Are Probiotics Good for Your Vagina?

We are all aware of how beneficial probiotics are for your gut health, but were you aware of how good probiotics are for your vagina? Just like the gut, the vagina has its own unique and delicate microbiome that can often become imbalanced easily resulting in several symptoms. We will discuss these later in today’s blog post, for the moment however, we will briefly run through the benefits probiotics and how they are good for the vagina.

What are probiotics?

• Probiotics are live bacteria, also known as the “good” bacteria that help keep the microbiome of the gut, vagina, and mouth balanced and healthy.
• The way probiotics work is by ensuring that the good bacteria are replenished in the body.
• Bad bacteria can overgrow easily once exposed to environmental aggressors, such as certain foods, stress, or finishing a course of antibiotics, for example.
• There are many strains of probiotics, the most found are, Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, and Saccharomyces Boulardii.
• The main conditions probiotics can help with are, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) diarrhoea caused from antibiotics and infections, and inflammatory bowel disease.
• There are also other concerns that can be treated with probiotics, such as eczema, vaginal health, and a boost for your immunity.
• Find out more about probiotics over on our blog, The Health Insiders.

Are probiotics good for your vagina?

Yes, probiotics are beneficial for the vagina, and probiotics formulated for women’s intimate health have increased in popularity. This is for good reason, as ensuring the all over health and wellbeing of the vagina’s flora is highly important, which can become easily imbalanced when exposed to certain factors, such as harsh, perfumed body soaps, underwear made from synthetic fabric, unprotected sex with multiple and many more. These factors will result in you experiencing problems such as bacterial vaginosis, thrush, yeast infections, and other concerns that will require treatment.

The most researched and effective probiotic strain used to treat yeast infections and other intimate concerns is Lactobacillus rhamnosus. The way this probiotic strain works is by killing off the bad bacteria that can become overgrown in the vagina’s flora. It can restore balance and prevent the vagina from developing any further concerns with bacterical vaginosis, yeast infections, and thrush.

Does taking probiotics cause more discharge?

No, technically speaking, taking probiotics will not cause more discharge. What it will do however will help counteract the problems you may encounter when there is an imbalance in the vagina’s flora. 

This is one of the benefits from consuming the strain lactobacilli as it is one of the most effective probiotics to combat the overgrowth of bad bacteria in the microbe. You’ll find because of this your discharge will become imbalanced which can result in.

• Excess discharge resembling cottage cheese
• Itching
• Some pain and discomfort
• Discharge has unpleasant and fishy odour

With these symptoms being significantly improved, the vagina’s flora will remain balanced, healthy, and function to the best of its abilities.

Do probiotics make you taste better?

Yes, probiotics can certainly help your vagina taste better. This is because the main strain of probiotics found in formulas for intimate health is lactobacilli. As I have already mentioned, this strain works is rebalancing the amount of good and bad bacteria and restoring the vaginal flora. You’ll also find that the vagina’s pH level, which should remain more acidic can be helped with lactobacilli. If there is an imbalance of the pH level, you’ll find both yeast and BV will thrive in a more alkaline environment. This can alter the smell and taste of the vagina and disrupt the balance of the flora which can lead to more severe concerns if left untreated.

Introducing probiotics into your diet and daily routine is the easiest way to ensure the vaginal flora remains healthy, balanced, and functioning correctly. Having said that, it is important you seek the advice from your doctor or a medical professional. This will help you determine which product type will deliver positive results as it can often feel overwhelming trying to find a probiotic that works for you and your body.

Best probiotics for yeast infection?

Lactobacillus rhamnosus is the best probiotics to have when you are suffering from a yeast infection. There are some obvious symptoms you are suffering from a yeast infection, such as.

• An intense itchy sensation in the vagina and vulva
• Swelling and redness of the vagina and vulva
• A severe burning sensation when you urinate
• Discharge that resembles the consistency of cottage cheese

Treatment for yeast infections often include antifungal properties. Though these medications will treat the condition, they do not offer long term results meaning probiotics are an effective alternative to treating yeast infections, especially if you’re prone to contracting them frequently.

The way that lactobacillus rhamnosus works is by reducing the yeast and bad bacteria in the vagina and restoring balance to the flora. You will also find that the protein found in this strain of probiotics works continuously ensuring the pH levels and flora remain balanced, with any bad bacteria killed off helping your immunity to become strengthened and build a resilience against further developments of yeast, and other forms of infections in the vagina. 

Do probiotics make you wetter?

Yes, believe it or not, consuming probiotics can increase your libido, sex drive, and arousal as these are surprisingly connected to the overall health and function of your gut. This is because when you are experiencing an imbalance in the gut flora, it can have a knock-on effect to some things that feel completely unconnected.

When the gut and vaginal microbiome is imbalanced, you’ll find this can lead to the following symptoms and side effects.

• Achy joints
• Brain fog
• Diarrhoea
• Constipation
• Mood swings
• Sleep deprivation
• Exhaustion
• Weight fluctuations
• Sugar and salt cravings

Although this may feel confusing, it is a simple case of understanding that the libido and health of your gut’s microbiome are intertwined. Once one is balanced, the other with rebalance also. You will find that introducing probiotic enriched foods, such as yogurts, kefir, and sauerkraut is another way of boosting the good bacteria in the gut and vaginal microbiome. Don’t forget, if you have any further concerns with introducing probiotics into your routine, you should always consult with a doctor. If you had any further questions, you can always contact one of our health experts on Instagram too.