What is Candida?

Candida albicans - Friend or Foe?

Candida albicans is a yeast that exists naturally inside roughly 80% of humans. There are about 150 different types of Candida yeast, of which Candida albicans is the most common.

Candida exists in our mouths, skin, gastrointestinal tract and other mucous membranes such as the vagina and penis. In small numbers, Candida is part of the healthy makeup of our intestinal flora; the range of organisms that exists inside the human digestive tract.

This gut flora is a vast collection of hundreds of different species of micro-organisms. These are mostly bacteria, but also include some fungi and protozoa. The numbers of micro-organisms in our intestines is staggering. It is estimated that there are roughly ten trillion cells in the human body. There are ten times this number of micro-organisms in the intestine. Over half the dry mass of our feces is made up of these micro-organisms!

It is unknown exactly what specific role Candida yeast fulfills in the intestines. But together, the intestinal flora fulfill a range of vital functions such as assisting in the absorption of carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals, preventing allergies and training the immune system. They also ensure that the balance between "good" and "bad" organisms is kept at a correct level.

In healthy people therefore, the gut flora itself regulates the level of Candida fungi. When this gut flora is wiped out, or the body's immune system is compromised, then the levels of Candida in the gut can spiral out of control. The effects of Candida overgrowth can be very damaging. It is responsible for a range of problems from oral and vaginal yeast infections, skin conditions and a whole host of more chronic problems.

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