Candida infection can easily be treated with just a few alterations in life style. There are some spices that possess properties for curing Candida infections. Cloves are among one of those spices. These are considered to be one of the best “foods for life” as they have many medicinal properties and health benefits.

You can learn about the likelihood of having a Candida yeast infection and the severity of a yeast infection if you do have one by taking a short quiz on this website https://www.yeastinfection.org/yeast-infection-evaluation-test/

This quiz not only tells about the odds of infection from Candida albicans, but also mentions the therapeutic and preventive measures to be taken in case of a Candida infection.

What is Clove?

Cloves are known to be flower buds of a tree known as Syzgium aromaticum. Cloves are commonly used as spices. They usually grow in Indonesia, Tanzania, Sri Lanka and India. Flowers on a clove tree are grouped in terminal clusters and so the cloves. When harvested, cloves are 1.5 to 2 centimeter in length. A clove is basically a long calyx that terminates with the four spreading sepals and four petals which remain opened (Germplasm Resources Information Network).

Use of cloves as medicinal agent dates back to ancient civilizations. Cloves are being used in Indian Ayurvedic medicines, Chinese medicines as well as herbalism for centuries. Earliest use of cloves is reported in Chinese Empire by as far as 200 BC. Kamatou and colleagues confirmed that Eugenol is the major chemical found in cloves, to the presence of which, this spice possesses medicinal properties and health benefits.

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How can clove help against Candida overgrowth?

It has been proven through many studies that cloves effectively ameliorates Candida albicans infection in mouth and genital region. Cloves as a spice used for fungal diseases in form of clove tea. In a study conducted by Nunez and colleagues in 2001, it was observed that clove tea possess a powerful effect on yeast fungi, especially the fungal strains such as Candida albicans.

Clove has a chemical called eugenol which is the main ingredient involved in anti fungal properties. The antiseptic characteristics of eugenol enable it to effectively kill Candida species. This chemical is also involved in boosting of immune system which further kills the fungus.

• Clove kills the fungi and inhibit further growth of Candida albicans.
• Clove boosts the immune system which enhances the killing and inhibition of Candida species.

How to take clove as a medicinal agent?

Clove is usually taken in the form of clove tea, as it is not safe to take clove oil internally. Grind one tablespoon of whole cloves per cup of tea with a spice grinder or break the cloves down with a mortar and pestle. The cloves should not be completely pulverized into a powder but should be ground down to small pieces to allow for straining. This tea not only contains eugenol but also has ingredients including eugenyl acetate, caryophyllene and iocaryophyllene. All of these ingredients have role in killing of Candida species.

Clove tea can also be made using cinnamon at the same time, further enhancing the medicinal properties. Cloves can also be taken as they are in the form of spices, they can be added to foods. It is mainly Asian dishes that contain cloves in them, such as curries and stir-fry dishes.

Who should take Clove?

Clove can be effectively taken by people who are:

• Wanting to reduce the time it takes to wait for Candida to clear
• Suffering from fungal infections like candidiasis and athletes foot
• Suffering from gastro- intestinal cancers
• Experiencing tooth ache and teeth related problems
• Suffering from stomach problems
• Finding it difficult to maintain a beneficial microbial balance
• Have difficulty in breathing
• Have kidney stones
• Have cirrhosis of the liver

What dosage to take?

Clove oil has very high concentration of the active ingredient eugenol in it, and should not be taken internally. Clove oil can be placed in very small amounts ( a few drops) in an aromatherapy burner, this will dissipate the clove fragrance through the air, purifying it. Clove tea can be taken 2 times daily. Cloves as a spice can also be taken as they are once or twice a day, one or two whole cloves at a time.

Some people find it difficult to ingest clove tea. In this case, clove tea should first be taken in a very small amount or diluted with plenty of water and the dose may be increased with time.

Benefits of clove

Some of the health benefits provided by clove are as under:

• It is used to improve peristalsis
• It kills helminthes hence used as anti-helminthes
• Used for digestive problems
• Relieves toothache
• Increase muscle strength

Different side effects of clove – if taken in very high doses

Cloves are also known to possess minor side effects when taken in a very large quantity

• They can cause seizures and sedation
• Sore throat is a common problem experienced by people taking too many cloves
• Excess use of clove can lead to kidney stones and even kidney failure (e.g. 10 cups of strong clove tea a day or by way of using lots of clove oil internally).
• Liver damage can also be caused by cloves

Be cautious not to take cloves if you are pregnant or a lactating mother. Some people are allergic to cloves, they should also avoid it.

