Candida & Biofilms - Theory & Protocol

Preamble
About 4 weeks ago I tried 1 capsule of Candex (cellulase enzyme forumla), within 24 hours the brain fog I experienced for 15+ years magically went away. Candida produce carbon dioxide and this will most definitely give a person brain fog. My muscles also felt better than ever. My endurance and strength in the gym improved dramatically. (I pump iron weekly) My appetite changed in that I didn't experience intense hunger and carb cravings if I went without food longer than usual, and the night-time over-heating issues I had went away. There is no doubt that in my mind now that candida is likely the sole/primary cause of my CFS. I slowly ramped up the dose, and felt amazing/normal for 2 weeks. No herx and I wasn't even on the Candida diet. Then I forgot to take the enzymes for a few days.

Started taking it again, and then BAM, within 30mins get hit with massive nausea and vomiting lasting for 4-8 hours. I can't even take 1 pill now without massive symptoms, where before I was taking up to 4 a day with zero issues. This makes sense given what I have discovered in my research on biofilms that candida form. Toxins start pouring out when you use the enzymes. Also It is probable without going on a zero carb diet the Candida can grow nearly as fast as you kill them.
Personal History
I came down with CFS/Fibromyalgia/ME when I was 15 years old. In retrospect I believe it was after I got sick one time, took antibiotics which incidentally the doctors prescribed me every time I got ill "just in case" it was a bacterial infection. After that I just never really fully recovered. My theory is the Candida being opportunistic just took over my entire gut while the competition had been eliminated. I am 28 now, so I have been battling this for almost half my life. My primary symptoms are chronic fatigue, tired but wired, anxiety, excessive high body temperature…especially at night, full body muscle achiness but primarily neck and spine, brain fog, poor concentration, poor memory, headaches, feeling like I had been hit by a semi truck upon waking (yucca fixed this one), no appetite for 3 hours after waking- nausea associated with this, IBS, allergies & very poor recovery after exercise.
Of the 500+ supplements I have tried over the last 15 years there are now 3 that stand out in my mind that made a substantial difference. First glutamine, which makes sense in that it repairs the gut lining. Candida can poke holes in your gut lining allowing undigested food particles to leak into your blood, where you body then is mounting a continuous immune system response against the very food you eat. The second is yucca, which binds to ammonia. I'm still not sure if Candida can produce ammonia or if it's another bacteria that is doing it, or another reason all together. And the third now, obviously the candex which got me near a complete recovery before I relapsed.

I have tried all the methylation stuff over the last 2 years as can be seen in my other thread. It has made little if any difference. I don't think I ever had a serious methyaltion issue, merely a candida beast living inside my gut feeding off my every meal and pumping out endless CO2, alcohol and mycotoxins.

Theory: (note: this section originally appeared on my site Sept.16)

Old ways of trying to combat candida often involved a candida diet and a cleanse of some kind. However these strategies have been proven to largely be ineffective. The science has evolved so that very specific strategies can now be used as part of a comprehensive plan to eliminate candida.
Candida has been blamed for almost every disease under the sun. It is really difficult to establish cause and correlation however because the human body is incredibly complex and the human Microbiome is even more complex. Ideally the human gut contains roughly three pounds of bacteria and there are about 10 bacteria cells for every 1 human cell in and on the body. There are an estimated 500+ species of bacteria, fungi & archaea that live in a symbiotic relationship with the human body. It is almost as if bacteria created humans to carry themselves around.
What’s more is that every person on the planet is likely to have a different concentration and combination of microbes that acts in unique ways given their bodies biochemistry. This complexity literally overwhelms the average medical doctor and the medical community at large. There begin to be too many variables to be able to say anything definitively. It is an area that is in it’s infancy in terms of research. This however has not stopped many people from trying different things and getting some fantastic results in terms of regaining their health.
Dr.Usman has developed a generalized three step protocol for biofilms that I think is the best way to move forward. It involves the following:

1. Detach Matrix
2. Target Microbes
3. Cleanup

Technically there is a 4th step which is to repopulate the intestine with friendly microbes to “crowd out” the candida and not give it room to regrow, but that is usually assumed as a given.
Biofilms are the matrix under which bacteria and fungi hide under. It is their slimy protective coating. This allows them to be protected and hide from the bodies immune system as well as antibiotics and anti-fungals. The biofilms also use calcium, magnesium and iron to reinforce their walls so supplementing with those minerals may not be beneficial.

