PMS and Candida

If PMS occurs during the later two weeks of the cycle, there is usually too much estrogen compared to progesterone during this part of the cycle. In this case, people often suggest zinc, B6 and natural progesterone to relieve symptoms. If PMS occurs during the first two weeks of the cycle, it is dubbed “reverse PMS” and will sometimes respond to a small amount of estrogen.

What does this have to do with intestinal yeast? There are quite a few connections. Coenzyme B6 is reduced by the presence of the yeast toxin acetylaldehyde. A functional deficiency of B6 can be caused by exposure to arabinol, which is made by some yeast. Yeast make estradiol, the strongest of the human estrogens. Not only does this throw off the hormonal balance, but estrogen wastes B6, folic acid, B12 and zinc. Estrogen causes the retention of copper. Estrogen suppresses the thyroid. Thyroid helps the ovaries make more progesterone. So even less progesterone is made. It is obvious that intestinal yeast can contribute to the hormonal and nutritional causes of PMS.

Intestinal bacteria make a difference too. Very few bacteria should be in the small intestine. When there is an overgrowth of bacteria there, it deconjugates too much of the estrogen dumped there by the liver. The deconjugated estrogen is absorbed back into the body and must be processed by the liver again. This compromises the liver’s ability to balance hormones in the body.

Natural progesterone is often recommended to alleviate symptoms of PMS. Does this exacerbate the intestinal yeast problem? Everyone agrees that supplements of estrogen makes the yeast syndrome worse. (Estrogen decreases the secretory antibodies that reach the yeast to help kill it.) What about progesterone? There was a study where they removed the ovaries of mice. The mice that were given estrogen developed yeast infections. The mice that were given natural progesterone did not. So it seems like natural progesterone should not be a problem. Yet, some women find that natural progesterone makes their yeast symptoms worse. Why?

Natural progesterone causes the displacement of estrogen. As progesterone goes into cells, estrogen comes out, usually in the sulfated form. Thus, when you first take natural progesterone, more estrogen will be dumped into the bloodstream. Often supplements of progesterone will make yeast symptoms worse at first, but after a few months, the problem disappears. If it doesn’t disappear, or gets worse, look to your sulfate levels, your thyroid function and your liver status. It is very important to have enough sulfates in the body in order to use hormones properly. (Those with Candida overgrowth are often depleted of sulfates.) Of course, work on clearing up a very likely source of the whole problem, your gut flora!

References

1.    Kinsman OS, Collard AE, “Hormonal factors in vaginal candidiasis in rats.” Infect Immun 1986 Sep;53(3):498-504

2.    Ray Peat’s newsletters and books explain how hormones affect the body.