Clove and die-off effect

Clove is observed to kill cells of Candida albicans present in gut. This effect may cause what we know of as the “die off” effect. When Candida cells are rapidly killed in body then a die-off occurs in which the metabolic system releases some chemicals in gut that are toxic for health. When Candida cells are killed in body, they can potentially release many different kinds of toxins that are not good for health. As Candida is the part of natural gut flora, a complete and entire elimination of this pathogen is not required nor desired. For this purpose, clove tea should be taken in small amounts and after getting rid of the problem, it should be avoided. This will inhibit any long term effects of a reduction in beneficial microflora.

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Foods that are great source of clove:

As cloves have an intense flavour and aroma, these can be added in daily life foods to add flavour and aroma. Cloves can also be grounded and added in foods as clove powder.

• Can be added in soups and broths
• Can be added as powder on fruits to spice them up
• Are used in many Indian dishes
• Can be used in stuffing recipes

The use of herbs in medicine has been known for centuries. Many pharmaceutical companies use herbal sources as the basis of their products. With the advancement in medical sciences and research however, the use of herbs as medicines has decreased as they have been replaced by comparatively more potent new drug formulations.

But we have to bear in mind that although more efficacious, these new drug advancements are not without their side effects and can at times be problematic. These days there is a significant group of people that is reverting to the herbal products as treatments of various diseases as they believe that nature provides the best cure for all that is wrong, and indeed the more we move away from nature, the more harm we inflict on ourselves. So using herbal medicines wouldn’t be wrong in any aspect.

It goes without saying that being natural herbal medicines are drastically safer compared to synthetically developed drugs these days. We are going to focus on oregano oil as the subject matter here.

Oil of oregano is a very natural substance that can be extracted from wild oregano species. The herb can be found away from populated areas in free mountainous regions. It’s a flowering plant and only its leaves are utilized. The leaves are only plucked when the plant is rich in its oil content.

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As it is a wild plant, it is cultivated chemical free and the process of oil extraction is a natural one. The oregano oil pretty much contains all the ingredients contained in the wild oregano. Foster mentions in his book “Herbal Renaissance” that the true ingredients or primary components of oregano oil are carvacrol and thymol.

These agents have fungicidal and worm repellant characteristics. These two ingredients act synergistically and render the oregano oil more potent than a normal phenol would be.

Oregano oil’s role in getting rid of Candida:

Oregano is undoubtedly one of the most potent natural antifungal agents. An advantage that oregano possesses against Candida is that the yeast doesn’t develop resistance against this particular antifungal, whereas other antifungals lose their efficacy against it. How does oregano work against Candida? The answer lies in the researches below:

• In a research carried out in 2001 at Georgetown University Medical Center it was found that the carvacrol and thymol present in the oregano oil inhibit the growth of Candida in a dose dependant manner. It was seen that when injected into a culture of Candida in an amount of 0.25mg/ml, oregano oil inhibited the growth of the yeast completely. To try to see the results in vivo, mice that had Candida infections were divided in two groups and were injected with oregano oil and olive oil respectively. The mice injected with oregano oil were healed totally in a period of 30 days whereas as the ones injected with olive oil only lasted 10 days.
• As mentioned by the Journal of Applied Nutrition, oregano oil extracts have high effectiveness for killing Candida. According to Researchers in Mexico, the antiseptic properties that oregano oil possesses are remarkable.
• Oregano oil exerts its effects on the yeast by inhibiting its germination as well as mycelial growth. The same results can be elicited by using carvacrol alone. But the use of oregano oil showed experimentally better cosmetic results that carvacrol alone.
• In another study it was found that oregano was a more potent agent than 18 different pharmaceutical agents.
• In effect the carvacrol and thymol react with the water in the human bloodstream and deprive the yeast of water thus dehydrating it. Also being completely natural, the side effects of oregano oil are very few in comparison to other antifungals.

How To Properly Use & Take Oregano Oil:

The oregano oil can be used in two ways:

• Oral intake: If you are using 100% oregano oil, you can use 1 drop three times a day. If its concentration is 50 to 75% you can take 2 drops three times a day. If using the oil is causing symptoms and is intolerable, you can mix the oil with more coconut oil or olive and then divide the amount taken throughout the day.
• Topical Application: Oregano oil can be used against nail fungus and skin disorders at least two times a day topically. It produces heat when applied to skin and caution should be taken while applying it on sensitive skin areas. It is good to mix oregano oil with a little more coconut oil or olive oil when you apply it to sensitive skin. If you are using it for dandruff, you can add a few drops to your shampoo.

Who should take oregano oil, a few benefits:

Having discussed the strong anti-Candida properties of oregano oil, it is mandatory that we use oregano oil for any Candida infection.

