Do Arthritis and Gout Have a Link to Systemic Yeast Infections?

Updated 6/19/2024

Medically Reviewed by Dr. Atmika Paudel, PhD - Written by Dan Jackowiak, Nc, HHP and Dr. Vibhuti Rana, PhD

Dr. Atmika Paudel, PhD says... The information mentioned here about arthritis and gout and their relation to yeast infections is medically correct.

Arthritis and gout can be caused by a systemic yeast infection and are becoming more and more prevalent in today's modern society. These three diseases can be very debilitating and can lead to total disability and a deformation of the skeletal bone tissue. Many people lose the use of their hands for the simplest of tasks. The pain can be excruciating at times and the person just doesn't want to even move for fear of irritation at the affected area.

Arthritis is also a leading cause of disability in Americans and is a major drain on the US health care system. In 2013, the total national arthritis-attributable medical care costs and earnings losses among adults with arthritis were $303.5 billion or 1% of the 2013 US Gross Domestic Product (GDP). That includes money spent for medical treatment and loss of earnings due to unemployment.(Source).

In May 2004 in the Orange County Register, it was stated in the Health and Science section that 1 in 4 adults complain of arthritis. There are also an additional 17% of people suffering from this disease and are undiagnosed. This disease is affecting 42% of the adult population in the US and is expected to rise sharply as the baby boomers head towards retirement.

Could there really be a common cause to these two diseases that modern medicine has overlooked?

The Arthritis Foundation describes rheumatoid arthritis as a "chronic, systemic, inflammatory disorder of unknown etiology." They haven't a clue as to what causes this crippling disease.

Fungi can cause arthritis by either infecting a joint directly or by injecting mycotoxins that effect the joints. They do this by spreading from the primary infection usually found in the intestines or the lungs. There are a few different types of arthritic diseases that can be caused by systemic yeast infections.

Dr. Vibhuti Rana, PhD says..

More than 50 million adults and 300,000 children are living with arthritis, the leading cause of disability in the US.(1) Fungal arthritis may occur as a result of hematogenous spread, where the microbes are transmitted through the blood stream. However, it can also occur by direct exogenous inoculation of the already contaminated medicine in the joints. A review by Cueller et al., discussed that fungal arthritis typically follows a chronic sluggish course of several months resulting in delayed diagnosis and inappropriate treatments.(2)

1. https://www.arthritis.org/
2. Cuéllar ML, Silveira LH, Espinoza LR. Fungal arthritis. Ann Rheum Dis. 1992;51(5):690–697. doi:10.1136/ard.51.5.690

Systemic Yeast Infections and Gout

Nearly every medical school in the country teaches that gout is caused by crystal formation in the joints when uric acid reaches critical levels. It is generally taught that uric acid is created by the body itself and not accumulated from outside sources.

Dr. A.V. Costantini, retired doctor working with the World Health Organization (WHO), Center for Mycotoxins in Food, based on the research done by his team of researchers, reported in 1994 that it can't be proven that the body creates uric acid. They found that uric acid is likely of fungal origin, and can enter the body from the external sources.

However, we now know that uric acid can be ingested directly in the diet (especially in organ meats such as liver, kidney, and yeast-containing bread), or it can be produced in the body by purine metabolism. Uric acid is metabolized in organs such as the liver and kidney or by fungi, so while consuming them, we consume the uric acid that they already metabolized and the purine as well.

Further studies revealed the presence of urate crystals in patients with gout within days of the occurrence of inflammation. Dr. Costantini stated that uric acid was not the root cause of pain experienced by gout patients and offered a $1000 reward to anyone who could prove him wrong. To this day, the reward hasn’t been claimed!

Candida yeast produces around 79 toxins and it is stated that one of these toxins is uric acid(3). So I ran a little experiment with my brother who suffers from gout. I sent him a bottle of Biofase to try out. I had him take 3 capsules twice a day separately from food. He reported that his gout symptoms completely cleared up in a few days. Amazingly, he still argues with me about what is causing his gout.

Dr. Vibhuti Rana, PhD says...

