Top 7 Strongest Candida Killers To Fight Candida Overgrowth
An imbalance like Candida overgrowth can lead to digestive problems, weak immunity, low energy levels, frequent yeast infections, and more.
Eating a low-sugar diet is one of the best ways to tackle a yeast overgrowth, but antifungal supplements can really boost your defences against Candida too. In this article, we'll take a look at a range of antifungals and find the strongest Candida killer.
The strongest Candida killers are generally recognized to be prescription antifungal drugs. However, these drugs come with unpleasant side effects and are not necessarily the best long-term solution for fighting Candida.
Over the last decade, yeasts like Candida albicans have begun to develop resistance against prescription antifungal treatments, with the result that people have increasingly turned to natural antifungals instead. Natural antifungals tend to be well-tolerated, have fewer side effects, and are still very effective.
Here are the best natural antifungals to consider when fighting Candida.
1. Caprylic Acid
Coconut oil is made up of three fatty acids: caprylic acid capric acid and lauric. Of these, caprylic acid is the most important. Taking caprylic acid during your treatment can get your intestinal tract back in shape and help to prevent Candida colonies from growing again.
Studies have shown caprylic acid’s potency to be similar to prescription antifungals.
It works by interfering with the cell walls of Candida yeast cells.
Its short chain length means it can penetrate the cell wall of the yeast relatively easily. It then incorporates itself into the cell membrane and causes it to rupture. This effectively destroys the yeast cell and can even prevent it from returning.
Multiple studies have found caprylic acid to be effective at killing Candida albicans yeast cells, as well as reducing symptoms in those with chronic Candida infections.
There is a further advantage to using a natural antifungal such as caprylic acid.
Natural antifungals can be extremely effective, and they tend to come with far fewer side effects than prescription antifungals like Diflucan.
A study conducted by Japan’s Niigata University found that the fungicidal effect of caprylic acid on Candida albicans was “exceedingly powerful” (1).
More recent studies have found that oral supplementation with caprylic acid reduces the symptoms of Candida more quickly and efficiently than some pharmaceutical antifungal drugs such as Diflucan.
2. Undecylenic Acid
Undecylenic acid is a less well-known treatment for topical Candida-related infections, but it’s becoming more popular. It’s an unsaturated fatty acid derived from castor oil which was discovered in 1877 when scientists distilled the by-products castor oil.
Since then, undecylenic acid has become recognized as a powerful antifungal agent that can help with stubborn Candida-related infections such as athletes’ foot and intestinal Candida overgrowth. Some studies have even shown that undecylenic acid is around six times more effective than caprylic acid!
The fungicidal actions of undecylenic acid come from its organic fatty acid components. It’s believed to inhibit the hyphal growth of Candida albicans and biofilm formation. These factors play a major part in the development of skin infections, and also in Candida’s ability to spread throughout the body. (2)
3. N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine (NAC)
NAC is an amino acid and a powerful antioxidant. It is formed naturally in your body from cysteine, which you get from protein sources like yogurt or chicken, but you can also find it in supplement form.
This antioxidant is a dual-purpose supplement that makes it a great choice for your Candida diet. Firstly, NAC is very supportive for good liver health. And secondly, it disrupts the protective biofilms that are created by Candida albicans and other pathogens.
In order for antifungals to do their work properly, they must be paired with a biofilm disruptor. This should be something that can weaken and destroy the biofilm matrix. NAC appears to do exactly this.
4. Berberine
Berberine is the active ingredient in barberry, Oregon grape and goldenseal. It has been demonstrated to have a host of powerful therapeutic actions as an antimicrobial agent. Berberine has also shown antifungal action against yeast and fungal infections such as Candida overgrowth.
One of Berberine’s most important actions is its ability to prevent the spread of yeast and fungal organisms that are resistant to drugs.
A 2016 study found that berberine has antifungal activity against several types of yeast, including antifungal-resistant Candida. When researchers treated antifungal-resistant resistant samples with berberine, it killed off the yeast cells by breaking down its plasma and mitochondrial membranes. Berberine can also be used alongside antifungal to enhance its overall antifungal activity. (4)
Another way in which berberine works is by activating an enzyme within our body cells called AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). This enzyme regulates metabolism and has a major influence on our immune system and how our body fights disease.
Berberine can also be used as an immune stimulant in treating colds and flu, as well as speeding recovery from infection. Its ability to activate macrophages (white blood cells) has been shown to enhance the body’s overall defence system, allowing it to fight not only Candida infection but other invading pathogens.
5. Betaine HCl
Betaine hydrochloride supplements are often used by people who have low stomach acid (hypochlorhydria). Hydrochloric acid serves many functions. It’s the main digestive juice involved in breaking down proteins so that the body can absorb amino acids properly.
