Alcohol consumption is a hot topic among the candida community.  Some say that consuming a few drinks a week will have little to no effect on a candida overgrowth.  On the other hand, others claim that all forms of it should be avoided at all costs by anyone suffering with this pathogenic fungal overgrowth.

In our experience, alcohol is the Achilles Heel for anyone suffering with candida overgrowth.  Time and time again it can be seen that it always causes a flare up in candida related symptoms and sets the individual further back in their healing process.

Also, most alcohol products contain high amounts of sugar and carbohydrates which are the perfect fuel source of this pathogenic fungus.  Consuming it regularly in combination with a standard American diet is one of the main causes of candida overgrowth in the first place.

Luckily, by the end of this post, you will have a better understanding as to why regular alcohol consumption is a poor decision for candida suffers.  You will also learn possible solutions for getting your candida issues under control once and for all!

What is Alcohol?

Before we go into why alcohol is a poor choice for candida sufferers, it’s first important to understand what alcohol truly is.  For those unaware, alcohol is the byproduct of an extensive fermentation process of various grains.  Depending on the drink, it’s typically made from grain or wheat products.

For example, most beer is loaded full of carbohydrates and sugars.  This is because the fermentation process naturally breaks down the grains causing a release of simple sugars.  Overtime, these simple sugars begin to ferment and alcohol is produced.

Unfortunately, alcohol is like rocket fuel for those dealing with candida overgrowth.  It’s important to understand that sugar is the main fuel source of candida.  Without sugar, this fungus struggles to replicate and thrive in the body.

That being said, when large amounts of alcohol is consumed, candida is given all the building blocks it needs for growth – fermentable sugars and carbohydrates.  It’s for this reason that candida suffers often see a worsening in their symptoms after a night of drinking.  Consequently, alcohol must be given up if you truly want to inhibit the growth of this pathogenic fungus once and for all.

How Alcohol Worsens a Candida Condition

As mentioned before, alcohol is the perfect fuel source for candida.  It contains all the building blocks needed for this fungus to grow at an almost unstoppable rate.  However, alcohol does much more than just feed candida.

For those unaware, candida release over 70 different toxic byproducts into the body – all of which have a negative effect on overall health.  Some of these toxins include ammonia, gliotoxin, alcohol, and acetaldehyde. 

Research is clear that the gliotoxin can cause damage to the liver cells and is extremely toxic to the body in general (1).  As a result, those suffering with candida overgrowth will all ready most likely be suffering from poor liver function.  Unfortunately, when candida overgrowth is coupled with regular drinking, the liver can be overwhelmed.

Unlike carbohydrates which are broken down in the stomach, the majority of alcohol is broken down entirely by the liver.  This puts high amounts of stress on this vital organ and can lead to long term health problems if done regularly.

The liver is responsible for filtering all the blood coming from the stomach before releasing it to all other parts of the body.  If the liver is not functioning properly, it’s highly likely that toxins will go through the liver unfiltered and into the bloodstream.  This can cause an intense immune response and is one of the many reasons candida suffers oftentimes suffer from immune system dysregulation.

Furthermore, the liver plays an important role in the production of thyroid hormones (2).  When the liver is impaired, thyroid health will inevitably suffer. 

Alcohol and Gut Health

Alcohol is extremely irritating towards the intestinal lining in the gut and can trigger inflammatory conditions in the intestines.  In fact, it’s well known among researches that alcohol can trigger symptoms in those suffering with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)(3).  This is mainly due to the high amounts of fermentable sugars present in all alcohol products.

However, alcohol consumption naturally leads to fermentation in the gut.  This often results in bloating and a hard protruding belly.  It should be mentioned that an overgrowth of candida in the gut already causes high amounts of fermentation to take place in the intestines.  This is because of the sugar/alcohol metabolism of candida.

Again, alcohol contains high amounts of naturally occurring sugars.  It’s well known that various pathogenic bacteria, yeast, and fungi thrive in a high sugar environment.  Those experiencing gut microbiota issues oftentimes consume a diet high in both sugar and starchy carbohydrates.

As we mention in our Candida Diet Protocol, high quality animal foods should provide the base of anyone’s diet dealing with candida overgrowth or seeking optimal health.  Also, all processed foods and sugar should be removed by those trying to inhibit the growth of candida and re-balance the gut microbiome.

That all being said, excessive consumption of alcohol will only further cause imbalances in the gut.  It provides the perfect fuel for not only candida, but also several other pathogenic bacteria, yeast, and fungi.

Alcohol and Histamine

Since alcohol is produced through fermentation, it’s naturally going to be high in histamines.  We’ve written before about how histamine is usually problematic in those dealing with candida overgrowth.  However, for those unaware, candida causes excessive stimulation to the body’s mast cells which in return causes a release in histamine (4).

Overtime, this histamine can build up in the body and cause several different symptoms.  In particular, excess histamine almost always results in food allergies.  This is mostly to foods that act as histamine liberators or are naturally high in histamine.  For example, the following foods are very high in histamine or cause a release of histamine in the body.

• Bananas
• Avocado
• Nuts and Seeds
• Aged Meat/Cheese
• Fish
• Citrus
• Bone Broth
• Fermented Foods
• Alcohol

As a result, if you consume alcohol regularly and suffer from candida, there is a chance that you could develop a histamine intolerance. 

Common symptoms of histamine intolerance include but are not limited to the following:

• Red Rash or Bumps
• Hyper Activity
• Anxiety
• Brain fog or Confusion
• Fatigue
• Digestive Issues
• Development of Food Allergies
• Sneezing

If you’ve noticed that you developed any of these symptoms, there is a good chance that you’re having a negative reaction to histamine.  It should be mentioned that histamine is a natural compound produced by the body.  Typically this compound causes no problems and is actually needed by the immune system. 

That being said, those dealing with candida overgrowth oftentimes have difficulty breaking this compound down.  Again, this is mainly due the fact that fungal overgrowth’s such as candida can stimulate mast cells and cause an excess release of histamine. 

Unfortunately, since alcohol does in fact contain high amounts of histamine, it will typically only make a histamine condition much worse.  This is all the more reason to stop drinking alcohol.

The Bottom Line – Should you Consume Alcohol?

In our opinion, alcohol has no place in the diet in those suffering with candida overgrowth or for those seeking optimal health.  It’s the perfect fuel source for this pathogenic fungus and can allow it to quickly multiply in the body.

Alcohol is also terrible for overall intestinal health.  It naturally causes fermentation which can lead to symptoms such as bloating and gas in the body.  It also seems to irritate those suffering from intestinal conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome.  Interestingly, researchers have found that a majority of IBS patients typically also suffer from a colonization of candida in the gut (5).

As a result, all forms of alcohol should be avoided by anyone wishing to truly get rid of candida from the body.  This may be a sacrifice for some, but your body will thank you in the long run.

Try Our Candida Cookbook

We highly recommend you try out our Crush Candida Cookbook.  We’ve included over 20 different candida friendly recipes that are mouthwatering and good for you!  Our cookbook can help bring in variety into your candida diet and can help you stay on track.

As always, be sure to check out our free Candida Diet Protocol.  Here you will find everything you need to know about the best foods to be eating for candida.  Don’t pay for an expensive candida eating plan when you can get it for free!