Does sugar cause yeast infections?

Does sugar cause yeast infections?

 

We often hear that eating too much sugar causes vaginal yeast infections. It seems plausible at first because yeast thrives on sugar, but if we look at the research we’ll get a slightly different picture.

So, does sugar cause yeast infections? It turns out that the connection is not as obvious as it seems.  Here’s why:

 

  • A study that looked at the connection between sugar intake and the level of sugar in the vagina shows that there is no link. The researchers gave a group of women a glucose drink and checked their blood and vaginal sugar before and after having it. There was no change in the level of vaginal sugar both for women with or without previous yeast infections. It could mean that eating sugary foods doesn’t trigger vaginal yeast infections.

 

Does sugar cause yeast infection

 

  • However, in another study about the connection between consumption of sugar and glucose levels in the vagina, the results show that women with recurrent vaginal yeast infections, although not necessarily diabetic, may have a slightly impaired glucose tolerance. So the researchers recommend glucose tolerance testing for women with recurrent vaginal candidiasis.

 

Read More: Not Sure if it’s a Yeast Infection or Something Else? Get a Test Kit!

So what’s the best way to treat a vaginal yeast infection?

 

You can choose from a wide variety of antifungal treatments, from over the counter medication to natural remedies. Have a look at my list of products I recommend to my readers:

  • Monistat – antifungal suppositories with Miconazole, a strong antifungal compound which will relieve your symptoms within days. There are 3 types of Monistat treatment, check my article to find out which one works best.
  • Boric acid suppositories – a 100% natural treatment, it’s effective even in women with persistent and recurrent vaginal yeast infections. You can read more about how boric acid treats yeast infections here.

 

Does sugar cause yeast infections?

 

 

If you want to learn about other treatment options, read my articles about medications and natural cures.

Conclusion

 

Although I think we need much more research into the effects of eating sugar on vaginal yeast infections, it seems that healthy women can enjoy a sugary treat from time to time, they probably don’t need to cut down on natural sugars found in fruit and they can consume moderate amounts of carbohydrates.

In normal circumstances, your body will able to process sugar without it causing Candida overgrowth.

 

Does sugar cause yeast infections?

 

However, if you’re getting recurrent yeast infections, it may be worth checking your glucose tolerance.

If it’s in any way compromised, or it turns out you’ve got diabetes, you should consider cutting down your sugar intake as well as getting proper treatment to help stabilize the glucose levels in your blood so you can prevent future vaginal yeast infections.

I’m interested to know if you think eating sugar triggers more vaginal yeast infections in your case? Have you tried cutting it down? Did it help you to get rid of Candida?

22 comments

  • Hello there, you touched here very sensitive topic. I heard that a lot women suffer from this unpleasant condition.

    I think if somebody has this infection, it means that imbalance occurs in their body. Something is not right, maybe too much antibiotics were used or immune system is weak.

    When people consume too much sugar, it leads to a yeast infection. Yeast do not like acidic environment and probiotics, named acidophilus can help to create unpleasant conditions for yeast.

    Overall we need to watch what we eat, how we live, what kind of clothes we wear, because yeast like warm environment with little air.

    If we will do prevention, such as avoiding sugary foods, we would lead a healthy lifestyle, we can escape encounters with these annoying creatures.

    Thanks, Nemira.

    • Hi Nemira, thank you for your feedback. A vaginal yeast infection causes very unpleasant symptoms and it affects the majority of women at least once in their lifetime. Some women suffer from recurrent yeast infections, which can cause serious problems in their relationships as well as lead to depression. Checking glucose tolerance levels is something I would advise to those women, to make sure that eating sugar doesn’t trigger their yeast infections. And if it does, than they will know what to do to lower the risk of getting the vaginal yeast infection in future.

  • I recently stopped eating sugar as I am pursuing a low carb diet. I have read before that there is a connection between sugar and yeast infections but more so from my naturopath.

    I know if I have antibiotics I can end up with an issue or two! If sugar is the apparent cause then why would antibiotics enduce a quick does of the yeast monster?

    I feel there is more to it than sugar! Thanks for the great read.

    Michelle

  • great eye catching site , a problem every woman faces at some point in her life , very informative content , very easy to read and navigate through site , great images too. , how long have you had the site live , thank you for a great helpful site

    • Thank you so much for your comment buildyourpay! I’m glad you found some useful info here, that’s my main goal with this website: helping women make informed decisions when fighting vaginal yeast infections. The site has been running for almost 3 months now, Still work in progress, there’s so much more I want to write about. Just need more time to do my research and keep writing. All the best!

  • I found your site interesting and easy to read. I was not aware of using yogurt or garlic directly in the vagina and probably would find that to be uncomfortable, but I guess it could be worth at try as an alternative to the medications available. How effective are these natural remedies?

