Yeast Infections and Diabetes: Why They Happen + What You Can Do

You probably already know that high blood sugar (hyperglycemia) can harm your eyes, fingers, toes and kidneys. But there are other parts of your body that high blood sugar impacts that we don’t talk about as much. Diabetes can also impact your genitals. 

In women, the scientific term is vaginal candidiasis, but the term most people are familiar with is “yeast infection.” You can develop a yeast-related infection in your mouth, throat and tongue, too, but this is usually referred to as thrush.

Yeast infections can be upsetting, uncomfortable and sometimes painful. But the good news is that they can often be prevented. If you have diabetes and are worried about yeast infections, this guide explains why they happen and how you can take a proactive approach to your health to prevent or better manage them. 

What is a yeast infection?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a yeast infection is essentially an overgrowth of yeast. Yeast is technically a fungus, which means a yeast infection is also a “fungal infection.” It is one of the most common types of fungal infections.

Yeast infections are a common struggle for people with diabetes (PWD) because high blood sugar can easily feed yeast growth. When there’s excess sugar in your blood, there will inevitably be excess sugar in your urine, which leads to the overgrowth of yeast.

The overgrowth of this otherwise healthy fungus can lead to extremely uncomfortable symptoms that are impossible to ignore. 

Who can get a yeast infection?

Yeast infections can occur in women and men, but they are much more common in women. 

Here’s how they might appear differently between these two genders:

• Yeast infections in women with diabetes: In women, a yeast infection happens in the vagina, vulva and around the opening of the vagina. It can be very uncomfortable and difficult to get rid of. The vagina actually needs some yeast all the time to keep the right balance and stay healthy.
• Yeast infections in men with diabetes: Also called “jock itch,” yeast infections in men tend to happen when they wear sweaty jockstraps for a long time. When blood sugar levels are high, a sweaty jockstrap makes it easy for yeast to overgrow. Infections can happen around the testicle, inner thighs and buttocks. They can also occur in and around the head of the penis in people who are not circumcised.

Signs and symptoms of a yeast infection

The first signs and symptoms of a yeast infection are subtle and easy to overlook, but they can eventually become very uncomfortable. 

Early signs and symptoms to watch for include:

• Intense itching
• Stinging or burning feeling
• Burning and pain during urination
• Slight odor
• White creamy discharge (earlier stage)
• White discharge, sometimes clumpy (later stage)
• Redness
• Swelling (in severe cases)
• Pain or burning during vaginal intercourse
• Itching on the outside and inside of the vagina

Severe symptoms that require you to call your doctor right away include: 

• Yellow discharge
• Bloody discharge
• Strong odor
• Pain in your back or stomach
• Fever
• Vomiting
• Needing to pee frequently

If you’ve never had a yeast infection before, talk to your health care team first to find out what it is before buying any over-the-counter (OTC) medications. If left untreated, yeast infections can create considerable discomfort and pain.

What causes a yeast infection?

Many things can cause a yeast infection:

• High blood sugar levels: Not all high blood sugar levels will cause a yeast infection, but the longer and more often your blood sugar stays above 13.9 mmol/L or 250 mg/dL, the more likely yeast will grow. Yeast infections can also be an early sign of diabetes that hasn’t been diagnosed yet. If your blood sugar levels do not drop to safer levels, you will probably keep getting yeast infections.
• Antibiotics: If you have diabetes, watch for early signs of a yeast infection while taking antibiotics. Antibiotics kill good and bad bacteria, which can lead to an imbalance of yeast in your body. Catching it early helps treat it faster and prevents it from getting worse. But keep taking your antibiotics exactly as prescribed and treat the yeast infection separately.
• Chronic or severe stress: Chronic or severe stress can cause changes in many parts of your health, including upsetting your vaginal balance. Stress raises cortisol levels, which increase blood sugar levels and can promote more yeast growth.
• Certain types of tampons and pads: If you get a yeast infection after using new feminine hygiene products, it might be your body’s way of telling you to try something different, like unscented tampons or a different brand. Wearing damp panty liners all day can also lead to yeast infections, so it’s important to change them more often.
• Wet bathing suits, damp underwear or sweaty jockstraps: Don’t wear your wet swimsuit or sweaty underwear all day. Moisture helps yeast grow. If you find it hard to go without damp underwear, make it a habit to change into a fresh pair halfway through the day.
• Your partner’s sexual chemistry or semen: It’s basic chemistry—sometimes, what’s good for them isn’t right for your body. That means you need to stop your partner’s semen from getting into your vagina.
• Douching products: Never douche. Period. Talk to your doctor about vaginal concerns instead of douching.