• Oregano oil has a use as anti-inflammatory for joints and tendons.
• A few experiments have shown it to be as effective as Vancomycin in treating, E.coli and other bacterial infections.
• It helps neutralize insect, spider and snake bites.
• Using 1 to 2 drops of oregano oil, provides instant pain relief for blistering burns.
• Hepatitis, herpes and flu respond very well to oregano oil use.

Caution with the Use of Oregano oil, a few side effects:

It is very important to know which oregano oil brand to buy. Buy oregano oil that has at least 50% carvacrol by concentration as it is the main anti-Candida element of the oil.

The oil may not be suitable for certain people:

1) People with iron deficiencies should avoid oregano oil, as it has an effect of decreasing iron absorption from the gut.
2) Pregnant women should avoid oregano oil as it has an effect of increasing the uterine blood flow and causing the lining around the fetus to weaken.
3) Some people may be mildly allergic to oregano oil and may have a skin rash with its use.

Oregano Oil and Candida die off effects:

Oregano oil has a deleterious effect on Candida and as it dies off, it releases 79 different toxic compounds including ethanol and acetaldehyde.

The common die off symptoms would include headache, nausea, dizziness, fatigue, bloating, gas, constipation and diarrhea. There may be increased joint and muscle pain, elevated heart rate, chills and feeling of cold extremities. These symptoms would vary from person to person depending upon the amount of infestation a person has.

To manage these die off effects, it is good to cut back on your oregano oil dosage a little. As the rate of Candida death decreases, you might feel better and then you can start increasing the dose.

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Increasing your fluid intake would also help you to cope with Candida die off as it would efficiently wash off the toxins released.

To conclude, oregano oil is a very potent anti- Candida and antifungal substance. It is mostly sold as commercial preparations in form of bottled oil. It has in addition to its anti Candida effects, other health benefits as well and it wouldn’t be bad to have it in your closet as it alleviates many of your medical conditions.

The use of natural herbs and plants in the kitchen and health has long been known. Many natural herbs which serve as important food ingredients also serve as medicinal commodities. One of those herbs is Ginger itself. Ginger, scientifically named as Gingiber officinale, is a herb whose rhizome is used essentially as a kitchen ingredient and also as a medicine. Originating from southern China, it was spread eventually to the Spice Islands. After that it reached other parts of Asia and finally to West Africa and The Caribbean. Ginger got to Europe through India as a result of a spice trading tradition. India is at present probably the largest producer of Ginger.

These days, as the microorganisms become more and more resistant to antibiotics and antifungals, the natural herbs and plants are being reverted to as a cure for the increasing resistance to these pathogens.

The Use of Ginger as an antifungal against Candida:

Recently researches have started to investigate the potency of ginger as an antifungal; in fact many researchers have established proof that ginger has a potent antifungal role. Ginger seems to have several ingredients which serve as antifungals. Most important of these ingredients are shagelol and gingerol which act as active antifungals. Ginger also boosts the immune system adding to the overall protection against all microbes. To back this claim up with some proof, let us look at two researches.

Fungistatic role of Ginger: Recently an in vitro experiment was successfully conducted and was published in Journal of Dental Sciences and Research. In this experiment, colonies of Candida albicans were cultured in the laboratory, and were injected with increasing quantities (1g, 2g and 4g) of ginger extracts treated with ethanol and their effect on the colonies as studied over a period of 24 to 48 hours. Simple ethanol injection into the colonies was used as a control. After 24 hours it was observed that all the solutions containing ginger had a maximum inhibitory effect on the Candida colonies. Also their effect was more potent than ethanol injected alone.

Ginger non-inferior to Nystatin: In another study that was published in the American Journal of Applied Sciences, the researchers compared the use of Candida as antifungal with Nystatin (which is a prescribed antifungal). It was seen that the antifungal effect of Ginger were comparable with Nystatin.

So it is safe to assume that ginger has a potential of being a very influential anti candida medicine. More research remains to be done on the ginger extracts, but you can always make use of ginger in its natural form keeping in mind these experimental results.

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How to consume Ginger?

Ginger can be consumed in various forms. These include:

• Grated ginger root can be used with all kinds of recipes.
• Powdered form of ginger is recommended very frequently as it helps control the dosage, one shouldn’t go beyond 2 grams a day and it is advisable to consult a doctor always.
• Fresh ginger juice when mixed with other fruit juices adds a very good medicinal effect to them. It should not be abused however.
• As an essential oil, ginger can be used for giving massage and can be used for cold feet. Mixing it with a moisturizer and massaging it would lead to a soothing effect as it releases heat.

Health Benefits of Ginger and people who can benefit from them:

The use of ginger as a food item is well known. We are going to emphasize on the health benefits that ginger provides.

