By and
large, the incidence of Candida is more in women than
men. But since Candida albicans is present in all
humans, regardless of sex and gender, men are likely to
develop Candida infection too. In fact, the jury is
still out on whether Candidiasis is a sexually
transmitted disease. Interestingly, sexually inactive
men are more susceptible to developing Candidiasis. It
has been proved that Candidiasis can be transmitted
through homosexual contact too. In such cases, condoms
and lubricants cause Candida infection in the anal
region.
Candida is
generally seen in men with
diabetes, obese men, and men with a compromised immune
system due to HIV infection, cancer treatment, or
steroid treatment. Antibiotic treatment destroys
friendly bacteria causing Candida overgrowth. Unless
strict personal hygiene is maintained, men playing
sports which require a lot of effort and sweating also
fall prey to Candida infection. Allergies to soaps,
shower gels, shaving foams and other cosmetic products
also trigger Candida infection. The favourite haunt of
Candida is warm, moist, and dark crevices of the human
body. In men, it is often seen in the groin area with a
lot of itching, soreness, and redness and referred to as
jock itch. Uncircumcised males are more likely to
develop Candida infection as the yeast thrives in the
foreskin. Small, white spots develop on the male organs
and patient experiences pain and burning during sexual
contact. Candida infection may also develop between toes
causing athlete’s foot. Like women, men an also develop
oral thrush with creamy-white patches on the tongue,
lips, and sides of the mouth. A host of other symptoms
have been attributed to Candida infection in males and
consist of irritability, cognitive difficulties,
depression, inability to concentrate, fatigue,
restlessness, anxiety, forgetfulness, diarrhea,
constipation, headaches, frequent stomach aches,
indigestion, heartburn, excessive shyness or feelings of
being self-conscious, rashes and many
more.
It is best
to prevent Candida infection from developing by adhering
to strict personal hygiene. Avoid tight-fitting clothes,
use shower instead of bathtubs, and avoid exhausting
activities that cause one to sweat profusely, keep
susceptible areas of the body dry and clean. Sexual
contact should be avoided and treatment should be
offered to the partner of patient as well to prevent
recurrence. Since antibiotics make the body more prone
to Candida infection, indiscriminate use should be
avoided. Sugar and alcohol are food for yeast and must
be eliminated from the diet.
Traditional
treatment for Candida infection in men involves
antifungal medications administered as topical creams
and oral pills. But natural remedies like tea tree oil,
cranberry juice, yoghurt, garlic, are found to be
effective too. As Candida is a normal and harmless
inhabitant of the human body, the etiology leading to
Candida overgrowth is indeed complex involving a whole
lot of external as well as internal factors. To
completely rid the body of this overgrowth, holistic
medicinal approach is highly recommended. This
eliminates the root cause of the disease rather than
just treating the symptoms.
