Title: Type 2 Diabetes and Yeast Infections | Everyday Health
Headings: Type 2 Diabetes and Yeast Infections
Type 2 Diabetes and Yeast Infections
Blood Sugar and Yeast Infections
Diabetes and the Ability to Fight Yeast Infections
Yeast Infection Treatment
Lowering Your Risk for Yeast Infections
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Content: Type 2 Diabetes and Yeast Infections | Everyday Health
Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 Diabetes and Yeast Infections
Women with type 2 diabetes are at increased risk for yeast infections because they have more sugar in their bodies. By Marijke Vroomen-Durning, RN Medically Reviewed by Bhargavi Patham, MD, PhD
Last Updated: May 23, 2017
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Medically Reviewed
Controlling your blood sugar levels can help decrease your risk for yeast infections. Thinkstock; Getty Images
A vaginal yeast infection, also known as candidiasis, is a condition that causes itching and irritation around the vagina, a thick white vaginal discharge that looks like cottage cheese, and burning when using the bathroom or having sex. Although many women experience yeast infections, women with type 2 diabetes are at a greater risk, especially if their blood sugar levels are higher than normal. Blood Sugar and Yeast Infections
Most women have yeast organisms as part of their normal flora, the tiny microorganisms that live on and inside our bodies. These microorganisms don’t cause any discomfort or symptoms because they're limited in number. But when there's overgrowth, their presence becomes a problem. “No one knows exactly why yeast infections are more common [in women with type 2 diabetes ], but there is a definite association with how well a person's diabetes is controlled," says Vincent Woo, MD, endocrinologist at the University of Manitoba Health Sciences Centre in Winnipeg, Canada.