Can Coconut Butter Kill Yeast Infections?

Yeast, or fungal, infections are common in men and women. In women they are commonly called “yeast infections,” while in men they can show up as “jock itch.” In both sexes, fungal infections can also manifest as toe nail fungus, ringworm and athletes foot. Medical doctors prescribe anti-fungal creams, but there are also some natural yeast killers you should know about, including:

• Tea tree oil
• Coconut butter. Besides caprylic acid, two other medium chain fatty acids found in coconut oil have been found to kill Candida albicans. A study done at the University of Iceland showed “capric acid, a 10-carbon saturated fatty acid, causes the fastest and most effective killing of all three strains of Candida albicans tested, leaving the cytoplasm disorganized and shrunken because of a disrupted or disintegrated plasma membrane. Lauric acid, a 12-carbon saturated fatty acid, was the most active at lower concentrations and after a longer incubation time.” This study shows great promise that all the medium chain fatty acids in coconut oil work together to kill Candida albicans.1
• Iodine
• Olive leaf extract. The main ingredient is oleuropein, which contains elenolic acid and calcium elenolate that work  to repel a wide spectrum of microorganisms, including fungi

Internally, olive leaf extract is used as a natural anti-fungal. You may also eat coconut butter.

Researchers have shown “Coconut oil should be used in the treatment of fungal infections in view of emerging drug-resistant Candida species.”1

Sources:

1. The Coconut Diet
2. Ogbolu DO, Oni AA, Daini OA, Oloko AP, “In vitro antimicrobial properties of coconut oil on Candida species in Ibadan, Nigeria,” Department of Medical Microbiology & Parasitology, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria,  J Med Food. 2007 Jun;10(2):384-7.