Caprylic Acid for Yeast Infection Treatment

While caprylic acid is believed to help in strengthening the body's defenses against certain bacteria that may cause gastroenteritis, the use of caprylic acid is believed to be an excellent remedy for candidiasis. Candidiasis refers to an infection that occurs as a result of overgrowth of a fungus called Candida. Out of the various Candida species, it's Candida albicans, that commonly causes yeast infections in men as well as women. Before I tell you how  helps in treating candidiasis, let me tell you the circumstances under which one may suffer from this fungal infection. Yeast, which is a naturally occurring, single celled fungi is normally found in the oral cavity and the digestive system. The friendly bacteria that are present in the body prevent the yeast cells from multiplying. However, the numbers of the friendly bacteria may decrease due to prolonged use of antibiotics or certain prescription drugs. Consumption of a diet that is rich in sugar may also cause a spurt in the growth of yeast cells and lead to candidiasis.

Now let's find out why caprylic acid may help in killing yeast cells. One of the useful attributes of this acid is its high absorption rate. The high absorption rate of this fatty acid is attributed to its chemical structure. Its ability to pass through the fatty cell wall membranes and attack the pathogens is attributed to its relatively shorter chain length. This explains why doctors may recommend the use of caprylic acid for yeast infection treatment. It can be taken in the form of capsules, or applied topically in case of skin infections caused by yeast. Since coconut oil is a source of caprylic acid, applying coconut oil topically can help in the treatment of roundworm infections and candidiasis. This explains why caprylic acid and coconut oil can help in alleviating the symptoms of ringworm. These days, various brands are offering caprylic acid in the form of timed release capsules or gels. The idea behind the use of timed release capsules, is to make sure that this fatty acid is released at the time when it reaches the large intestine. Since Candida overgrowth mainly affects the large intestine, the release of this acid throughout the entire length of the colon, certainly helps in effectively controlling the yeast population. This way, the imbalance that occurs due to decrease in the numbers of friendly bacteria and increase in the numbers of yeast cells, can be corrected.