The Science Behind Beauty

By Dr Juliet O.

Monday 12 March 2018

Female Body Talk | Probiotics for Thrush & Bacterial Infections: Do They Really Work?

How to Treat Yeast Infections With Probiotics

Hey ladies! This one is a body talk! I decided to make this one about vaginal health. One of the reasons why I really wanted to write about this topic is because I'm currently studying Obstetrics & Gynaecology at university. And, as many of my blog readers are female, I thought it'd be a great time to jump start this topic! 



The Science Behind Thrush & Bacterial Infections

While we are mainly taught about "vaginal health" in the context of sexual health. I thought it'd be great to discuss in terms of part of general infections. I recently found out that sometimes the imbalance in the normal vaginal flora can cause things like thrush, bacterial vaginosis which is very common.

1. Yeast infections or thrush is caused by the candida, which is a fungus that naturally lives in the vagina. In normal amounts candida is harmless, but when it grows in high amounts it can invade the vagina and cause unpleasant symptoms. This overgrowth can be due to a weak immune system or an absence/ decrease in the amounts of healthy bacteria which help protect the vagina. It is often accompanied  by a white or odourless discharge.

2. Bacterial vaginosis, on the other hand, is caused by atypical 'bad' bacteria in high amounts. It can grow and multiply also causing an infection in the vagina. It is not a "true infection" as it  does not include  any sexually transmitted diseases. It too has symptoms and can be associated with a yellow discharge, carrying an unpleasant odour.


 The Science Behind Vaginal Probiotics

Probiotics for bacterial and yeast vaginal infections






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In regards to vaginal health, the vagina has its own normal microbial flora which are healthy bacteria which help keep the environment healthy. 

   Some of these healthy bacteria are:

   - Lactobacillus crispatus LbV 88
   - Lactobacillus jensenii LbV 116
   - Lactobacillus gasseri LbV 150N
   - Lactobacillus rhamnosus LbV 96

Probiotics contain substances that allow micro-organisms to grow, in this case, vaginal probiotics help to produce healthy lactobacilliThese lactobacilli are actually 'good bacteria', just like the ones in your gut, and they are part of the normal flora in vagina. In normal amounts, they can help protect the vagina from infection, they help protect against candida (which causes thrush) and 'bad' bacterial overgrowth (bacterial vaginosis). So these bacteria are actually a good thing. 

Interesting Fact
You can also get lactobacilli in foods, I'm sure you've heard of the commonly know yakult, which also contains this, but is commonly helpful for digestive health.

Do They Really Work? 

Some studies show that taking oral or intravaginal suppositories are great for promoting a healthy vaginal flora. This is because lactobacilli help regulate the acidic pH of the vaginal, which can help fight or prevent bad bacteria and yeast from growing.

Your vaginal health is so important, failure to resolve these issues may lead to further problems. So, if you have these reoccurring infections, please go to see your GP right away! Who knows, they may just give you lactobacilli supplements in addition to your treatment. 

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Hope you liked this post! I know this is little different than my normal type of posts, but I thought it would be great to share female bits & bobs as it is related to our general health and wellness. Please comment below, I would love to hear you thoughts!

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