It was proven in 1994 with a series of experiments that uric acid is a compound of fungal origin and that can work as a fungal biochemical marker. Uric acid is the most widely used marker for gout, renal diseases, and leukemia. (3) Disproportionate levels in uric acid can be ascribed to excess of fungal growth, which thrives on higher sugar levels (4). An article published in Metabolic Healing by Michael McEvoy in 2011 reports that gout is a result of mycotoxin growth, which are the secondary metabolites of fungi. (5) Among septic arthritis, those caused by C. albicans, C. tropicalis, and C. parapsilosis are the most frequent. (6)

3. Google Book: Laurens Maas, 2009, The Hidden Cure: The 5 Laws of Perfect Health
4. The Fungal Mycotoxin Etiology of Human Disease” Johann Friedrich Oberlin Verilog. Freiburg, Germany. The Fungal Mycotoxin Conference, Toronto, Canada. 1994.
5. "The Hidden Cure" Laurens Maas BSc, OsT The Townsend Letter:
6. Gamaletsou MN, Rammaert B, Bueno MA, et al. Candida Arthritis: Analysis of 112 Pediatric and Adult Cases. Open Forum Infect Dis. 2015;3(1):ofv207. Published 2015 Dec 23. doi:10.1093/ofid/ofv207

Systemic Yeast Infection and Rheumatoid Arthritis

In January 1995, 19 doctors published an article in Townsend Letter for Doctors which stated that candidiasis or systemic yeast infections could mimic symptoms associated with rheumatoid arthritis. This article emphasized that systemic yeast infections may play a leading role in symptoms and diseases such as allergies, intestinal and bladder problems, fatigue, weight gain, headaches, poor concentration, and irritability.

Dr. Costantini also found that fungal mycotoxins can cause rheumatoid arthritis. This was affirmed by a team of researchers led by Dr. Tobias Polte, which conducted in vivo mice experiments. This study was published in November, 2017 in Food and Chemical Toxicology.(Source).

Food allergies have definitely been linked to arthritis by naturopathic physician Dr. D Adamo in his book Eat Right 4 Your Type. When the body is allergic to foods it creates IgE or IgG antibodies as an immune response to a toxic invader. The human host is unaware of this phenomenon happening internally, and may live his/her entire life without a clue.

However, over a span of 20 years or so the immune system wears out and is unable to remove all these allergens from these foods. These allergens begin to deposit themselves in the joints. There they begin to clump to the cartilage and form deposits in the joint. The immune system will respond by trying to remove the allergens and typically over compensates, damaging the joints and arthritis is the result.

Getting yourself tested is the only way to determine which foods you are allergic to that are causing this antibody reaction. Once you have determined which foods are causing the antibody response you simply stop eating them. The body will then begin to heal and the inflammation might disappear too!

Dr. Vibhuti Rana, PhD says..

Frank O. McGehee’s article posted on the integrative medicine blog run by the American College for Advancement in Medicine in 2015 showcases that fungal infections are the primary cause of rheumatoid arthritis. This is further worsened by dairy, bread, carbohydrates, sugar, carbonated drinks, processed, fast food, and beer. (7) In response to the mucus forming foods like cow milk, bread, sugar, etc., the fungal invasion occurs and kills the protective Villi lining the stomach and intestines. Subsequently, micro-food particles escape into the bloodstream and settle in the joints and instigate Arthritis. Kauffman, in his book, the Fungus Link, 2000 also explained the association between rheumatoid arthritis and systemic yeast infections. (8) Another recent study states that pneumonia and fungal infections are most frequently seen in RA patients. (9)

7. American College For Advancement in Medicine. Rheumatoid Arthritis and Fungal Overgrowth. Frank O. McGehee, Jr, MD, CCN, Tuesday, July 14, 2015
8. "The Fungus Link: An Introduction to Fungal Disease, Including the Initial Phase Diet " Doug Kaufman p9. 2000 and 2008 1.
9. Tsuchiya Y., Sagara H. (2018) Bacterial and Fungal Infections in Rheumatoid Arthritis. In: Gono T., Tokuda H., Sakai F., Takemura T. (eds) Lung Disease Associated with Rheumatoid Arthritis. Springer, Singapore

Treating Arthritis and Gout

Many scientist and doctors believe that a combination of proper diet, exercise, weight control, and supplementation could significantly reduce the incidence of this disease. Now I can point you in the right direction as far as supplements for arthritis, but I cannot control your diet or if you exercise or not.