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Biofilms are particularly problematic because stool analysis may not show what is exaclty all hiding in the gut. Also blood tests and har analysis for heavy metals may come back low, even though they may be stored in the biofilm. Once the biofilm is broken down many thigns may come rushing out. I have seen several reports of copper coming out.
1. Detach Matrix

Enzymes
There are many different enzymes and enzyme combination formulas. Enzymes serve a dual purpose in that they will decompose the biofilm and attack the cell structure of fungi. The enzymes are an absolute critical part in eliminating candida.
The most common combination formulas I come across are:

• Candex
• Syntol
• Candizyme

Others are: Candidase, YST Management
There are also single enzymes that hold promise. All 3 are fibrinolytic enzymes that target biofilm specifically.

• Serratiopeptidase - originally found in silkworm
• Nattokinase
• Lumbrokinase – originally found in earthworms

There are also specific Biofilm targeting enzymes:

• Biofilm Defense by Kirkman
• Interfase by Klaire Labs

There are also mucous specific enzymes. However I am personally concerned about the safety of these because the intestine has a mucous lining for protective reasons as well. I am listing these merely for reference.

• SPS 30 by Theramedix
• MucoStop by Enzymedica

Other

• NAC - some studies shows it reduced biofilms by up to 62%.
• cis-2-decenoic acid – according to one study breaks up biofilms. Candida Albicans mentioned specifically.
• Lactoferrin – steals Iron from the biofilm matrix
• Zeolite – possibly steals Magnesium, Calcium and Iron from biofilm matrix

2. Target Microbes

Proven Probiotic Yeast Killers:

• Bacillus Laterosporus BOD
• Threelac (however beware of safety controversy)

Pharma Anti-Fungals
The most common anti-fungals prescribed probably are Nystatin and Diflucan (flucanazole). The problem with these is that through liberal prescription use candida have formed resistance to them, and if not they also may ahve issues getting through the biofilm. Many peopel see improvements using them however as soon as they go off them a short while later many see the candida come back stronger than before.
I believe Pharma anti-fungals can be useful however it is best they are used concurrently with other strategies.
A quick note. Nystatin is much safer than Difulcan because the body does not absorb it. Difulcan as well as many other anti-fungals are potentially dangerous for they do put a toxic load on the liver.
Natural Anti-Fungals
Many of the natural anti-fungals are found in Candida Cleanse kits but can also be bought independently. Some can be particularity harsh on the delicate small intestine so use cautiously. Most candida strategies also reccomend rotating them under the theory candida might develop resistance to them.

• Caprylic Acid, Coconut Oil, Pau d’arco, Oregano Oil, Grapefruit Seed Extract, SF722, Gentian Violet, Cinnamon oil, Monolaurin, D-Mannose,