• Analgesic Effects: It serves as natural anti-inflammatory and pain killer. It is recommended to take ginger for the natural treatment of diseases such as arthritis, joint arthrosis, fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue.
• Gastro-protective Effects: It has a great role in digestion; it alleviates gastritis, flatulence and also helps in treatment of gastric ulcers. For an alcoholic or someone taking prolonged medication, ginger would serve as a great stomach protector.
• Anti-inflammatory Effects: It has a role in treating throat infection and also bringing down throat inflammation. So if you are a professional singer or a teacher, you can greatly benefit from it.
• Anti-emetic Effects: One of the more known uses of ginger as medicine are alleviating nausea and vomiting. It is thoroughly recommended to use it in the first months of pregnancy as it causes no harm to the mother or the fetus. For someone undergoing chemotherapy for cancer, ginger serves as a great supplement.
• Motion Sickness: It helps you against sea sickness.
• Metabolic Effects: When consumed and applied externally, its calorific value can be made great use of. It is highly recommended for cold people and for use in cold seasons. However in summers one should keep in mind it increases sweating. Ginger helps you boost up your metabolism. Its great caloric value speeds the metabolism up and if you are someone looking to lose weight, ginger can help you do that.
• Aphrodisiac Effects: Ginger can increase libido. As a natural aphrodisiac using ginger and powdered cinnamon with honey can help increase the sexual drive. Take one table spoon of the preparation in one day. It is highly recommended for postmenopausal women.
• Cardio-protective Effects: Ginger acts to protect you against cardiovascular diseases and also serves to potentiate good circulation. A doctor should first be consulted before using it for these specific effects.

Ginger: What Dosage to Take?

• Morning sickness, 250 mg of ginger 4 times a day will do.
• Nausea and vomiting following an operative procedure, 1 to 2 grams of powdered ginger before giving anesthesia will help to alleviate it.
• Arthritis, different preparations with different doses have been recommended, the average dosages however are between 250 and 255 mgs thrice daily.

Foods to mix ginger with for nutrition and taste:

Since we know the wonderful uses of ginger as a food and as a medicine, a question arises about how we should have it in our diet? Although certain people may have different ways of eating ginger, here are a few ways to have ginger in its fresh form.

• Ginger tea is consumed a lot in winters and fall. Put a hunk of fresh ginger in a pot and don’t peel it. Add to the pot some boiling water, some honey and a tinge of lemon. This will serve as the ideal winter tonic. Add some bourbon if you want making it a homemade cough syrup for adults.
• Fresh ginger tastes great with soup. Use it grate or pureed. It’s going to make your soup a treat to have.
• Having ginger with tender, crisp fish is a delight. With fish being a great source of protein, added ginger makes it almost the ideal food to have.
• Making your stir fries a little spicy with some ginger won’t be a bad idea. It really upgrades the crisp and the taste in them.
• Baking sweets with added ginger is a great way to add flavor to your desserts. Ginger hand pie and pumpkin pie with fresh ginger taste great.

If you plan to take ginger for its medicinal use, consult your medical practitioner first. Standardized preparations and extracts such as tinctures and solid formulations provide you with a reliable dose of the product. It isn’t advisable to use multiple preparations of ginger simultaneously unless directed to by the doctor.

Some considerations for side effects and safety:

• The use of ginger in pregnancy is a little controversial. Despite its positive uses, it may sometimes affect the fetal hormones. It may increase the likelihood of extra bleeding so some authorities advise against its use in excessive amounts close to the date of delivery.
• There isn’t enough known about the safety of ginger in relation to breast feeding. It is therefore wise to stay on the safe side and avoid it during breast feeding period.
• Ginger has a propensity to increase the risk of bleeding.
• Ginger lowers the blood sugar levels, so if you are a diabetic and are taking medications for it, their doses will have to be adjusted.
• Using high dosages of ginger could worsen certain heart conditions.
• Ginger can interact with various medicines, like warfarin. So using ginger with medicines that slow down the clotting process could increase the risk of excessive bleeding.

Candida die-off effect with Ginger

Candida die off effect is possible with any treatment which has the potential to kill the organism. It has already been established that ginger is equipped with drastic qualities of fighting against the growth of Candida and its potency can be fairly compared with that of Nystatin, a conventional antifungal. When Candida is killed, its toxic components are released into the environment where they harbor. Immune system of the body reflexively reverts back to the toxic substances with an overwhelming response. This makes the patient feel worse than better.

