When you experience an overgrowth of some of the bacteria, it can cause a vaginal imbalance. In such scenarios, you need to promote your vaginal health with probiotics. Effective feminine probiotics aid in activating and accelerating the healing process.
The imbalance can occur for various reasons, such as when:
- You have unprotected sex with different male partners
- Experience some hormonal changes
- Have your menstruation
- You don’t observe good hygiene patterns
Whenever you’re experiencing a vaginal imbalance, you’re likely to notice some unusual symptoms. The common ones include:
- Fishy smell
- Smelly discharges
- Abdominal discomfort
- Constant itching
- Burning sensation when urinating
So, this is where probiotics come in.
Probiotics for Vaginal Health
Health experts now advocate that women consider the benefits of probiotics for their vaginal wellness. The present research reveals that probiotics are effective in treating various conditions that come to fore through vaginal pH imbalances.
Anyone who’s ever experienced concerns like bacterial vaginosis (BV) or yeast infection can attest that it’s not an easy ride. This is when the microbes in your lady parts are off, and unpleasant symptoms could reign total control of you.
At such times, you need vaginal probiotics to restore concerns in your vagina. Even if you feel okay, you can still take supplements to boost and maintain vaginal wellness.
How do probiotics work to restore balance in your vagina?
- The strains of probiotics help maintain vaginal balance. It works by sticking to your vagina. As a result, it becomes difficult for the harmful bacteria to grow.
- The strains may also hold firmly and directly to the unfavorable bacteria, thus killing them. This prevents the microbes from spreading.
Probiotics and Vaginal Infections
Vaginal imbalances can cause infections like:
- Bacterial vaginosis (BV)
- Yeast infections
- Trichomoniasis
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Bacterial Vaginosis (BV)
There are various lactobacillus strains of probiotics used to treat and prevent bacterial vaginosis. An experimental data in Science Direct demonstrates that it acts towards:
- Reducing the quantity of harmful bacteria
- Maintaining acidic micro-environment
- Inhibiting immune response
- Restoring vaginal microecology
If you have higher numbers of varying bacterial species in your vagina, you’re likely to experience BV. Those with lower numbers of fewer microbe species hardly catch the infection.
Usually, the additional bacteria raises the pH of the vagina to anything beyond 4.5. This lowers the number of lactobacilli found in the vagina. With raised vaginal pH, and with BV, you’ll have symptoms like:
- Foul odor
- Burning sensation
- Milky or gray vaginal secretions
- Constant itching
Doctors may recommend treatment with the best probiotics for BV. They can be administered orally or inserted into the vagina as a gel.
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Yeast Infections
Studies show that probiotics will help improve your symptoms if you have a yeast infection. They can also act as a preventive measure against potential infection.
The good bacteria present in the supplement works to balance the vagina’s pH level. In return, you get to attain a healthy and favorable vaginal environment.
Yeast infection can be dreadful. It comes with unpleasant symptoms that originate from the vaginal microbe imbalance issue. Most cases of yeast vaginitis originate from some fungus types.
It’s mostly associated with having less lactobacillus. This causes the fungus to grow uncontrollably inside your lady part. But, probiotics, which contain the good bacteria, help to keep the growth of fungus in check.
Depending on the extent of the yeast infection, symptoms can range from mild to moderate.
They include:
- Constant irritation
- Watery or thick white discharge
- Intense vaginal and vulva itching
- Burning sensation during urination or sexual intimacy
- Soreness
- Painful vaginal rash
How Does Probiotics Work Against Yeast Infections
If you’re prone to experiencing chronic yeast infections, or taking antibiotics, probiotics can help. Taking the supplements regularly will help prevent the recurrence yeast infection or treat an existing infection.
Particularly, lactobacillus, the primary bacteria present in the healthy vaginal environment are effective at cutting down the symptoms of a yeast infection.
Lactobacillus is a friendly bacteria that exists in human genital, urinary and digestive systems. It works by balancing out the vagina’s healthy bacteria and pH level.
Remember that probiotics are microorganisms in food and supplements, which can boost your overall health. The microorganisms exist naturally in and on our bodies. They help the body with:
- Digestion
- Fighting illness
- Producing vitamins
The reason lactobacillus works effectively is that; it’s the dominating bacteria in the vaginal microbiota. The main types found to boost the levels of the healthy bacteria include:
- Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1
- Lactobacillus reuteri RC-14
Usually, their levels in your vaginal environment decrease when you have infections like yeast. But, taking the probiotic supplements acts by balancing back the vaginal microbiome.
Since supplements are not FDA-regulated like medications, you must be careful to ensure you rely on trusted suppliers. This will help you stay sure that the quality and effectiveness of the probiotic is guaranteed.
It will also benefit you knowing that the supplement contains the amount of probiotics stated, and not just a non-existent claim.
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Trichomoniasis
Trichomoniasis is a common STI-sexually transmitted infection. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 3.7 million Americans are infected with trichomoniasis at any given time.
Symptoms of the infection include:
- Unusual fish-like smell
- Itching and burning sensation
- Redness or soreness
- A discomfort feeling when urinating
- Vaginal discharge alteration: to either a lower amount, or noticeably more. The discharge could be white, clear, yellow, or greenish
It helps to note that vaginal imbalance can boost your chances of getting STIs like trichomoniasis. Doctors may recommend probiotics as a form of treatment or a preventative method. A study done showed that probiotics can boost the effectiveness of antimicrobial therapy.
Key Takeaways
Probiotics can boost your health by supporting your immune system, and maintaining a balanced microbiome (a group of microorganisms living in and on your body).
In case you’re under any other treatment for vaginal or other infections, adding a probiotic will increase the effectiveness of the medication. For example, in the case of an antimicrobial therapy (antibiotics, antifungals, antiparasitics, and antivirals), the probiotic supplementation will increase the therapy’s effectiveness and help you get well sooner. Checkout for the more informative article.