The best thing you can do for these conditions is take the yeast infection questionaire or get tested for parasites and yeasts. I would also get Food Allergy tested as soon as possible. These results would help you determine whether you have a parasitic or a yeast infection, or allergies. If your tests are positive, do the parasite and colon cleanse first, followed by the Basic Yeast Cleanse here.

If you can wiggle your nose, pinch or bend your ear, extend your leg or arm, exercise or wrinkle your skin, it is all because of a connective tissue, of which the vast majority is called collagen. Collagen is a proteinaceous, glue-like substance that holds the body together. Collagen is abundantly found and interacts with many substances within the body to perform a variety of different functions. It constitutes tendons and ligaments, connects skin cells, forms the cornea in the eye, helps build bones, and most importantly, it provides elasticity in the joints, acting as a shock absorber for the joints as well.

Collagen was also found in 1958 by John F Prudden, to dramatically excellerate wound healing following surgery, was also anti-inflammatory and reduced pain, helping conditions like psoriasis and skin ulcers. He also found that it prevented the growth of tumors caused by the proliferation of blood vessels (angiogenesis) within these tumors. In 1974, he successfully treated 50 patients with collagen type 11 for osteoarthritis. He achieved success treating dry sockets in the jaw, acne, poison oak, hemorrhoids, rheumatoid arthritis, colitis, peptic ulcers, and cancer with collagen type 11.

Dr. Aurthor Johnson, Professor & Chairman of Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Minnesota, discovered in the 1970's; that collagen increased the ability of white blood cells to destroy bacteria and viruses, and it decreased the inflammatory response in clinical trials.

Cartilage is made up of 60% water and when you begin to get stiff and suffer from arthritic conditions your cartilage is not absorbing this water. With the addition of Hyaluronic Acid and Chondroitin Sulfate A (which help get water), and the Chicken Sternum Collagen Type II into the cartilage, great results and relief can be achieved with these debilitating conditions of joint pain.

Chondroitin Sulfate A was found in 1936 to be one of the best treatments for migraine headaches. Its oral use has also proven effective for arthritis and heart disease. Dr. Alex Duarte, a national author, lecturer, and alternative health care personality, points out that Chondroitin Sulfate A could very well make joint replacements unnecessary. He also found that Chondroitin Sulfate A is absolutely vital to the arterial walls to keep them supple and elastic to prevent hardening of the arteries. Being a powerful anti-thrombogenic agent, it also reduces the risks of blood clots.

Additionally, methylsulfonylmethane (MSM), a dietary organosulfur, is a necessary mineral often lacking in modern diets. MSM has been called the "Beauty Mineral" " that provides the sulfur needed to produce collagen and keratin. It has a deep involvement in the formation of hair, skin, nails, connective tissue and bones, and supports the development/maintenance of collagen. MSM allows fluid to flow through the cells of the body, supporting the natural detoxification processes and in some instances intensifying the benefit of other supplements.

When the body lacks MSM, the healing and building effects of collagen in the skin remain incomplete and leaves a raised scar upon healing. Scars are an overgrowth of collagen when the body is deficient in MSM and vitamin C. When MSM and Vitamin C are present, wrinkles and scars are minimized, and the skin heals smooth and supple. The same thing happens in your joints if you are low on MSM. As the collagen rebuilds cartilage and tissues, and the cells do not get enough water, it can create scar tissue in the joints, otherwise known as fibromyalgia.

MSM is the fourth most prominent mineral in your body and is equivalent to potassium to give you an idea how important it is. Dietary sulfur is used in the body for removing toxins from the cells with water. Dr. Earl Mindell, author of The Vitamin Bible, says that dietary sulfur is present in all living tissues and is absolutely essential for the body to function properly. It makes the cell permeable so water can flow through the cells, removing toxins and providing nutrients.