It also acts as a protective barrier in your stomach and a crucial part of your immune system, killing off any potentially harmful micro-organisms that may be present in the food you eat.
When the body isn’t producing enough hydrochloric acid, Candida has a better chance of growing and spreading throughout the gastrointestinal tract.
Betaine HCl also has an important role to play in antifungal formulations. Other antifungals like undecylenic acid require an acidic environment (which is naturally found in a healthy gut) to maximize their antifungal activity. Pairing your undecylenic acid with Betaine HCl will provide it with the optimal environment to fight yeasts and fungi like Candida.
While many people believe they suffer from over-acidity, the opposite is often the case. Appropriate HCl levels in the stomach kill off many pathogens that otherwise would enter into the intestinal tract and potentially lead to serious health issues. This is why Clostridium difficile, a common bacterial infection after taking antibiotics, is also linked to the overuse of antacid medications.
Without adequate HCl, your liver and gall bladder will not be able to function effectively and your digestion will also suffer. Over time, this can lead to nutritional losses of fats, fat-soluble vitamins and proteins that are necessary for proper immune function. (5)
Your own dosage of HCI will depend on your own needs, so you’ll have to experiment to see what works for you. This may mean some trial and error until you figure out the correct dosage.
6. Garlic Extract
Garlic is one of the world’s most-researched herbs – and one of the most powerful! There’s a massive amount of scientific evidence supporting its use as an antifungal, particularly against Candida albicans.
One of garlic’s most important antifungal agents is Ajoene, an organosulfur compound that has been shown to kill off a variety of fungal infections. Ajoene is formed from a compound named allicin and an enzyme named alliinase. When garlic is chopped or crushed, allicin and alliinase come together to form the powerful antimicrobial agent ajoene.
Much research has found ajoene to have the strongest activity of all garlic compounds in inhibiting the growth of Candida albicans. One study showed garlic markedly inhibited the growth of Candida when the samples of the disease were treated with aqueous garlic extract. This was later supported by further research showing that garlic has the power to halt the growth and spread of Candida albicans. (7)
Although ajoene’s antifungal properties are well-documented, its exact mechanism of action is not so clear. As with other antifungals, scientists hypothesize that ajoene works by disrupting the cell walls of the Candida yeast cells and thus preventing them from functioning properly.
A typical recommendation is to take two or three antifungals at any one time as this helps to prevent Candida from adapting to a single ingredient. Garlic works well when used in combination with other natural antifungals.
7. Olive Leaf Extract
Olive leaf extract is derived from the dark green olive leaves and contains an active ingredient named oleuropein.
Research has shown that oleuropein has an incredible array of health properties as an antimicrobial, antifungal, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-atherogenic and antiviral.
As well as being a natural and effective antifungal, olive leaf extract is shown to have anti-parasitic properties. It also appears to contain almost double the antioxidant capacity of green tea, Vitamins C and E, and grape seed extract. A 2015 study on fresh olive leaf extract showed that it exhibited antifungal activity against Candida yeast. (8)
A similar study in 2016 showed oleuropein to have powerful antifungal activity against Candida albicans, with researchers noting that the oleuropein appeared to target various factors that the fungal infection needed to survive. It was also found that the oleuropein was able to inhibit Candida from growing. (9)
The 3-Month Candida Elimination Kit
The Candida Elimination Kit contains everything you need to complete a 3-month Candida Cleanse, including all of the antifungals mentioned above.
Plus, we've included the Candida Diet recipe ebook, which contains more than 50 recipes that are perfect for a Candida diet.
Here's what's included in the kit:
- 3 bottles of Liver One [a 3 month supply]
- 2 bottles of Probiotic [a 4 month supply]
- 3 bottles of CandAssist [a 3 month supply]
- The Candida Diet recipe ebook
- The Candida Elimination Kit User Guide
The kit includes Liver One to support your liver and reduce Candida symptoms, CandAssist to fight the Candida yeast, and our Probiotic to rebalance the bacteria in your gut.
Here are a few key reasons why the 3-Month Candida Elimination Kit is so effective:
- Liver support from milk thistle extract and artichoke leaf extract to reduce Candida symptoms.
- Natural, antifungal ingredients like caprylic acid, berberine, and NAC to fight the Candida overgrowth.
- A probiotic that uses delayed-release tablets to rebalance your gut.
- A 3-4 month supply of all these supplements.
- All supplements are non-GMO and vegan. They're also free of nuts, dairy, gluten, and soy.
- A free recipe ebook with more than 50 recipes.
- A free user guide on how to take the supplements :)
