FUNGUS IN ILLNESS and COVID-19

Fungus organisms are pervasive in our bodies and the environment.  Yeast and mold are different types of fungus.  These organisms grow extensively in the ground.  They appear on clothing, buildings, materials, and foods.

            Relevant to human health, various forms of yeast are part of the normal microflora that inhabits and surrounds our bodies.  Some types can overgrow or become overactive and are then causes of morbidity.  They also contribute to human mortality.  When diagnosed by appropriate culture techniques, infections by these pathogens are treated with anti-fungal medications.

            It has been theorized that there is a “yeast syndrome” that causes multiple symptoms.  Patient complaints include fatigue, pain, cognitive impairment, neurological dysfunction, gastrointestinal disorders, and muscle weakness.  Some websites list almost every possible malady a human being can suffer as being caused by this yeast syndrome.  There is no firm proof that the disease exists.

            In my Internal medicine practice, I treated many patients who had many of the symptoms listed above.  Before seeing me, these people visited many specialists in their quest to overcome long-term disability caused by these symptoms.  Because usual treatments did not help them, these patients sought me out.  I worked outside the box of traditional health care. 

One of the successful therapies I employed was using anti-fungal medicines.  Patients frequently benefitted from these drugs. 

Yeast causes medical illness even when not detected at a level defined as a true infection.  Hundreds of my patients responded to this remedy.

The microflora is an organ consisting of huge numbers of micro-organisms that live upon and within our bodies.  It is as much an organ as the blood system.   It is constantly adjusting in its makeup and balance to the needs of the body.  It also affects our bodily functions.  We live in a symbiotic relationship with the constituents of this organ.  The microflora becomes deficient with aging, from physical and emotional trauma, as a consequence of poor dietary habits, and illnesses.  The imbalances that result from deficiencies allow symptoms to develop.

Yeast as a cause of illness operates through its effects on the microflora and on the cells and tissues of the body.  Like all disease processes, there is a spectrum of presentation in yeast-induced illness.  Candida Albicans (a known pathogenic yeast) causes a septicemia which can be fatal.  But there are much subtler syndromes associated with this organism.  Many of these syndromes do not show the growth pattern of the fungus that is typically associated with an invasive infectious disease. 

All chronic diseases have a spectrum of symptom expression from mild to the most severe form.  The overgrowth and hyperactivity of yeast also has a wide variance in symptom severity.  Many patients responded to anti-fungal medicines as I treated them for their fatigue, pain, and cognitive disorders.

Candida is a significant contributor to disability.  It becomes more active following physical trauma, including surgery.  Any and all of life’s injuries and emotional hardships stimulate yeast to become overactive and harmful.

COVID-19 illness certainly has a component of yeast adding to its morbidity.  There is not a reliable test that proves this assertion, so many doctors will not treat with anti-fungal medicines.  Since treatment of COVID-19 is mostly an out-of-the-box approach now, I believe that a sick person with a presumptive diagnosis of this virus could benefit from an antifungal drug like fluconazole.

I hope that doctors treating COVID-19 patients will consider prescribing fluconazole for their patients who are sick.  This drug is well known, and its rare side effects are understood.  It is generally a safe drug to use.  It can be added to a treatment regimen when the patient is deteriorating. 

There are things we can all do for ourselves to lessen this complication of COVID-19 and other illnesses.  Everybody should routinely take the fungal probiotic as a preventive.  This is called Saccharomyces Boulardii.  This over the counter supplement strengthens our microflora for better health, resistance, and healing.  Three to six billion C.F.U. (Colony Forming Units) is a reasonable preventive dose.  This is equivalent to approximately 250-600 mg.  Double your usual dose if you contract a respiratory or gastrointestinal illness.