Prebiotics & Probiotics in Women's Health

Prebiotics & Probiotics in Women’s Health

Over the last 20 years it was discovered that Lactobacillus iners is a bacteria that helps to maintain vaginal health in women (Reid, 2012). These discoveries lead to an influx of studies which directed the concept of restoration of vaginal health using probiotics with lactobacilli. Atopobium vaginae is a bacteria which is the major cause of bacterial vaginosis in patients. Often women with recurrent cases of bacterial vaginosis have depletions of lactobacilli (Reid, 2012). It has been proposed that prebiotics and probiotics can be used to restore vaginal health and prevent future disruptions of the healthy vaginal flora.

Prebiotics play a role in maintaining a healthy environment because lactobacilli are already present helping to prevent the overgrowth of pathogenic organisms. Probiotics attempt to replace the missing lactobacilli in order to restore a healthy environment. The delivery route of prebiotics and probiotics to the vagina has been a major challenge. When prebiotics and probiotics are used for gastrointestinal health, swallowing a capsule directs the organisms to where they need to go. However, the first route of delivery to maintain or restore vaginal health would be through intravaginal administration. Intravaginal administration requires regulatory approval as a drug and because food companies have been the major manufacturers of probiotics, they are not interested in developing drug therapies (Reid, 2012). Therefore, the next choice of delivery is through capsules of dried product ingested orally. The reason this form of delivery works is because of the concept of passive ascension from the rectum to the vagina. The idea was discovered since pathogens enter and infect the vagina and bladder by this route, therefore good bacteria such as lactobacilli ingested on a regular basis could do the same (Reid, 2012).

Reid (2012) discusses a study that used capsules of Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Lactobacillus reuteri to cure bacterial vaginosis successfully. Another study found that daily intake of lactobacilli GR1 and RC14 replenishes vaginal health, protects the stomach and small intestine,  reduces the risk of urogenital infections, reduces side effects of antifungal drugs, and improves the cure rate of bacterial vaginosis if taken daily for 1 year (Reid, 2012). The uses of lactobacillus prebiotics and probiotics have shown promise for women’s health. However, continued studies are need on the mode of delivery to advance to use of prebiotics and probiotics.

Reference

Reid, G. (2012). Probiotic and probiotic applications for vaginal health. Journal of AOAC International, 95(1), 31-34.