Q&A Part 2: Valid Candida Testing
A caller asked Dr. McCombs, “What is a valid test to know if I have systemic Candida?” Click on the video below to hear his response:
A caller asked Dr. McCombs, “What is a valid test to know if I have systemic Candida?” Click on the video below to hear his response:
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Ask The Candida Expert, Dr. McCombs' Candida Plan, Q&A, Testing
Here is some important information about Candida testing, taken from my Frequently Asked Questions.
Q. Are there tests I can take to see if I have a Candida problem?
A. Testing for Candida albicans antibodies has drawbacks, as the sensitivity, or accuracy, of tests varies from person to person and test to test. False positives may result from various influences, past or present. If blood tests are done prior to the immune system developing a response to Candida infections, then there may be a false-negative test result. If the immune system is suppressed or fatigued from a longstanding infection, then a false-negative test result may also be present. If the immune system has been sensitized, but the infection is no longer present, it may produce a false-positive. While all tests can be useful, it is hard to determine the accuracy from any one test.
Candida DNA by PCR (polymerase chain reaction) testing has gained favor due to its rapid, sensitive, and specific results. Its high sensitivity may likewise produce false-positives due to detection of Candida cultures normally present, or due to the lingering presence of dead Candida cells.
An antibody test in conjunction with a stool test, or other tissue cultures, and a history of past antibiotic use will most likely demonstrate Candida. Combining history, lab tests, and symptoms along with a trial of a Candida protocol and observing results can provide the greatest accuracy.
Recommended Candida Tests:
Click here for a list of other known tests for Candida.
After years of analyzing the research on Candida albicans, gastroenterology, immunology, microbiology, biology, mycology, and several other related fields, I view the true test of whether or not someone has Candida as simple as this:
If you have ever taken an antibiotic at any time in your life, then you have systemic fungal Candida.