PWD are even more susceptible because combining any one of these variables with even slightly high blood sugar levels creates an easy environment for the overgrowth of yeast.

What diabetes medications can lead to yeast infections?

SGLT-2 inhibitors can cause yeast infections in women. This class of medications makes your body get rid of extra sugar through your urine. Instead of entering your bloodstream, the sugar leaves your body in your pee, which can help yeast grow.

Diabetes medications that can cause yeast infections include:

• Farxiga (dapagliflozin)
• Invokana (canagliflozin)
• Jardiance (empagliflozin)

If you are taking one of these medications to manage your diabetes, here are some ways to get ahead of yeast infections:

• Drink plenty of water throughout the day: Since your body uses urine to flush sugar from your system, you need to stay well hydrated. Drink, drink, drink!
• Eat fewer carbohydrates: If you eat a lot of carbs, more than 250 to 300 grams a day, your body will get rid of the extra sugar through your urine. Cutting down on carbs to about 150 grams a day can help stop too much yeast from growing because there will be less sugar in your urine.
• Take a probiotic: There isn’t solid evidence to support that probiotics could treat or prevent yeast infections but they may help improve your overall vaginal health. Lactobacillus species could be helpful in preventing yeast overgrowth.
• Re-evaluate your diabetes meds with your doctor: If you have chronic high blood sugar and your current medications or treatment don’t seem to be working, talk to your doctor. They might change your doses or add another medication to help. Keeping your blood sugar steady can lower the amount of sugar you pass in your urine. Your diabetes medications should help improve blood sugar management.
• Talk to your doctor ASAP if you think your meds are to blame: You don’t always need to stop taking the medicine, but you should make some other changes to lower your risk of yeast infections.

Other potential causes of yeast infections include:

• Hormonal birth control
• Chemotherapy
• HIV/Aids treatments
• Long-term urinary catheter use
• Anabolic steroids
• Cortisone injections
• Contracting a yeast infection from another woman (usually only in sex between two women)
• A man can potentially contract yeast from an infected woman, but it’s rare

Yeast infection treatment options

Treating a yeast infection can be frustrating because there are many OTC antifungal treatments, and they can be expensive. Sometimes one treatment doesn’t work at all, but another one on the shelf might. It may take some trial and error to find the best treatment for your body.

Before you reach for what’s on the shelf, try shifting some of your habits first instead.

• Start by improving your blood sugar management strategy: If you get yeast infections often, talk to your doctor about it. They can help find out what is causing the infections. Changing your diabetes medications might help a lot! Treating a yeast infection with medicine alone won’t work if you don’t also lower your blood sugar to a healthy level. Frequent yeast infections may indicate something in your daily life or health that needs attention.
• Over-the-counter antifungal creams: If your doctor has given you approval to try OTC medications, the four types you can buy at your local pharmacy are butoconazole, clotrimazole, miconazole and terconazole. These are all creams or small, pill-like capsules that are inserted into your vagina or applied to the affected skin area. Read the instructions carefully before use. Remember, if one type doesn’t work, try a different one. Don’t just change brands—read the fine print to determine which type you’ve already tried.
• Stronger prescription medications: The drugs fluconazole and nystatin can be taken by mouth for certain types of long-term infections. Talk to your doctor about what’s right for you.
• Male circumcision: In severe cases, a male with recurring yeast infections may need to undergo circumcision to prevent further infections.

While yeast infections are generally considered harmless and sometimes even go away on their own when mild, they can become severe if left untreated. Talk to your doctor if you’re experiencing recurrent yeast infections or a yeast infection that isn’t clearing within one week of using OTC treatments.

Yeast infections are a warning sign from your body that something is off. Recurring ones can have an impact on your diabetes management strategy, distracting your focus from your blood sugar levels or causing stress that can keep your blood sugar levels high. If you ever feel that something is off with your health or diabetes management, don’t ignore the signs, but don’t freak out—take action.

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