Fighting Fungus with Fungus?
Saccharomyces boulardii is a fungus that has been medically proven to fight candida. The problem is that if you are taking fungal busting enzymes you may just eliminate it instead of having it help you. It is unclear to me in what physical fungal form Saccharomyces boulardii exists in the gut. Does it have cellular walls, does it have chitin, does it produce bioflim or fibrin?
Chitin Synthase Inhibitors
Chitin makes up the main component of the cell walls of fungus. It is also used to make the hard exoskeletons of arthropods such as crab as well as insects. A chitin synthase inhibitors(CSIs) prevents the production of chitin and can impede the growth of fungi. CSIs are approved for animals use to control fleas in pets. It is manufactured by Novartis under the trade name Lufenuron. It has never been medically tested on humans and is not approved for human use but that hasn’t stopped people successfully using it off-label.
The person who originally had the bright idea of trying to use lufenuron on people to combat candida was Sarah Vaugther. A single course treatment of 9 grams can be bought from her website for $27.
There is another knock-off product out there that also uses lufenuron that is called “Candida Cell Wall Suppressor“. There are about a dozen or so anti-Candida sites on the net that all link back to it. The company uses a shotgun marketing strategy. It is sold for the rip-off price of $117. The problem with this product is, that no concentration value of lufenuron is given! So you really have no idea what you are paying for.
In terms of effectiveness Lufenuron has according to many testimonials been very effective at helping getting rid of candida. Used alone however is likely not enough because candida can survive without the chitin layer. Fungi have the ability to morph into different forms and adapt to different environments. This product is therefore probably best used at the same time as some of the other products such as enzymes or even pharmaceutical anti-fungals to insure as close to 100% effectiveness.
3. Clean up

I never believed in “detoxification” or “die-off” until I experienced it once after taking Candex. I had done a 2 week stint of Candex at full dose with no issues. I missed several days of the enzyme and tried going back on only to get hit with massive nausea and vomiting. This kind of reaction appears to be more common than is reported by the companies. It is medically known as Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction or “herx” for short.
It is also thought that Candida and the subsequent bio-film can hold on to heavy metals such as mercury that can coming rushing out and cause “detox” symptoms once the candida start dying en mass and the biofilm they hide under is broken up. This is why it is probably judicious to take some things that can help soak up what comes out.
Zeolite is often used to trap heavy metals as is EDTA or DMSA. Also Yucca can soak up extra ammonia. Other substances that are used are:

• bentonite clay, activated charcoal, apple/citrus pectin, fiber, chlorella, chitosan, modiflan, butyrate, Cilantro, special bicarbonate formula, germanium,

Herx reactions can also be caused because the body lacks adequate Phase 1 & 2 nutrients. Additional supports might be every vitamin and mineral under the sun, but specifically:

• NAC, R-lipoic Acid, Vitamin C,

Unanswered Questions:

• Do candida or fungi have fibrin as part of their structure?
• Do candida or fungi have cellulose as part of their structure?
• How much of the candida are protected by biofilm?
• Do the good bacteria and fungi also live under biofilm?
• Is apple cider vinegar helpful? if so why exactly?
• Are bacterial and fungal biofilms different?
• Are there any dangers to biofilm busting enzymes, or fibronlytic enzymes?
• Are there any dangers to the mucous targeting enzymes?
• Which precise compounds are causing the nausea/herx when taking Candex?

Other ideas:
It’s possible that pancreatic enzymes may also help breakdown biofilm and kill candida. The Dr.Kelly/Dr.Gonzales protocol for fighting cancer and disease uses up to 200 capsules of pancreatic enzymes per day. The pancreatic enzymes come from pigs who can digest nearly everything. My personal theory is that those enzymes may contain small amounts of the more specific enzymes which breakdown fungal walls and biofilm. Obviously the biofilm enzymatic approach is more precise and does not need such massive supply of pancreatic enzymes. This needs to be researched further to determine conclusively what is happening.
The following two supplements seem interesting but am not quite sure what to make of them:

• ImmunFactor-7
• Mycology RNA

Additional Resources:

• Dr. Dan has the most comprehensive website on the net on fighting Candida at yeastinfectionadvisor.com
• Dr. Anju Usman biofilm protocol
• Two great Articles on Dr. Peta Cohen’s work around biofilms
  • Lyme Disease, Autism, MS and Chronic Immune Disease Alert – Biofilms and Enzymes
  • Dissolve biofilms with fibrinolytic enzymes – Focus interview
• Dr. Ettinger’s Biofilm Protocol for Lyme and Gut Pathogens
• doctorfungus.org - academic research website on fungus
• Academic and technical research into biofilms

 

Protocol
The following protocol is a synthesis of Dr. Ettinger’s Biofilm Protocol for Lyme and Gut Pathogens and Dr.Usman's.
Firstly I started a Ketogenic diet (zero carbs) three days ago. I plan on being on it for the next 8 weeks for that appears to be the time necessary to do a reset on the gut based off Dr.Ettingers experience. For really good info on the biochemistry and logistics of the diet Lyle McDonald's book "The Ketogenic Diet" has been an invaluable resource. In addition I am taking Pancreatic enzymes with every meal which incidentally may help a tiny bit with candida breakdown.

