Herbal Wonder: Gymnema Blocks the Virulent Properties of Candida Albicans
A Kansas State University research team has found that an herb often used to help diabetic patients treat sugar cravings also helps to destroy the Candida albicans fungus. Gymnema sylvestre is both nontoxic and blocks the virulent properties of Candida.
Most people who have ever suffered from a Candida infection realize this bacteria/fungus thrives on sugar. It makes us crave it to feed the Candida, and not us. We end up eating empty, nutrition-lacking calories and never feel full. Eventually, we can start to pack on a few extra pounds, and before you know it you are pre-diabetic, or are suffering from full-fledged diabetes as over 26 million children and adults in the US currently do.
A Candida albicans overgrowth will often appear as thrush, a white coating on the tongue, or a yeast infection, but it can also show symptoms like weight gain, lethargy, brain fog, headaches, and in severe cases, even immune system disorders and fibromyalgia.
Eliminating sugar from our diets can seem impossible though, since it is in so many of the foods we are presented with in modern culture, especially processed and convenience foods. Taking gymnema can not only halt sugar cravings that feed Candida, but also regulate glucose levels in the body, support the pancreatic juices, and help to block Candida from continued growth.
Read: Suffering from a Candida Overgrowth? Signs, Tips and Solutions
“Taking the medicine could potentially help patients control the invasive growth of the fungus and also help bring their sugar levels down.” – Govindsamy Vediyappan, assistant professor of biology
Gymnema has been used in Ayurdevic and Chinese medicine for centuries. In India, it is known as ‘the destroyer of sugar.’ The active compound of the plant is a group of acids termed gymnemic acids. Taking gymnema could positively affect health based on the results found from the research led by Govindsamy Vediyappan:
“We have shown that this compound is safe to use because it doesn’t hurt our body cells, yet it blocks the virulence of this fungus under in vitro conditions. Taking the [herbal] medicine could potentially help patients control the invasive growth of the fungus and also help bring their sugar levels down.”
For a self-confessed lover of dessert, this is great news.