    • Hi Chris, home remedies are effective especially at the very beginning of an infection when the yeast colony is still growing. After two or three days after the infection starts home remedies may prove too weak to beat Candida and then using medication may be the only option. However in mild cases of vaginal yeast infection, using natural remedies could be just enough.

  • Thanks Kamila,
    This information is very comforting as I would love to spoil myself once in a while. Fruits have a lot of sugar and I love them a lot. I do not know if sugar could cause yeast infection. I have been told to treat sugar like poison! A glucose tolerance check should take all the worry away. Thanks for this.

    • I’m glad you enjoyed reading the article Juliet. Sugar should definitely be enjoyed in moderation, especially artificially sweetened foods, but when it comes to yeast infections, it turns out that sugar doesn’t cause them unless one suffers from impaired sugar tolerance.

  • Hi Kams it’s Sharon again, hope you’re well. So here’s my rant lol. Do you think that there could be some sort of link between candida and diabetes? I’ve been regularly tested for diabetes which returns negative, but strangely I bear the symptoms of it or is this the candida? When I abstain from sugar I feel awesome, but as soon as I eat a sugar food such as banana or a cake I can feel the itching almost returning instantly. I know bananas are high in sugar, but why can I eat dates? Dates have zero effect on my sugar levels because even when I eat a lot of them and no other form of sugar including other fruits my sugar levels once dropped to 2 mmol/L or in 38 mg/dL, that’s almost a death sentence. I just don’t get it anymore because if I have a banana my sugar levels rise instantly to 9 mmol/L plus – that’s 342 mg/dL.

    • Hi Sharon, the only thing that occurred to me was checking the glycemic index of bananas and dates. Bananas have got 62 and dates, surprisingly, 42. However, I’m not a doctor, so it’s difficult to tell why your sugar levels are rising so sharply after eating certain foods. There’s definitely a link between diabetes and Candida, diabetic women suffer from yeast infections more often than healthy women because of low tolerance to glucose.

  • Thank you for the article on Candida, Does sugar cause yeast infections? I’m glad that the studies showed that there is no connection between sugar intake and candida. This is good news for both women who have recurrent yeast infections and those who don’t. The article suggests that women with recurrent yeast infections should have a glucose tolerance test. Can this test be done by a primary care physician, or does this test need a specialist?

    • Hi Terry. The glucose tolerance test is usually done by a primary care nurse. The patient has to drink a glucose liquid and blood samples are taken every 30 minutes to check how quickly glucose disappears from the blood.

  • Its a bit of a Catch-22 situation, when excess candida in the digestive tract thrives on sugar and is blamed for cravings… and those same sugar cravings are being blamed for the excess candida.

    I am glad to know that giving in to the occasional sugar craving won’t cause other problems (well.. not that one at least!). Thank you for sharing this.

    -Kae

    • Thank you Kae, it’s definitely good news to vaginal yeast infection sufferers. However, women who think that sugar does trigger their yeast infections should do a glucose tolerance test to make sure they are fine. If the test shows impaired glucose tolerance, they can get treatment and perhaps get rid of recurrent yeast infections for good.

  • First of all what a great topic. I know many women, including myself, that would be interested in beating yeast infections. A connection with sugar is something I have never thought of. But now that you have addressed I may have to investigate. At this point I can’t say that I agree or disagree but it sounds like an interesting thing to look in to, especially if yeast infections are a recurring problem.

    Thanks for raising the issue.

    • Thank you Melody. I think women who suffer from recurring vaginal yeast infections should definitely do a glucose tolerance test, as it may indicate diabetes. In healthy women, eating sugary foods shouldn’t induce a yeast infection, at least according to research.

  • My wife will love to know this study, as she loves to indulge is sweet things. Interesting that there is no link between the level of sugar in the vagina. Great news. And great news for me too, because now she can bake those chocolate-chip cookies that I love too! Who did this study?

    • Hi Michael. If your wife feels that sugar gives her yeast infections perhaps she should do a glucose tolerance test. If it comes out fine, she should be able to enjoy a sweet treat every now and then without any problems. The first study was done in 2006 by American Academy of Obstetrics and Gynecology and the second one by General Hospital Heilig Hart Tienen in 2002.

  • Very nice heading and caption on your website. The article on yeast infections is very informative. I know my sister has dealt with this issue and I am sure she will find your tips very useful. I would have thought that increasing your sugar intake would directly contributed to developing a yeast infection. Anyone that has this type of medical condition will benefit greatly from your research and suggestions you provide within this article. Thank you for your helpful advise Richard

    • Thank you Richard, I’m glad you find the information useful. Although I’m not a doctor, I’m always trying to do a though research for my articles to help people make informed decisions about their health. I hope my suggestions will help women get rid of yeast infections, that was my goal when I was creating this website, because I know first hand how awful this condition is.

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