Now I am hoping by removing the preferred fuel source of the yeast that I can reduce if not eliminate most of the herx symptoms. If not I should be able to slow their growth down dramatically so I have no relapse. There are theories floating around that you can "starve" Candida to death but this is simply not true because Candida can eat nearly everything. Hence also why the diet is not enough on it's own.
The protocol is based off the 3 step formula devised by Dr.Usman. 1. Detach Matrix 2. Target Microbes 3.Cleanup
I am doing this twice a day once early in the morning and before bedtime.
Morning & Nightime

• 1x Interfase + one of (Candex, Nattokinase, Syntol, Serratiopeptidase) on daily rotation
• 1x Zeolite for instant metals/mineral cleanup

30 minutes later

• One of (Oregeno oil, Grapefruit Seed Extract, SF722) on daily rotation
• Monolaurin

1 hour later

• 1 gram of D-Mannose
• NAC
• Glutamine -2g
• Vitamin C
• Apple Pectin
• Modiflan
• Yucca

Mid-day

• 1 x Lactoferrin
• 4 x BOD
• 2 x Random Probiotics

In regards to the Candida & biofilm enzymes, I will be starting at 1/4 capsule 2x a day or less, and then slowly ramping up over several days/weeks till full dose to avoid herx reactions.
2-4 Weeks Later - The Nuke

Once I'm back to full dose on the enzymes, and established there for a week I will implement the second phase which occurs concurrently with the above. This involves doing the Lufenuron protocol and a day after stacking it with 1 or 2-dose Diflucan. This is an extreme measure however I am also going after a long standing fungal infection of my skin of Tinea Versicilor which cover my torso and arms in addition to the Candida.

Other Notes:
I am taking numerous other supporting supplements such as yasko's SHMT RNA and spray.

One thing I noticed reading through many posts on this forum and others is that people will start with a candida enzyme get a herx reaction, stop taking it and then never look back and then go after things completely un-candida related. Or they decide the diet is to difficult for them and give up. On the first point this really surprises me, if you are getting a herx reaction, then does this not mean the problem is even more important and needs to be addressed!?

Some people seem to think they "can't tolerate it" or that maybe they have an "allergy" to the enzyme. These seem like poor rationalization excuses. I am wondering for those who got herx reactions, if they had just cut back on the dose to 1/4 capsule or even less, and then worked up slowly maybe they would have fared better? Might they have solved their issues had they just been a bit more cautious, thorough and diligent?

 

Interesting thread. Thanks. I'm ready for a nap now. ; )

I don't know if it's still being used but there was a yahoo board called
enzymesandautism where this was discussed. A representative from
Enzymedica was available to answer questions. The DAN autism
group should have info on this tho.

I learned to use Candidase plus Virastop to treat break down candida walls.
Then use a variety of killers. Then mop up toxins with charcoal. The timing
is the same as yours. I did thus for months along with a candida diet
but didn't notice an improvement.

I have to say tho that most of my symptoms were gone via the elimination diet
prior to trying this. I was looking for an improvement in my fatigue. I didn't
realize at that time that my orthostatic intolerance was affecting me from
the minute I even sit up. Lack of blood appears to explain my fatigue.

I still use this strategy about once a week to keep things under control. I have no
idea if it helps but neither does anyone else.

