Vaginal health is a concern for many women, especially those who suffer from vaginal imbalances like bacterial vaginosis, urinary tract infections (UTIs), or yeast infections. It can feel like nothing entirely does the trick to alleviate these illnesses.
Luckily, there is an answer: probiotics. Adding a probiotic to your diet can help support vaginal health by balancing your vaginal pH to maintain healthy vaginal yeast and bacteria levels.
If you’re thinking of taking probiotics for vaginal health, read on to learn the benefits you can enjoy from these supplements.
Healthy Vaginal Microbiome
Inside your vagina, there are more than 50 different species of microbes, which are tiny organisms.
Most of these microbes consist of lactobacilli, a bacteria that keep the vagina free from infection. When there is a lack of lactobacilli, your vaginal microbiome experiences an imbalance.
Some common reasons this imbalance occurs are through unprotected sex with a male partner, hormone changes, when you are on your period, or when healthy hygiene habits aren’t followed.
An imbalance could cause your vagina to be itchy, and you might feel some discomfort in the area. A fishy odor or discharge is also a sign of an imbalance.
Probiotics with lactobacilli as a primary ingredient help support a healthy vaginal microbiome and improve your overall vaginal health. A healthy microbiome also works to prevent illnesses caused by vaginal imbalances.
Vaginal Imbalances
Vaginal imbalances such as bacterial vaginosis, yeast infections, and urogenital infections are extremely common illnesses women suffer.
These imbalances often occur when there is an increase in bacteria or yeast inside your vagina or when you experience elevated vaginal pH levels. Normal pH levels for women are 3.8 to 4.5 acidity.
In bacterial vaginosis and yeast infections, probiotics work proactively to maintain a healthy balance of bacteria and yeast. When the microbiome is in balance, the occurrence of these illnesses reduces drastically, leaving you much more comfortable.
An imbalance in your vagina can lead to urogenital infections like UTIs, but there are other factors that cause you to contract this illness. UTIs occur when bacteria enter the urethra and multiply inside the bladder.
A probiotic won’t completely eliminate the risk of getting a UTI, but it does drastically reduce the frequency. Probiotics maintain vaginal flora and work to prevent bacteria from entering the urinary tract.
Balanced Hormone Levels
Probiotics can help keep balance out your hormone levels, such as estrogen. During your period, pregnancy, and menopause, hormone levels increase that can affect your body in many ways, such as your mood.
One of the primary benefits of a probiotic is supporting your gut health. Hormones have a strong connection with your gut health. Gut bacteria mimic the hormonal release in your body.
Keeping your gut healthy with a probiotic will help support the balance of your hormonal levels as your body fluctuates.
Probiotics for Reproductive Health
Similarly to hormonal levels, your gut health has a strong connection with your fertility.
Excess estrogen levels result in women experiencing PMS symptoms and irregular menstrual cycles. When your body’s microbiome is unhealthy, estrogen is absorbed back into the body.
Maintaining a healthy gut allows excess estrogen to flow through the digestive system for removal from the body. With the excess estrogen removed, your body is free to maintain an optimal balance of estrogen that supports reproductive health.
Another benefit taking a probiotic has for reproductive health is how the supplement supports healthy vaginal pH levels. Maintaining pH levels of 4.0 to 4.5 in the vaginal canal when trying to get pregnant increases the likelihood of conception.
If you’re looking to improve your vaginal health and enjoy the benefits of maintaining a healthy microbiome, add a probiotic for vaginal health to your daily routine.