Do we need to worry about our vaginal microbiome?
the other day, an email pinged into my inbox from the probiotic company Optibac, saying their For Women supplements are their best-selling product. The point of the product? Basically, to create a happy vagina – to replenish good bacteria and balance the microflora in our lady bits. Intrigued, I went on their website where there are loads of reviews from people with joyous, healthy vaginas thanks to these so-called wonder pills. ‘These are the only probiotics that have worked for my system,’ said one, and ‘I have finally found something that works… take my advice and TRY IT, YOU WONT REGRET IT,’ said another. Was I missing out on some magical makeover for my nether regions? I’ve only just got my head round the microbiome of the gut, let alone my vajayjay. I wanted to know more.
According to Kerry Beeson, nutritional therapist at Optibac, not all of us have the perfect microbiome down below all the time. ‘There are things that can disrupt the balance of bacteria in the vagina,’ she says. ‘Firstly, hormonal changes can cause fluctuations – it is common to suffer with issues during the first week of the cycle. Another is during times of stress and the production of cortisol, which affects levels of glycogen [stored sugar]. Then there’s unprotected sex, which can introduce new micro-organisms that cause inflammation.’ All or any of this can lead to problems such as thrush, cystitis and BV (bacterial vaginosis). The aim of taking probiotics for this particular area is to restore a healthy balance of bacteria to avoid these conditions.
Dr Anita Mitra, aka Gynae Geek (@gynaegeek) is an authority on vaginal health and has a PHD on its microbiome. She is very much pro vaginal probiotics, which you take orally. She explains the key bacteria in vaginal probiotics are lactobacillus rhamnosus and lactobacillus reuteri, however, she warns we don’t all need them. ‘If you don’t have thrush or have BV,’ she says, ‘you don’t need to take them.’ She also warns against self-diagnosis. ‘Many women self-diagnose, but it’s best to get a doctor’s opinion before taking anything. They will often prescribe antibiotics but my advice is to take the antibiotics and use the probiotics to replenish the good bacteria.’
When it comes to hygiene, it’s not healthy to aim for a vagina that’s as clean as your bathroom sink. All those wipes and washes that promise to keep you squeaky clean should be avoided, and so should perfumed shower gels, which can disrupt the PH levels and leave you prone to infection. And let’s not go there with Gwyneth-style vaginal steam cleaning. Says Dr Mitra: ‘The vagina cleans itself. There is no medical research to show it has any health benefits. Avoid!’
The main problem, Optibac discovered in a survey, is that 42% of women in the UK have not been taught how to look after their intimate health. The other is that over half say they’re too embarrassed to get checked.
We probably spend more time caring for our toenails than we do our vaginas – it’s time to get our priorities right. GRAZIA