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Therefore, proper dosing of ginger is required based on the fact that amount of Candida killed is dependent on the dose-response manner. The more the dose of ginger, the more is the number of Candida killed. And thus flaring up the die-off reaction. If you would want to know how likely you are to experience this die-off reaction, you need to spend a few minutes taking a preemptive questionnaire, https://www.yeastinfection.org/yeast-infection-evaluation-test/, which will point score your condition with Candida infection.

Spices are known to possess a large number of health benefits and medicinal applications. Different spices have been used for healing and to treat ailments for centuries. For example, the use of turmeric for healing purposes dates back to Before Christ. Clove, caraway, basil, cardamom, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, lemon grass, mint, onion, pepper, ginger, thyme and vinegar are only few of the many spices which are reported to possess significant health benefits (Riekin L 1999).

Candida albicans is fungal specie which mostly grows inside the digestive system of humans. This fungus affects the human body by infecting genital as well as oral regions. This results in a condition known as candidiasis. Although, candida is known to scientists as an opportunistic organism, it is however, not an uncommon pathogen inflicting a large number of general population. Most of which may remain silent and go unnoticed. Basically candidiasis can be caused by eating a diet which is rich in carbohydrates, stress which can be physical as well as environmental and overuse of antibiotics that disrupt the internal flora of intestine (Allison DB et al 2001).

Know your likelihood of being infected by Candida: If you are worried that your symptoms and signs might be a result of underlying candidiasis, it is recommended that you take a short quiz (https://www.yeastinfection.org/yeast-infection-evaluation-test/) and find out your likelihood of being infected by the disease.

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Why spices are good against Candida albicans?

Despite a lot of misinformation being represented against the beneficial effects of spices, a growing body of evidence is in support of spices, possessing dramatic effects, against micro-organisms and parasites. Many spices are embellished with characteristic ingredients which act in their peculiar way to fight against the drastic consequences of candida.

Few characteristic properties of spices are mentioned below:

Antioxidant & Probiotic Role: Garlic is a spices used in Indian subcontinent for centuries due to its beneficial effects on digestive system. It has been shown to discard and purify the alimentary tract of worm infestation. Due to its antioxidant and probiotic properties, it can help grow beneficial strain of bacteria, lactobacillus, in our digestive system and helps against candida infection in two ways: one is by direct toxic effects on fungus and other, by improving colonies of lactobacilli.

Rejuvenates Immune Response: Ginger is another form of spices which is one of the main ingredients used in cooking Indian meals. It has been regarded due to its immune boosting properties. Immune is our body’s natural defense mechanism which is essential as a barrier against invading microorganisms. Any breach in this barrier would give away opportunity for microorganisms to harm body in many ways. Therefore, nourishing our immune system is one of the ways by which spices help strife against candida.

Antifungal: Rosemary, scientifically known as rosmarinus officinalis, just like thyme leaf, has been shown to possess properties to resist against oxidative stress posed by many external influences. Especially, thyme has been observed to work as an antifungal with effectiveness comparable to Fluconazole (allopathic antifungal).

In an experiment conducted by Manohar and colleagues in 2001, it was proposed that spices are involved in fighting against candida albicans and plays a significant role in inhibiting its proliferation. In this study, the effects of origanum and carvacrol were tested on cultures of candida. Stunningly, origanum at a minor concentration of 0.25 mg/ml was observed to totally halt the growth of Candida albicans. Both spices were shown to restrict germination as well as mycelial growth of C. albicans in a dose dependent manner. In another experimental study, mice were infected by Candida albicans and then were treated with origanum and carvacrol. It wasn’t surprising to find that the results were in collaboration with the findings of previous study (Manohar V et al 2001).

Spices are known to have potent antifungal activities. A study conducted on 11 different types of spices revealed that all of these spices were effective against many fungi specially candida albicans. Spices do not let the candida albicans to grow and also stop the growth of mycelium of fungi.

What spices to eat for Candida: A Look through Evidence

Spices have been reported to inherit activities against infection by Candida albicans. These reports are based on researches conducted in previous years when activity of different spices was tested on Candida albicans.

Cloves: One of the best spices which can be used for prevention of candidiasis are cloves. Cloves are observed to possess potent antifungal properties due to which they are involved in restricting progression of candidiasis. Clove oil is considered to be the most powerful treatment for oral candidiasis (Mountain Rose Herbs).

Garlic: Another treatment which may prove to be very effective for candidiasis is the use of garlic and garlic products. Fresh garlic is a source of sulphur compounds which have many antifungal properties, it is due to this reason that garlic stops the growth of Candida albicans.

Ginger: As Candida albicans is an opportunistic fungi so it only cause diseases if a person is suffering from immune- compromised state like a disease including AIDS and cancer. Ginger, garlic and onion are the spices which not only reduces the chances of development of Candida albicans infection but also help the body to come out of these immune- compromised state and reduce the symptoms of these diseases which automatically inhibits the growth of Candida albicans.

