The Relationship Between Candida and Graves Disease

From time to time I have been asked about the relationship between candida and Graves’ Disease. Although there seems to be more of a connection between yeast infections and hypothyroid conditions, people with Graves’ Disease are more susceptible to getting candida infections, and the reverse may be true as well, which I’ll explain in this article.

Before I talk about this connection I’d first like to explain what candida is. Candida is a type of yeast, and one of the most common strains of yeasts which can affect one’s health is candida albicans. However, in a healthy person this organism usually isn’t a problem. The reason for this is because the healthy gut flora will usually keep these harmful organisms in check. But when the health of the gut flora is compromised, then this can lead to a yeast infection. One of the most common ways the gut flora becomes compromised is when someone takes antibiotics. While taking antibiotics is sometimes necessary, they not only kill the harmful bacteria, but the useful microorganisms as well. And when someone takes antibiotics multiple times, this just adds to the problem.

So when a person overuses antibiotics, this will kill the “good bacteria” in the gut, leaving the person more susceptible to a candida infection. This yeast infection will in turn affect the health of the immune system. And for someone who has a genetic marker for Grave’s Disease, this can very well act as a trigger for this condition. While this probably isn’t one of the main reasons why people develop Graves’ Disease, it is something to consider, and is why sometimes even a simple yeast infection can’t be overlooked

Can Having Graves’ Disease Cause A Yeast Infection To Develop?

Similarly, if someone already has Graves’ Disease, then this potentially can lead to the development of a candida infection. After all, Graves’ Disease is an autoimmune hyperthyroid condition, and so the compromised immune system can make someone more susceptible to a candida infection. This is yet another reason why someone with Graves’ Disease should want to do more than take prescription drugs for a prolonged period of time, or receive radioactive iodine. While sometimes these conventional medical treatment methods are necessary, they don’t do anything for the compromised immune system.

Besides taking antibiotics and having a poorly functioning immune system, other factors can lead to the development of a yeast infection. One’s diet can play a big role in their overall health, and a diet high in carbohydrates will also make it more likely that someone will develop a yeast infection. You ideally want to eat less than 200 grams of carbohydrates per day, and less than 150 grams per day would be even better. While it might be difficult to keep track of this, you really should make an effort to do this for about one week.

How To Permanently Cure A Candida Infection

So how does one permanently cure a candida infection? To no surprise, the conventional medical approach is to give prescription medication. Although this sometimes is needed to help with a yeast infection, just keep in mind that this won’t do anything for the underlying cause of the condition. For example, if someone took antibiotics and then developed a yeast infection, giving the person a fungicide may help with the yeast infection, but it won’t address the problems with the gut flora, and so the person is likely to develop another yeast infection in the future. In order to cure the condition and prevent another candida infection from occurring, one would want to replenish the gut flora through the use of probiotics and other supplements, minimize the refined foods and sugars, etc. If the person needed to take antibiotics again the it would be a good idea to take probiotics while taking the antibiotics.

If poor immunity was the main cause behind the development of the candida infection, then one would need to address this in order to cure the candida infection. Of course improving the health of the immune system would also benefit the Graves’ Disease condition as well, and is something most endocrinologists never do.

So hopefully after reading this you have a better understanding of the relationship between a candida infection and Graves’ Disease. Having candida can affect the gut and immune system, which potentially can trigger an autoimmune condition such as Graves’ Disease. And if someone has a compromised immune system, such as is the case with Graves’ Disease, then this can make someone more susceptible to developing a yeast infection. Either way, the goal should be to get to the underlying cause of the condition in order to cure candida and prevent future yeast infections from developing.