Causes of Yeast Infection in Men
Yeast infections can occur on any part of a man’s body that’s warm, moist, and dark. Penile yeast infections are often the kind of yeast infections that concern men the most. Knowing the causes of yeast infection on males can help men to limit or prevent occurrences or reoccurrences. And there are quite a variety of reasons that a man may contact a yeast infection, penile or otherwise.
Yeast infections can be caused by:
- Sexual intercourse. Not only can a man get a yeast infection from a partner with one, but the man and his partner can pass the infection back and forth until it’s cured in both partners. Be sure to use condoms, should
a yeast infection be suspected or occurring. Safe sex is always a good idea! Hand washing and keeping any devices used during sex super-clean is also a necessity if a yeast infection is suspected. - Antibiotics. Antibiotics kill bad bacteria but also kill good bacteria, including bacteria which keep the Candida yeast from becoming a problem.
- Use of anti-inflammatory drugs. Common over-the-counter drugs such as ibuprofen and naproxen can destroy bacteria in the stomach, allowing for the growth of yeast.
- Diabetes. Men with diabetes have sugar in their urine which yeast use as food and which helps yeast to grow and to thrive.
- Poor Eating Habits. It’s possible for bad eating habits to encourage an inhospitable environment in a man’s body for good bacteria which allows Candida fungi to grow rapidly and out of control.
- Certain foods. It’s believed by some that eating beef and drinking milk may be a cause of yeast infections as beef and milk cows are routinely treated with antibiotics which may have the same results, once beef and milk are ingested, as antibiotics taken for medicinal purposes. Some other foods are also contaminated with fungus. Wheat, rye, and barley, are often stored for a long time before being brought to market and processed, giving fungus plenty of time to grow. Corn, apples, and peanuts are naturally exposed to fungus as they grow.
- Use of Condoms containing nonoxynol-9. While these condoms are excellent at killing germs and sperm – making them good birth control and a good way to prevent the transmission of sexually contracted diseases – they may also help Candida fungi to grow.
- A Poor Immune System. What causes a poor immune system? Stress, poor nutrition, low acidity in the stomach, medications taken after transplant surgery, HIV/Aids, a low white blood cell count, and cancer, can all cause immune deficiency.
There are obviously plenty of causes of yeast infection on males. Men who think that they might have a yeast infection, especially men who’ve never had one before, should see a doctor to rule out some of the causes above.
No comments yet.