Origanum, which is known to be a flavoring agent of food is shown to possess significant activities against Candida infections (Manohar V et al 2001).

Coriander can also be taken to reduce the risk of candida infection and to ensure early recovery from many types of fungal infections including candidiasis (Saeed S & Tariq P 2007).

Cayenne pepper is another spice which is investigated to have profound effects against genital and oral candidiasis. It can be included in the diet on daily basis to reduce the risk of getting candida infection (University of Maryland Medical Centre).

Other Spices

Seshathri and Getahun in their studies proved that spices which are originated from Trachyspermum copticum possess significant antifungal properties and hence they prevent the infection of C. albicans. When the cinnamon powder was combined with honey, it inhibited the growth of C. albicans. Oral candidiasis is also observed to be ameliorated by spices originated from Rosemarinus officinalis, Allium ursenum, Cuminum cyminum and Nigella sativa (Seshathri KN & Getahun BN 2013). Mint and peppermint are observed to possess strong fungicidal effects on Candida albicans (Erturk O 2006).

What Spices to Avoid for Candida?

Although there is no substantial evidence found which might suggest the role of spices in flaring up candida infection. However, for Fenugreek and Basil, there has been found conflicting evidence. While many may suggest its use for the cure of candida, simultaneously, other may recommend against the use of these spices due to their enticing role in inducing production of estrogen. Estrogen has been known to flare up growth of candida by producing a favorable environment. Therefore, it is better to avoid controversial spices where a lot many are available with their proven role.

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How much to eat?

Spices should be added in daily routine and should be eaten at least once a day. Different types of spices especially, cayenne pepper and mint should be taken daily to reduce the chances of Candida infections. Cloves can also be taken at least one time a day to debilitate candida of its growth. Ginger, onion and garlic are among the best spices for life which can be added in daily routine meals because, they also exert innumerable benefits on health.

When it comes to prescription medications being used to treat fungal infections most of my regular readers will be aware that I am quite critical of these particular treatment methods and most certainly of any anti-fungal drug ending in ‘zole.’ However there is one anti-fungal medication which, although it is by no means without drawbacks, does have a good track record in treating fungal infections.

Nystatin, which was originally called Fungicidin, was developed back in the 1950s by Elizabeth Lee Hazen and Rachel Fuller Brown after it was isolated from the bacteria streptomyces noursei, and has been in constant use since. Nystatin was even recommended as the preferred treatment for fungal infections by the then renown world authority, Dr William Crook, back in the 1980s.

One of the possible reasons for the continuing popularity of Nystatin compared to that of most modern pharmaceutical treatments is due to its rather more gentle action and the fact that it is less easily absorbed through both the intestinal tract and skin which leaves the user with far fewer side-effects to cope with. The more subtle performance of Nystatin compared to the aggressive ‘zole’ drugs is so significant that many clinicians, even today, believe that it is actually a natural preparation. It is also routinely used in patients with severely compromised immune conditions, such as those with AIDs or patients undergoing chemotherapy treatment, not only as a treatment, but also as a preventative. This is very important because for patients with already compromised immune conditions because for them fungal overgrowth can result fatally. Such an invasion of Candida is what is known as being ‘systemic.’ This means because the body has little or no defense mechanisms, the fungi have literally traveled around the body and set up infections which can become life-threatening. This is particularly so in the case of Candida, which I have discussed in other articles as being the most opportunistic of yeasts, making the body of an already compromised patient an ideal target.

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Nystatin Products

However, Nystatin is not without side-effects, despite the fact it is less easily absorbed through mucous membranes including that of the skin and intestinal wall. Some clinicians even believe that it cannot be absorbed at all, but the science indicates that this is not in fact correct. But, because its permeability is limited then this allows the medication to be made available in a variety of forms, which include:

• Liquid (Oral suspension)
• Powder (for external application)
• Capsules
• Tablets
• Lozenges (Pastilles)
• Creams and Ointments
• Vaginal Pessaries

Although Nystatin is both fungistatic, which means it inhibits the growth of fungi, it is also an extremely effective fungicidal, which means it kills the actual Candida cells. The way in which it works is to specifically target the cell walls of fungi. It does this by attaching itself to a component of the cell wall which is called ergosterol. Nystatin then destroys this component which has the overall effect of killing the cell entirely. Since ergosterol is actually unique to the cells of fungi, then this is why Nystatin has a specific action and other damage, which can be caused by more broadly acting drugs, is limited.

