The Neuroscience Behind A Candida Infection

Turns out, many brain disorders have origins in the gut. It has taken MD’s decades to admit this, but finally they are taking to heart what the naturopaths have been advising for the past 30 years.

“All disease begins in the gut,” Hippocrates 2000BC, the father of modern day medicine.

When tracing the root cause of conditions such as depression, anxiety, insomnia, and fibromyalgia, Dr. Sponaugle explains how he began peeling back layers upon layers of causes that lead to a surprising beginning… the gut.

“Once you understand the physiology of the gut and the connection between the gut and the brain, you can remedy these conditions, they are from the gut themselves”, explains Dr. Sponaugle in his interview below.

Dr Spongaule Explains Candida & The Gut-Brain Connection

Dr. Rick Sponaugle on the national PBS broadcast of “The Road to Perfect Health” with digestive care expert, Brenda Watson.

“If we arrogant MDs had listened to naturopathic doctors 20-30 years ago… you folks warned us of an armageddon that was coming, a point when the antibiotic levels were so high in food and city water that there would be an Armageddon. And we’ve arrived now at a point where anxiety, panic anxiety, and panic disorder anxiety, and insomnia have all 3 tripled since 1980, and its because of the gut.”
 – Dr. Rick Sponaugle

Studies show that 80-90% of brain disorders are known to be caused by disturbances to the intestinal lining and microbial imbalances in the digestive tract.

Due to the overuse of antibiotics the modern day gut is missing it’s beneficial bacteria. Instead it is over run by yeast and fungus so it has lost it’s ability to perform vital physiological functions such as producing important neurotransmitters serotonin.

You’ve heard of the anti-depressant Prozac, yes? It works by allowing your brain to absorb more serotonin, a hormone responsible for feelings of happiness. Well guess what?

Up to 95% of your serotonin is actually made in your gut by beneficial bacteria. So it may be that your depression is not even yours per se, or even in ‘your head’ and is, instead, a severe deficiency of beneficial bacteria in your gut.

“The primary seat of insanity generally is in the region of the stomach and intestines,” Dr. Phillipe Pinel, father of modern day psychiatry

TED Talk with Rob Knight: How Your Microbes Make Us Who We Are

Your Second Brain

That’s right, you have two brains. One in your head and one in your gut. The one in your gut is called the enteric nervous system. It is very intelligent and works fully independently of your brain.

Your gut brain is a highly sophisticated network system comprised of more neurons and nerve endings than in your entire spinal chord and peripheral nervous system combined— the peripheral nervous system is the entire nervous system in your body besides the brain and spine. This is equivalent to a cat-sized brain sitting in your belly!

There is a large nerve called the vagus nerve which connects your brain to this ‘second brain.’ The two share the same neurotransmitters, neurotransmitters are basically the ‘language’ neurons use to communicate. Your two brains can essentially ‘talk’ to one another.

Numerous neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine are made in the gut and our sanity and emotional well being greatly relies on what’s going on inside our digestive tract. When there is candida yeast overgrowth or fungal infection in the intestines, this prevents you from making sufficient amounts of serotonin and a deficiency is developed.

Symptoms of serotonin deficiency are depression, moodiness, irritability, negative outlook on life, being easily offended, and a loss of the desire to socialize.

Pathogenic yeast and moulds in an unhealthy gut release dozens, if not hundreds of, mycotoxins that easily penetrate the gut and make it into the brain. Your pituitary gland is extremely vulnerable because it is not protected by any barrier and mycotoxins from Candida in your gut make it to the pituitary gland to interfere with its healthy function.

Your pituitary is you master gland, it produces hormones that control other glands and many body functions. It’s directly connected to your thyroid and adrenal function. Now your energy producing organs are in trouble. Without healthy amounts of epinephrine (pure adrenaline made in adrenal glands), you experience an extreme heaviness and lethargy which most people associate with depression.

Norepinephrine levels also begin to drop and this brings on symptoms of chronic fatigue, what Dr. Brenda Watson calls “cement legs.”

The neurotransmitter dopmaine naturally turns into norephinphrine in the brain with the help of copper, however a gut full of yeast doesn’t pull in copper, nor does it pull in most minerals. Now you are left developing serotonin deficiencies, mineral deficiencies, hormonal deficiencies…

The cure is not more medication.

Dr. Sponaugle explains in this eye-opening interview how symptom treating doctors use drugs like Xanax, Oxycontin, Vikatan, to treat serotonin deficiency which in reality is a condition caused by yeast and fungal infections in the gut and should be treated holistically.

Where to Start

If you are looking for a natural treatment and true remedy for depression, anxiety, insomnia, fibromyalgia, or IBS we recommend you partner our Candida Cleanser with the GAPS Diet.

The GAPS Diet, is a dietary protocol, designed by Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride, to help reverse gut and psychological conditions such as depression, anxiety, autism, ADD, schizophrenia, and dyslexia. We’ve had multiple clients make full recoveries from conditions that had plagued them for decades.

Make sure to tune into their interviews in our Success Stories: Jackie, Amy, & Lisa