***How Candida Impacts Sexual Function in Men

Let us understand what Candida is first before we try to understand how it impacts the sexual function in men. Candida is the genus of Yeast and many species of this genus are found to be living in animal bodies, including that of the human. While most of these are beneficial to the host body, there are some species like Candida Albicans that can cause infection in the host body. These are more in cases where the host bodies have deficient immune systems due to some form of disease. These host bodies include patients who suffer from AIDS, cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, patients with an organ transplant, and even the ones who are admitted into the intensive care unit for a long time. It is also commonly known as a yeast infection and can impact sexual function in men.

Although easily treatable, this infection is more localized in people in the areas of the skin and mucosal membrane like the genital tracts, of both men and women. The infection starts mostly in men after sexual intercourse with a woman who is already infected. This infection can actually impact the sexual function in men. Most of the time, men suffering from yeast infection have symptoms like pain and severe itching in the penis or pain and burning sensation during sexual intercourse, soreness, swelling and burning sensation at the tip of the penis or even a red blister.

All these symptoms usually impact the sexual function in men. The infection does not allow normal intercourse as it is very painful and irritating. It is sometimes very disappointing for men with an active sex life as they cannot overcome the pain in the penis, which hampers their sex life. Apart from sexual intercourse problems, men with a Candida infection can also have pain while passing urine. Most of the time there might be a white, odorless discharge from the penis that sometimes goes unnoticed. Other than that, there can be symptoms of a stinging and tingling sensation in the penis. This infection can occur in men of all age groups, and also in any part of the body.

Candida infection occurs in general, due to two factors. One is diet and another is overuse of antibiotics. When the diet is richer in sugar, refined food, starch and carbohydrates, it acts as the major accelerator of yeast growth. With the negligible intake of minerals and vitamins in the diet, the body has no immunity to overcome the yeast growth which eventually results in the infection. People with high sugar level in their blood have a higher risk of getting infected. Therefore, people suffering from diabetes are easily prone to a yeast infection. This is why a healthy diet healthy diet is one of the major factors in curbing this infection.

Other than diet, the other major factor is the use of antibiotics. When a body gets an overdose of antibiotics, it usually kills all the bacteria and yeast present in the body which is sometimes very essential for the body’s defense. Eventually Candida yeast gets a chance to flourish because there is hardly any resistance to halt its growth. It is always advisable to avoid the use of antibiotics other than when absolutely essential. Cases like cancer, AIDS, organ transplant or patients in the intensive care unit have a genuine need for antibiotics to survive and why these patients are more prone to yeast infection. Other than that, the use of antibiotics must be limited. Unfortunately, it is used without giving much thought in daily medical practices. One must always remember that Candida infection has a tendency to relapse. Even if it is cured once, it can show up again, easily. Therefore, prevention in advance is always better. This can be achieved by maintaining personal hygiene, and fortifying one’s diet with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, such that the body can rejuvenate its defense system and resist further infections.http://www.helenaederveen.com/