Fwiw, I've never vomited from herxing. My head will get fuzzy and I feel sick.
Typically eliminating the contents of my digestive tract via magnesium citrate
relieves this feeling.

tc .. x

ps. forgot to say that all of my cdsas except for 1 in the last
4 years was positive for candida. The only things I can think of
that were different were that I was eating a ton of raw veggies
and I'd just treated for h pylori and parasites via prescription meds.

 

The thing that I like about Gestalt´s threads is that he always, when focusing in one subject, has some very well organized and clear information about it and what can be done to improve the situation.

I thought the thing that made you wake up feeling not so crappy was DIM. Personally my awful feelings at mornings are obviously due to insomnia, and unrefreshing and fragmented sleep, whatever causes these... either methylation, or thyroid, or adrenals or leaky gut (or a happy mix).

Candida is a possibly important factor for many, have it seen a lot. It causes leaky gut so it makes sense, but most of people say something must be making your body appropiate for a chronic candidiasis, like something hindering a normal immune response. Hope you get better with this. For what is worth, some veterans on candida say that sodium bicarbonate is the most effective antifungal, rectally and orally administered.

I could have candida because I have eczema, leaky gut, tons of dandruff, smelly feet and my tongue is coated and geographic. I feel always hungry, I am underweight and certainty I crave sweets. But could be something else. Brainfog, I think is my second name, I would need to get rid of it to know that I had it LOL

Hey BTW any idea why I peed the micronized glutamine everytime I took it?? I have this idea that could be because my leaky gut is severe and lets these particles pour.

 

I followed a program remarkably similar to this. I even consulted with Dr Usman. I was surprised when I didn't notice any improvement in my gut symptoms.

I've since learned I have mold toxicity and I suspect the herbal antimicrobials just are not strong enough for the mold.
My doctor is planning to treat me with amph B/EDTA sinus rinse (breaks down biofilm) and other oral prescription antifungals. In the meantime, I'm going to a gastroenterologist in November to see if there isn't a bacterial overgrowth as well and to investigate motility issues. All this because in theory the program should have helped.

I wish you well with your program - it is very well thought it.

 

DIM helped me a little bit, for a brief amount of time. I still take it daily. This stuff with biofilms has me thinking that maybe it's possible xenoestrogens could be hiding in there.

Not sure what's going on with you and the glutamine.

If you don't have candida, obviously this program may not help much because it is very candida specific.

Mold toxicity I believe is due primarily to mold living outside of the body which release mycotoxins into the air you breath which you then inhale and get caught in an intrahepatic re-circulation loop. Your body is being poisoned from the outside and is not adequately equipped to remove said poisons. Dr.Shoemaker is fixing this with the use of cholestyramine as a binder. Consuming antimicrobials/antifungals will not help one bit with an externally sourced mycotoxin issue in my opinion.

Treating fungus issues coming from outside of the body versus fungus issues inside the body is two completely different games and requires two completely different strategies.

Some of the biofilm stuff will help with bacterial issues most of the anti-fungal stuff will not however. If bacteria are the primary issue then biofilm enzymes along with species specific bacteria strategies are necessary. CDSA from genova would be a good place to start. Take a look at their guide here.

 

I'm referring to mold colonization in my gut in my case when I say mold toxicity.
But, as an aside, there are doctors now that are considering that those exposed to an external source of mold do also become gut mold colonized.
My program was designed for both bacteria and candida and it did notthing for me unfortunately.

I'm done with the poop tests for now - they don't tell me what is going on in the small intestine. I am doing having an culture done of a duodenal aspirate.

 

Hey globalpilot, I cannot help but to tell you that some people posted that "Jatoba" is very good for mold. I just have all these threads in my field archives inside my mind of health boards desperate lurker. Maybe worth a shot. It is actually also good for candida they say, is antifungal.

http://curezone.com/forums/am.asp?i=1112043

http://curezone.com/forums/am.asp?i=1414980

 

Thank Beyond. I'll keep it in mind.
I'[ve put treatment on hold until I get more information. My pattern is to try something, if that doesn't help, do more testing, revise program etc. So now I'm on hold until November.

