Say ‘yes’ to probiotics for a healthy vaginal microbiome

Vaginal microbiome is important for the overall health of a woman. Probiotics can positively affect the good bacteria that lives in your private parts.

By: Editorial Team | | Published: December 10, 2019 6:04 pm

Friction is good while it comes to sex. But too much of it can hurt your vagina. © Shutterstock

It is common knowledge that probiotics is good for your gut health. It improves it by helping the good bacteria thrive. But, apparently, it can also help you maintain the health of your private parts. It is good for the microbiome in the vagina too. The bacterial composition of the vaginal microbiome is closely related to a woman’s overall health. This microbiome is important for health as it prevents urinary tract infections, bacterial vaginosis and yeast infections. Also Read - Avoid sexual dysfunction: Having multiple partners may actually be good for you

Vaginal health is important for a woman’s overall health. Any problems there can cause fertility issues and sexual functioning. It can also lead to stress, relationship problems and affect self-confidence. In fact, there are millions of good bacteria in the vagina, which keeps a woman’s body balanced. They have their own dynamic ecosystem that can influence a woman’s health. Also Read - Estrogen can protect you from the flu: Boost levels of this hormone naturally

Importance of Vaginal Microbiome

The vaginal microbiome in the body serves as a protective barrier against sexually transmitted infections, bladder infections and cervical cancer. Your vaginal microbiome even supports fertility and ensures you have a healthy pregnancy. Also Read - Early menopause ups your risk of osteoporosis by almost 56 per cent: How to deal with it

In order for your microbiome to successfully do its job, there needs to be a balance of healthy vaginal bacteria, known as Lactobacillus. These are figuratively known as the “vagina experts.” Their sole purpose is to keep the vagina healthy by producing lactic acid, hydrogen peroxide and other substances. These prevent the growth of yeast and other unwanted organisms while stimulating healthy cervical mucus.

But as dynamic and powerful as your microbiome might be, it is also as delicate as a rose. It can easily become disrupted by the slightest change. This fragile balance can be disrupted by a variety of different factors that include sex, stress, vaginal wipes and even being on your period.

These factors can raise the pH levels in your vagina creating an environment where bacteria and yeast can grow and throw off your vagina’s balance. This makes it vulnerable to infection. For this reason, some women may use probiotics to help them keep their vaginal microbiome in a healthy state.

What Are Vaginal Probiotics?

Just like the probiotics used for the bacteria in your gut, vaginal probiotics are live bacteria and yeasts. These are useful for maintaining the overall balance of the “good” bacteria in our vagina and providing protection against infections.

Since the balance of the healthy bacteria in our vagina can be easily disrupted, supplementing them with probiotics, especially with ones that contain vital bacterial cultures like Lactobacillus rhamnosus (GR-1) and Lactobacillus reuteri (RC-14) are essential in preventing and fighting bacterial and fungal infections while making sure your immune system is working to the best of its abilities.

Lactobacillus, which is the good bacteria, feeds off the sugar that naturally exists in the vagina. In exchange, they produce lactic acid, which helps your you vagina maintain an optimal low pH balance between 3.8 and 4.5. At this pH level, only good bacteria and yeast will flourish, resulting in a well-balanced vaginal flora.

Even though probiotics help to maintain the balance of healthy vaginal flora, research shows that healthy women already have a lot of lactobacilli in their vaginal tract. So, where should you draw the line to determine if and when you should use probiotics? And most importantly, how are you to make sure that you’re picking the best female probiotic for you?

How to Choose the Best Probiotic for Vaginal Health

When choosing the right probiotic for your vaginal health, you should make sure you chose one that will cater to your specific needs. You should make sure that the probiotic not only has the specific bacteria needed to balance vaginal flora, but you should also make sure that the amounts present in the bacteria are adequate enough to support your needs.

If you wish to ward off infection and maintain your natural flora, Lactobacillus and Acidophilus are two specific bacteria cultures that do just that. But before you begin taking your probiotic, you should be aware of how much live cultures are in your probiotic first.

Younger women who are somewhat healthy typically need fewer billion live cultures. Older women, women who are currently on antibiotics, women experiencing a yeast infection and women living a sedentary lifestyle produce less healthy bacteria, so they will need a higher dosage.

Always remember that diversity is the key to ensuring probiotics work effectively. The more live strains within your probiotics the better. But be sure not to mistake the number of strains with the number of live cultures, which are in billions.

Strains are the different types of good bacteria. The number of live cultures determines how much of a strain is present. Even if you decide to take a probiotic with a lower dose, you should still consider taking one that contains many different live cultures.

Everyone is different and there are different ways you can take your probiotics. Your probiotics can either be inserted through the vagina or taken orally. So before determining which probiotic to take, make sure you have a conversation with your gynaecologist. She will help you choose the best female probiotic for you.

Text sourced from zliving.com

Published : December 10, 2019 6:04 pm

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