However although I can appreciated the effectiveness of Nystatin when used as an treatment against internal yeast overgrowth, I am a little more dubious about the ability of this drug to treat external infections. The powders, creams and ointments which are available for treating conditions such as Athlete’s Foot, work in exactly the same way as the ingested medications. However when, as often happens, such infections consistently recur I strongly suspect that this is not due to the ineffectiveness of the treatment, but that the external infection actually has an internal cause.

Herxheimer Reaction (Die-off) and Nystatin

At the commencement of my career I was no different to any other clinician of the era and prescribed Nystatin regularly. Although my patients experienced no side-effects with the external treatments (though the recurrence incidence rate was rather high) I began to notice that the patients who ingested Nystatin often experienced side-effects ranging in severity from mere inconvenience to actually debilitating. I now consider that what many of these patients were experiencing was a condition known as Herxheimer’s Reaction, or what is more commonly referred to today as, Die-off. This is where the body has to try and cope with a large amount of toxins which are released as cells die-off (apoptosis) after aggressive drug induced treatments.

What is peculiar to fungi and specifically Candida albicans is that we know the cell walls of this yeast contain what is known as mannan. This is essentially a defense mechanism of the fungi and it is also an antigen which means it triggers the stimulation of the auto-immune system of the body. When large amounts of Candida are killed the antigen is released and so can trigger a violent auto immune reaction. Candida also releases another toxin when it dies and this one can actually cause toxins to be released into the bloodstream as it breaks through the tight-junctions of the intestinal wall.

As you can see, although it might initially appear to be a good thing to kill off large amounts of Candida very quickly, this can often have a very severe adverse effect. I state throughout my site that the way to reduce Candida back into manageable numbers is to approach it thoroughly but slowly and gently rather than aggressively. Even with Nystatin, which is considered by most clinicians to be the least aggressive anti-fungal medication, precisely because it is specific to fungi and is effective, it can in itself cause problems if not prescribed responsibly.

Dr William Crook was a great advocate of Nystatin, and, more surprisingly of the symptoms of die-off. Where I agree with Dr Crook is when he said in his book, The Yeast Connection, “As long as Nystatin can cause symptoms then it is is probably killing Candida,” which is quite likely true because the symptoms are actually reflective of high levels of apoptosis. Where I disagree with Dr Crook however is when he goes on to suggest that patients should take Nystatin at increasingly higher dosages to kill the infection at deeper levels.

My beliefs are formulated around the fact that simply because symptoms of die-off are reflective that Nystatin is working, a lack of symptoms doesn’t mean that it isn’t. What a lack of side-effect symptoms mean is that the Candida is being killed off at a rate which doesn’t negatively affect the body. Providing a patient’s symptoms are improving then it simply is not necessary to give such high dosages of Nystatin that the drug induces die-off effects. For many people the symptoms of die-off are not only unpleasant but they can be extremely severe and range from headaches, chills, night-sweats, anxiety, depression, fatigue, aching muscles, vomiting, diarrhea and skin rashes. Often the onset of these symptoms begins shortly after treatment commences and, at best, could be described as those of a severe flu.

Because of the way in which Nystatin works and it being specific, not to say spectacularly effective, in targeting fungi, then the problems can start as soon as the product is swallowed. It begins by clearing Candida from the mouth and all the way through to the colon, so it is unsurprising that many patients suffer severely from die-off when ingesting this particular drug in high quantities.

I have stopped recommending internal Nystatin treatments simply due to the problems my patients experienced when taking it. This is not to say that I do not recommend the drug, simply that I believe it has to be taken in smaller rather than larger doses, to limit the side-effects while still remaining effective. If I were to recommend any dosage of Nystatin I would start with either 1 tablet or 1 unit of liquid suspension per day and to build up the dosage gradually, but only IF the symptoms of Candida overgrowth were not diminishing in intensity. If the symptoms are diminishing, albeit slowly, then there is every reason to believe that the low dosage of Nystatin is doing its job without producing any unwanted side-effects.

Who Can Take Nystatin?

It is important to distinguish between the type of Candida infection any particular patient has, in addition to taking into consideration the personal circumstances of the patient when assessing who is suitable for Nystatin treatment. Most patients with Candida either have a topical or cutaneous infection, which means one which is on the exterior of the body, or a localized internal infection, such as oral thrush or one located in the digestive tract. For patients such as these then for the majority of the time, Nystatin is considered to be safe, with very few side-effects although, as I have already discussed, die-off can be an issue with those receiving treatments which are ingested.