 

Yes, many of the tropical barks are naturally antifungal. I used a jatoba extract formula by an herbalist in the Seattle area for a while. I think it also had cinnamon? I will try to look it up if anyone here is interested.

 

OK I am really into the old struggle again. My symptoms cracked, coated tongue, seborrheic dermatitis and sometimes itchy/reddish scalp always with dandruff are from leaky gut or candida overgrowth?? The fact is that these symptoms are listed for both disorders in all the Internet. Do you Gestalt have any of these? I know I have leaky gut but no idea about candida. I am about to start with the gut healing with full force again and I dont want to be trying to heal the lining while the yeast keeps aggravating it. Maybe trying Candex would be a good way to discover it.

I mean: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2956727 and http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2533189.

 

No I never had any of those symptoms. And yes Candida can cause leaky gut.

 

The last several nights I would get these intense tingles across my chest and inner arms lasting 2-8 hours that made me very uncomfortable and unable to sleep.

I am now very certain it came from the supplement Benfotiamine, as it was one I had recently reintroduced.

It appears that if I take it earlier in the day it does not cause me problems, but taken at night it causes me serious issues.

Looking it up online it appears to be used to treat people with painful nerve conditions, so that explains the mechanism of action on the nerves. (Usually the situation is reversed though, not enough Benfotiamine causes nerve issues)

In addition to this Benfotiamine being a product of Thiamine, I once tried supplementing Thiamine and got this uncomfortable "buzz" in my head as if I was on a caffeine high. So much for a supplement that is supposed to have a calming effect on the nervous system....

So I stopped the Benfotiamine and just happened to drink green tea before bed last night instead, (bad idea i know) and the same thing happened to me. I had totally forgot Green Tea is also really high in Thiamine!

Then I saw that yeast produce Thiamine, and perhaps I have an overabundance of the stuff due to my candida issue, and taking the supplement puts me above a critical threshold and negatively effects my nerves.

• Thiamin pyrimidine biosynthesis in Candida albicans : a remarkable reaction between histidine and pyridoxal phosphate. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22568620
• C. albicans Pathway: thiamin (vitamin B1) biosynthesis

I looked online for people who have a similar reaction to Thiamine as myself but can't find anyone. Anyone seen this before or have any ideas? It seems a person can have too much B1......and it's a sign of candida overgrowth.

 

Hi Gestalt, how are you going on the treatment now? Any idea why your reaction changed after having the break for a few days? Have you ever had any testing that showed you have a candida problem? Thanks. Also how did you take the yucca?

 

Treatment is moving along slowly. I take 4x Interfase per day now with no adverse reaction, however 1/2 a capsule of Syntol, gives me 4 hours of nausea/herx. The Interfase is thus more gentle, which makes me wonder about its efficacy however. I am 2 weeks in on the ketogenic diet. This first 1.5 weeks were a brutal adjustment. I had a hard time maintaining adequate calories and my metabolsim was crashing.

My current speculation is that, prior I had been taking liver support supplements, and those helped prevent reactions. I ran out, and didn't stock up again, and this may be why I got such a bad reaction when i attempted a 2nd start. Now I am going overboard, taking as much liver/detox support supplements as I possibly can. So I'll see in a few days if that helps.

No, I have not done testing for Candida. I take yucca stalk capsules. Two at night. Not sure how that compares to the root...

 

Thanks for your reply. Does it say on the label what species of yucca plant is used in the capsules?

 

Nature's Way is Yucca schidigera

 

Hi Folks/and Beyond,
I'm interested in buying Jatoba powder/perhaps tincture too.Have you any idea where I can buy it.I live in UK.
Thanks.

 

Abha I remembered about you today. Raintree was the best brand for rainforest herbs but the FDA kicked them out for saying that their products heal diseases (which they did) As per today, they no longer sell but they recommend a few other companies. This is one of them https://www.rainpharm.com/productdetails.php?pid=118.

 

Thanks Beyond....I'll have a look at the info you supplied.....