In scientific tests, every muscle pain because of multiple sclerosis has responded favorably to MSM. Dr. Herschler, Reagan State Science University; found supplementing with msm reduced pain, stiffness, and inflammation caused by arthritis, bursitis, tendinitis, acute injuries, and disc problems.

The New York Academy of Science documented MSM as providing substantial and long lasting relief for health problems such as arthritis, headaches, muscle pain, skin problems, allergies, rosacea, constant itching, emphysema, and acne. They said it also helped individuals to reduce back pain.

These doctors were pretty much proven right when researchers Matthew Butawan and Richard J. Bloomer from the Center for Nutraceutical and Dietary Supplement Research, School of Health Studies, at The University of Memphis; and Rodney L. Benjamin from Bergstrom Nutrition in Vancouver verified these results.(Source).

Studies also have proven it can balance sugar levels in diabetics, and can possibly eliminate the need for insulin injections in time. Isn't that great news for all you diabetics out here?

There is one side effect to taking msm other than what it will do for your skin and bones. Your hair and nails will grow much faster and be stronger.

The body also uses vitamin c, l-lysine, and l-proline to make collagen.

Expect to see a great improvement in your arthritis symptoms in 12 to 18 weeks. Not very long considering the amount of time it has taken you to get to where you are now, if you suffer from these debilitating conditions.

Arthritis and Gout Conclusion

Is systemic yeast or fungal infections the only cause of arthritis? Of course not, but it is a possibility that you might want to pursue with your doctor.

With gout however it is a strong possibility. If the standard diet for gout is not helping your symptoms, you might want to pursue my suggestions.

Medical Review by Dr. Atmika Paudel, PhD

The facts provided in the above article about the relationship of yeast infection with arthritis and gout are medically correct.

Patients with arthritis are not checked for yeast infection as a first diagnostic test, and yeast infections being the cause of arthritis does not come to the physician's mind as a first and most prominent cause. Of course, there are other more obvious causes of arthritis. But we know our body well, we know our symptoms well, so we have to be careful and consider yeast infection to be the culprit. The physician will go for a fungal test only if other treatment strategies do not work.

Although fungal arthritis was not much detected in the past, I think that was because nobody thought of doing a fungal test in arthritis cases, so most of them might have gone unnoticed. With the recent advancements in diagnostic technologies, more fungal arthritis cases are being detected (1). Still, physicians do not consider fungus being the cause of arthritis. Therefore, if we have other symptoms and problems that might indicate considering yeast infection to be the cause, we can ask the physicians for a fungal test. A recent case reported a patient who had surgery on the knee and Candida species was isolated from the intraoperative tissue. Yet, he was not given any antifungal drug. Later, he developed arthritis, and the inflammation and pain progressively increased; he was finally given antifungal medications after one year of the surgery (1).

Besides arthritis, fungal infections are also associated with gout. The production of uric acid is due to the purines that are extensively obtained from our diet (2). When the uric acid concentration is higher than its solubility range, crystals begin to form and deposit, especially in the joints and cause gout. Fungi are also able to produce uric acid from purine. When there are fungal pathogens in the body, they use the purines in our body as their nutrition, and in return, they produce uric acid. Not only can fungi synthesize uric acid, they can synthesize purine itself (3). So, the fungi produce purines, they also use the purines that is already present in our body, and produce uric acid using those purines. That will dramatically increase the concentration of uric acid in the body and cause crystals to form, which ultimately cause gout. Therefore, there is an increased risk of gout in the cases of fungal infections.

Therefore, considering antifungal natural regime in cases of arthritis and gout is no harm. While having hospital/clinic visits, remind your physician to have a fungal test, if there is no fungal infection, that is fine and if there is, you can get the appropriate treatment on time.

1) Song, K.Y., Park, C., Byun, JH. et al. Fungal arthritis with adjacent osteomyelitis caused by Candida pelliculosa: a case report. BMC Infect Dis 20, 438 (2020).
2) El Ridi, R., & Tallima, H. Physiological functions and pathogenic potential of uric acid: A review. Journal of advanced research, 8(5), 487–493 (2017).
3) Chitty, J. L., & Fraser, J. A. Purine Acquisition and Synthesis by Human Fungal Pathogens. Microorganisms, 5(2), 33 (2017).

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