No site on food allergies would be complete without some mention of the organism Candida. Candida albicans (or monilia, as it is also known) is a common yeast organism that inhabits the mouth, gastrointestinal system, and vagina. Under ordinary circumstances these organisms cause no problems, but after a course of antibiotics or oral steroids, they tend to proliferate and cause the burning, redness, and discharge of yeast vaginitis, a condition that in most cases is easily treated successfully with antifungal agents.
In the early 1980s, the notion became popular that an excessive growth of native Candida or an abnormally increased sensitivity to its presence in the abdomen was responsible for a wide variety of vague, nonspecific complaints and symptoms. These included a general feeling of illness, anxiety, depression, excessive tiredness, headaches, heightened premenstrual tension, irritability, and trouble concentrating. The theory initially met with appeal, especially in lay, nutrition, and holistic circles, but most of the evidence supporting it was founded on the testimonials of individuals. To date, hard scientific evidence has failed to substantiate the Candida connection. For one thing, the skin tests and stool cultures for Candida routinely used for diagnosing the presence of the organism are positive in more than 90 percent of people because the organism is found normally in just about everyone.
Even when it comes to treatment, the results were disappointing when nystatin, an anti-Candida drug, was given, in controlled medical studies, to patients who supposedly had Candida sensitivity. Researchers found that patients treated with the drug fared no better than those treated with placebo (sugar) pills. And finally, the use of yeast elimination diets, often strongly recommended by adherents of the Candida connection, likewise have proved of little overall value. Fortunately, both the testing for Candida and the prescription of nystatin and Candida elimination diets are not particularly harmful in themselves.
Few physicians continue to give much credence to the Candida theory and instead look for other allergic or nonallergic causes for their patients' complaints. If you decide to explore this avenue for relief of your symptoms, however, you should keep in mind that you may be not only wasting your time and money but delaying your receipt of a proper diagnosis and treatment for your problems.
