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Here are some excerpts from one of his publications: "Upon Candida albicans infection the toxin produced in the invaded tissue may act as an immunosuppressant to impair host defense mechanisms involving cellular immunity... (and) a selective decrease in the number of T-cells was characteristically noted."

Q: I don't know much about the immune system, except that I read when your immune system is weak, all sorts of bad things can happen to you. Are there other ways that candida can make people sick?

A: Based on the research reports in the medical literature and the observations of physicians who treat patients with yeast problems, perhaps the most important cause of symptoms is overgrowth of candida in the intestinal tract. Such an overgrowth leads to what has been termed a "leaky gut." Toxins and food allergens may then pass through the mucous membrane lining of the gut and go to other parts of your body, creating symptoms of many types.

Candida can also cause symptoms because people become allergic to yeasts. According to James H. Brodsky, a board certified internist, "There's much to suggest that Candida albicans is one of the most allergenic microbes. Both immediate and delayed hypersensitivity reactions to candida are very common in the adult population."

Q: Dr. Crook, I know from what my friends tell me that you are no longer accepting new patients and are devoting most of your time to writing and speaking at conferences. When you were in active practice, what were the most common symptoms you saw in your adult patients with yeast-related problems?

A: In the mid-1980's, I reviewed the charts of 100 consecutive adult patients who came to me seeking help because they had read The Yeast Connection. Eighty five of the patients were women and 3/4 of them were in their mid and late 30's and early 40's. Their three main complaints were fatigue, headache and depression.

In addition they had many, many other complaints, including PMS and other menstrual disturbances, bloating, abdominal pain, constipation, nasal congestion, muscle aches, sexual dysfunction, urinary symptoms and skin rashes. Men had almost the same symptoms except for PMS and less evidence of sexual dysfunction.

Q: Why does this yeast pick on women? Why do they develop these problems much more than men?

A: There are a number of reasons. Here are the main ones:

• The unique characteristics of male and female genito-urinary systems. A man's genitals are external and the woman's are internal. Since yeasts thrive on the warm inner membranes if the body, women are more apt to develop genital yeast infections. And because the urethra (the tube from the urinary bladder to the outside of the body) in women is so short, they develop urinary infections 50 times more often than men. Such infections are usually treated with repeated course of antibiotic drugs which promote yeast overgrowth.
  
• Birth control pills promote yeast overgrowth; so does pregnancy.
  
• Hormonal changes associated with the normal menstrual cycle tend to make yeasts multiply.
  
• Pre-menopausal women go to physicians much more often than men for regular check-ups. Because they are establish a continuing relationship with a physician, they are apt to request and receive antibiotics for mild infections and steroid drugs for allergies and other complaints.