Side-effects of Nystatin in patients receiving treatment for a localized infection, if they present at all, can include:

• Gastrointestinal issues – including stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea.
• Skin Responses – primarily an inflammatory contact reaction
• Hypersensitivity to Nystatin

When it comes to age-ranges for Nystatin treatment there are, unsurprisingly few restrictions. In fact research has established that it is safe to use in age groups ranging from neonates through to the elderly. There have never been any recorded deaths from Nystatin treatment.

There is however one usual caution: Because Nystatin has not been researched with regard to pregnant women or nursing mothers, the effect on baby is unknown. Therefore it is wise to take your clinician’s advice if you come into either of these two groups and are considering taking Nystatin.

Related articles:

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• Feeling Fatigue, Low Immune System And Mood Instability
• Always Disconnected & Dizzy: Is It Candida?
• Everything You Need To Know About Candida Glabrata
• 11 Ways To Crush (Treat) Nail Yeast Infections

Systemic Candida Infections

When it comes to systemic Candidiasis however, which I touched upon earlier as being when Candida sets up infections after it has traveled through the body, the problems of treating with Nystatin become much more complicated. This is primarily due to the fact that, precisely because the absorption of Nystatin through the intestinal tract is poor, it cannot effectively reach the organs affected. In cases such as these Candida is treated with the ‘zole’ drugs, which usually include:

• Ketoconazole
• Fluconazole (Diflucan)
• Itraconazole (Sporanox)
• Fungizone (amphotericin B)

I must remind readers however that systemic infections are usually secondary to severe primary illnesses and most patients receiving treatment will either be hospitalized or under the care of a hospital. However to give you an idea of what can occur when Candida becomes systemic, here are a few areas of the body which can be affected:

• Dialysis related Peritoneal Candidiasis
• Central Nervous System (CNS) Candidasis related to neurosurgery
• Candida endophthalmitis (eye)
• Billary Candidiasis (Gallbladder)
• Cardiac Candidiasis (Heart)
• Candida Osteomyelitis (Joints and bones)
• Candida Pneumonia (Lungs)
• Fungal Mass (fungus balls) urinary tract (bladder)
• Hepatosplenic Candidiasis
• Pancreatic Candidiasis

Nystatin and Its Alternative Uses

Surprisingly Nystatin has proven to be useful in respect not only of other health conditions but also in fields completely distinct from the world of medicine. Within it, non-fungal related ear infections have been treated successfully with Nystatin in patients with Meniere’s Disease (Leong et al 2014) and also auto-immune related inner ear diseases (Nelson 1993). More surprisingly though has been its usefulness in other fields entirely and these include:

• Using Nystatin to protect and preserve artwork being denatured by fungi and molds
• In the laboratory for measuring cellular currents
• By molecular biologists in a range of testing techniques

Nil-Response to Nystatin?

Many patients quite rightly ask what to do if they find symptoms do not go into remission when taking Nystatin. Although a nil response is rare, it does happen and this could be for one of several reasons:

• Concomitant Condition

If could be that the patient has another condition running alongside the Candida which needs investigation and treatment.

• Aggravating Medications

It should always be remembered that even if someone is aware that they have a co-existing condition treatment for it may be compromising the Nystatin medication. For instance, antibiotics may simply be inducing further Candidiasis and even the oral contraceptive pill can have this effect without the patient realizing.

• Inaccurate Dosage

It is possible that the dosage you have been prescribed is too small to positively affect the Candida. Discuss changing the dose with your clinician.

• Misdiagnosis

Most patients suffering from Candida do respond positively to the drug. If you are still suffering symptoms and have seen no improvement at all, consider discussing the possibility of investigating another cause with your clinician.

• Resistant Strain

Some strains of Candida are more resistant to treatment than others. Discuss the possibility of this with your clinician.

What Dosage Should I Take?

As I mentioned earlier it is far better to start with smaller doses and build up the amounts if necessary, than to battle the effects of die-off if too much Nystatin is given. I would suggest the following initial dosages and if these prove effective then they can be maintained until the condition is cleared:

Oral Thrush: 1 tablet or lozenge daily. Equally one dose of liquid suspension which can also be used as a mouth wash or gargle.

Cutaneous Candida (Topical Infections): Apply cream, powder or ointment between 1-3 times daily.

Intestinal Candida: Liquid suspension, tablets or lozenge taken once per day.

If however, symptoms persist on the lower dosages, then with regard to the ingested medications they may be slowly increased to 3 times the amounts stated.

How Long Does It Take for Nystatin to Work?

Undoubtedly response time depends on the severity of the infection and its location, however most patients begin to see a remission of symptoms between 24-48 hours after commencing treatment. Often patients see an easing of symptoms prior to this time, particularly in cases of cutaneous Candida, and, less frequently, improvements take longer than 48 hours.