Causes of Yeast Infection in Men

Yeast infection in men is not that unusual a problem. While it is not as widespread as yeast infection in women, many men will suffer from it in their lifetime.

It can be a painful and embarrassing condition but rest assured you are not alone. And if you go to a doctor for treatment, chances are good that you won't be the doctor's first case so don't sweat it.

(This is Part I of our article about male yeast infection. Click on the link for Part II of Penile Yeast Infection which discusses symptoms and treatments).

Just like women, some common places for a male yeast infection are in the mouth, on skin, in folds of skin and fingernails. And, of course, yeast infection in men can show up on the penis. This penile yeast infection is primarily what we will be dealing with in this article.

Itching, Burning Penis? Click Here for Quick Relief and to Find the Root Cause of Your Yeast Infection

It may fill you with dread thinking about it, but there are treatments available and you don't need to suffer from the infection for a prolonged period of time.

If you want some basic information on yeast infections themselves, take a look at our page that explains yeast infections.

Causes of Male Yeast Infection

The causes of male yeast infection are not all unlike the causes of vaginal candidiasis (candidiasis is the more scientific term for yeast infection and is used interchangeably throughout this website).

Some common causes of yeast infection in men include:

Antibiotics

Unfortunately, while antibiotics can do a world of good, they can also cause harm. The antibiotics you take for an illness can kill off "good" bacteria in addition to eliminating the "bad" bacteria.

This good bacteria is what kept the fungus that causes candidiasis at bay. Now with less bacteria to fight it, the fungus can multiply and grow, leading to a yeast infection.

Weakened Immune System

A weakened immune system decreases the body's ability to fight infections. This can lead to an overgrowth of fungus and candidiasis. Males suffering from HIV/Aids are thus much more susceptible to candidiasis since their immune system is compromised.

However, men can also have a weakened immune system due to some pretty common factors such as sleep deprivation, stress, sickness (other than HIV/Aids), etc. So a good health routine can help ward off infections.

 
Diabetes 

Yeast infection in men is more likely to show up if the man has diabetes. The theory is that they have more glucose (sugar) in the blood. And sugar provides an ideal environment for yeast cells to multiply. However, if a person with diabetes has candidiasis, it could be a sign that their diabetes is not under control. In this case, a doctor should be consulted.

Sexual Intercourse 

Although it may be contrary to what you have heard, yeast infections can be passed between sexual partners having unprotected sex. If your partner has candidiasis, it is possible that she has passed the infection to you (and vice versa).

While sexual transmission of yeast infections is not very common, it is certainly not unheard of. According to the UCLA Health System approximately "12 - 15% of men will develop symptoms such as itching and rash on the penis following sexual contact with an infected partner". If one partner has a yeast infection, the other partner should also be treated for it.

It is recommended that you do not have sexual contact until all the signs and symptoms of a yeast infection are gone. Otherwise, you can keep on passing the infection back and forth in a vicious cycle.

Continue on to Part II of our article on Penile Yeast Infection which deals with the symptoms and treatment of yeast infection in men.

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