it an excellent way to assess dysbiosis (bad bacteria build-up).

Urinary organic acids are assayed in a patient’s urine and come from the metabolic conversion of the person’s dietary protein, fats and carbohydrates intake, in addition to compounds of bacterial origin, this test can provide a unique chemical profile of a patient’s cellular health. The organic acids urine test measures the actual overflow or build-up of organic acid products in a person’s urine. There are various organic acid tests which can assess quite a wide range of different physiological processes including intestinal dysbiosis, energy production, nutrient cofactor requirements and even a person’s neurotransmitter (brain hormone) metabolism. Like with other functional Candida tests, I have discovered that carefully reviewing a patient’s medical history as well as their lab results, in this case it is their urinary organic acid levels, I can discover the dysfunction in their metabolic system and then create a comprehensive plan of treatment that has been customized for each individual patient.

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The main yeast and fungal dysbiosis marker in the urine I check for elevation in particular is D-arabinitol. Here is a brief overview of this organic acid urinary marker and what it means. The treatment consideration for a urinary elevation of D-arabinitol is something we’ll cover in a different section.

The Arabinitol Marker

Evidence from multiple studies by independent investigators has led to the recommendation that high urinary levels of the sugar alcohol, D-arabinitol, be used as a reliable biomarker for the more invasive forms of a candida overgrowth.

D-Arabinitol is a metabolite (A substance necessary for or taking part in a particular metabolic process) of candida, and a high level of this marker is associated with invasive candidiasis. D-arabinitol is produced from dietary carbohydrates when yeasts are rapidly growing in the low oxygen (anaerobic) environment of the small intestine.

Because D-arabinitol is a sugar found in sweet apples, grapes, and pears, these fruits and their products are best strictly avoided 24 hours prior to urine collection to avoid any false positive test results. Can you now understand why sweet fruits are not the best of foods to consume when you commence the Candida Crusher Program, in particular those who have a severe case of a yeast infection?

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Proper Collection for the Organic Acids Urine Test

Collect a spot urine or a first-morning void urine specimen, or take a specimen from a 24hr urine collection container. Then transfer a 10ml sample of this specimen into the clean container supplied for preservation and transportation to your functional laboratory. Avoid all dietary supplements for two days before you complete this test.