Mental Illness Study: Men With History Of Yeast Infection May Be At Risk For Schizophrenia

Male yeast infection causes a lot of undesirable symptoms such as moist penile skin, redness, itching and burning sensation on the penis. A new study shows that it may even increase a man's risk of developing schizophrenia.

Yeast infection is caused by a species of bacteria called Candida albicans, Medical Daily reports. It is normal for these bacteria to be present in the body but it can also cause yeast infection if it grows out of control.

The study was conducted by researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine, the Sheppard Pratt Health System and Heidelberg University. The research team studied the blood samples of more than 800 people - with 261 of them suffering from schizophrenia.

The findings show that 26 percent of the men with schizophrenia had a history of yeast infection. However, there was no connection observed for women with schizophrenia.

"It's far too early to single out Candida infection as a cause of mental illness or vice versa," researcher Dr. Emily Severance said in a press release via Medical Daily. "However, most Candida infections can be treated in their early stages, and clinicians should make it a point to look out for these infections in their patients with mental illness."

There are many risk factors for the development of male yeast infection. These include being uncircumcised, prolonged use of antibiotics, history of diabetes, HIV infection, being overweight and poor hygiene habits, according to Mayo Clinic.