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Acetaldehyde free radicals damage the host. Candida albicans also generates large quantities of acetaldehyde, when in a low-oxygen environment. Low oxygen (hypoxia) eventually results from any chronically inflamed tissues. Hypoxia may occur in all tissues in patients with ongoing inflammatory or degenerative conditions. Dr. Truss suggests (6) that acetaldehyde mediates a good part of the cellular damage that occurs. Acetaldehyde in the intestinal wall and liver will disrupt intestinal absorptive processes, as well as impairing the function of lymphocytes and red blood cells. Acetaldehyde is damaging to host cells by free radical and peroxidative mechanisms. When yeast cells are limited in oxygen, they are also more resistant in immune defenses and patient hypoxia is a major contributing factor to yeast susceptibility (New Zealand Medial Journal, Aug. 10, 1983), for these two reasons Toxic waste from candida infestations can also be absorbed into the
bloodstream, producing a range of symptoms as above; some of the most disturbing
may be those affecting the brain. Yeast toxin hypersensitivity can lead to
anxiety, depression and impaired intellectual functioning. This is often not
recognized as a candidal problem, and psychiatric referral is the result, which
may be unsuccessful, and increase feelings of guilt, poor self-esteem and
depression. In addition to the toxins produced by the candida organism itself,
it can also affect the brain by way of the toxic substances manufactured from
sugar and refined carbohydrates in the diet. The main substance implicated here
is acetaldehyde, which is a normal by-product of metabolism, produced in small
amounts and rendered harmless by the liver. If, however, there is excess
production of this by candida and/or a lack of the appropriate liver enzymes
which tend to be deficient in 5 per cent of the general population, the
acetaldehyde will become bound strongly to human tissue. This may cause impaired
neuro-transmission in the brain, resulting in anxiety, depression, defective
memory and cloudy thinking. By upping levels of a
body enzyme, pantethine counteracts brain fog, certain allergic sensitivities,
and some consequences of alcoholism. In people with candidiasis, the enzyme
fights off a toxic byproduct called acetaldehyde,
which is thought to cause brain fog, often suffered but rarely diagnosed. The
pantethine-stimulated enzyme also detoxifies formaldehyde, an all too frequent
offender for chemically sensitive individuals. Acetaldehyde
accumulations in tissue are responsible for weakness in muscles, irritation,
and pain. Dr. Atkins states, “For all conditions that a doctor might prescribe
prednisone—allergies, asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, lupus, and
other autoimmune diseases, pantethine can be safely, effectively substituted. I
routinely use it for all of those conditions on hundreds of my patients, and
it’s valuable in weaning them off steroidal drugs, or certainly in allowing a
lower dose.” In summary, Dr. Atkins is saying that pantethine, without toxic consequences, can reduce cholesterol, counteract oxidation, stimulate the growth of friendly bacteria, and fight allergies, inflammation, autoimmune disruptions, and alcoholism. The petrochemical acetaldehyde is
used in perfumes, flavors, dyes, plastics and synthetic rubber, and is present
in fermented products. It has a general narcotic effect with symptoms of chronic
intoxication and “hangover”. The difficulties discussed above that are
caused by chronic AH toxicity should indicate that AH has a significant ability
to compromise the brain function. A partial summary of AH’s damaging effects
on brain function includes the following: impaired memory, decreased ability to
concentrate (“brain fog”), depression, slowed reflexes, lethargy and apathy,
heightened irritability, decreased mental energy, increased anxiety and panic
reactions, decreased sensory acuity, increased tendency to alcohol, sugar, and
cigarette addiction, decreased sex drive, and increased PMS and breast
swelling/tenderness in women. If you have adequate amounts of glutamine, selenium, niacin, folic acid, B6, B12, iron, and molybdenum, aldehydes continue to be metabolized into acetic acid, which can be excreted, or converted further into acetyl coenzyme A.
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