Candida albicans is a normal part of gut flora in humans, but it can cause deadly infections if it leaves the gut and enters the bloodstream, potentially affecting the kidneys, liver, spleen, lungs, brain, and heart valves.
Antifungal medications are often used with this type of infection, but a new study suggests that coconut oil may also be an effective treatment.
A study involving mice revealed that those fed a diet that included coconut oil had significantly less Candida albicans bacteria in their stomachs than mice in a control group.
Research leader Dr. Carol Kumamoto writes, "We found that diet can be an effective way to reduce the amount of Candida in the mouse. The extension of this finding to the human population is something that needs to be addressed in the future."
Source: mSphere, November 2015
