Before we take a look at the best probiotics for Candida, let’s first take a look at the reasons it is important to replenish your healthy bacteria in the first place.
First and foremost, Candida becomes a problem when it outnumbers the healthy bacteria in your body. When you increase the level of healthy bacteria in your gastrointestinal tract, then it helps reduce the level of yeast.
A certain level of Candida should be present in your body, it performs a variety of important roles like protecting you from other harmful organisms. It is only pathogenic when it proliferates and equilibrium is lost.
The primary reason that yeast overgrowth occurs is because of antibiotics. When you take an antibiotic it not only kills the bacteria that is making you sick, but it also kills all the healthy bacteria in your gut as well. Normally the healthy bacteria helps keep the yeast in check, but if it is wiped out by antibiotics, then it allows the yeast to flourish. Doctors should advise you to take probiotics when you take an antibiotic to prevent this from happening, but most do not.
However, healthy bacteria can become depleted for a variety of other reasons like poor diet, sugar, caffeine, nicotine, environmental toxins, heavy metal toxicity, birth control pill, pathogenic bacterial overgrowth, chronic stress, and other pharmaceutical drugs.
Not only will probiotics help balance your Candida levels, but it also enhances digestion and immune health, balances pH and promotes a healthy colon which are also very important aspects for keeping yeast under control.
How to Choose the Best Candida Probiotics
The guidelines for choosing the best probiotics for candida can vary from person to person, depending on the level of overgrowth, the phase of recovery, the strain of Candida and the overall integrity of the gastrointestinal tract. One person may respond very well to a certain type and dosage of probiotics, while another may not. In the early phases of recovery a more potent one may be required.
I use one called PB8, because it contains all the crucial components and is very affordable. I also like one called Critical Care by Renew Life, but it is more costly. For me, the PB8 works just as well and costs less. Renew Life has some very high potency products with 50 billion and 200 billion organisms. Some people may need to use the high potency ones for a period of time and then can switch to a lower potency after some recolonization has taken place.
However, you can find a variety of good acidophilus products at your local health food store. Just be sure to do some research and pick one that is reputable and has a high number of live organisms. Some probiotic products aren’t effective because their organisms are dead. You’ll find lots of overpriced companies boasting that their product is better, but there really is no need to spend an excess amount of money to get a decent product.
The dosage of probiotics for a child with Candida is based on age and weight and is usually lower than it is for an adult. There may also be strains of bacteria that are not appropriate for children. There are a variety of acidophilus products on the market that are created specifically for children and should have instructions for dosage on the bottle, but I suggest consulting with your physician to be certain.
The best probiotics for Candida will contain at least 10 billion organisms and you want one that provides many different strains Many of the organisms will not survive your stomach acid, so you must provide an abundance to ensure that some do. At a minimum it should contain lactobacillus acidophilus, bifidobacterium bifidum and a prebiotic that feeds the probiotic to ensure the organisms are live.
Other strains that are good to include are lactobacillus plantarum, lactobacillus rhamnosus, lactobacillus casei, bifidobacterium longum, lactobacillus salavarius and bifidobacterium lactis. A broader range of bacteria provides you with a better chance of introducing one that might be exceptionally powerful against whatever pathogens you may harbor.
However, I encourage you to exercise caution with some bacteria, like enterococcus faecalis, as they may actually lead to infection and other problems.
Probiotics can also be used in a retention enema to help recolonize healthy bacteria and as a vaginal suppository for vaginal yeast.
There is not agreement in the medical community on the best time to take a probiotic. Some recommend taking them with a meal and others recommend taking them in between meals. One camp feels that they should be taken with a meal so the acidophilus will be protected from the stomach acid and have a better chance of surviving. An empty stomach is very acidic. This makes sense to me and I tend to lean in this direction. Sometimes I take them at both times, just to cover all the bases.
Along with changes in diet and an antifungal protocol, probiotics are another essential key in any Candida treatment protocol.
