High Potency Acidophilus
Florajen high potency acidophilus is especially effective for restoring and maintaining a healthy, comfortable balance of vaginal flora. It is also beneficial for overall intestinal health.
20 Billion live cultures per capsule
Available in 30 and 60 capsules
Ingredients:
A freeze-dried strain (human source) of live 100% Lactobacillus acidophilus
Primary Uses:
Antibiotic-associated vaginitis
Antibiotic-associated diarrhea
Other ingredients:
Rice maltodextrin and gelatin capsules. Non-Dairy. Does not contain yeast, sugar, soy, eggs, corn, wheat, gluten, coloring or preservatives.
Usage: Take 1 capsule daily unless a higher dosage is recommended by your health care professional, preferably on an empty stomach.
Storage: Refrigerate for maximum freshness and effectiveness. Can be stored at room temperature for up to two weeks while traveling and still maintain effectiveness.
S C I E N T I F I C B R I E F
Role of Lactobacillus in Vaginal Health
More than 50 different species of bacteria may live in a woman's vagina, with lactobacilli being the predominant microorganism found in healthy women. However, many factors can change the vaginal bacterial composition and decrease numbers of healthy lactobacilli including: antibiotics, menopause (or estrogen deficiency), oral contraceptives, spermicides, and/or diabetes. The idea of using probiotics for management of vaginal conditionsto replace healthy flora when they were missing?was initially suggested back in the 1920s. Since then, nearly all women have, at one time or another, been encouraged by a physician to eat yogurt to obtain small quantities of healthy bacteria through diet.
The normal vagina of a reproductive-age woman is predominately colonized with lactobacilli. These lactobacilli produce bacteriocins, hydrogen peroxide, and lactic acid. These substances lower the vaginal pH, which creates a more hostile environment for bacteria other than lactobacilli. If the number of lactobacilli falls off, the resulting increase in pH favors an overgrowth of anaerobic and facultative bacteria, which can develop into vaginitis/vaginosis.
Several clinical studies have also examined the effects of specific strains of orally administered Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Lactobacillus reuteri, and/or Lactobacillus fermentum for maintaining healthy vaginal flora. These strains have also been used as adjuncts to standard antimicrobial treatment regimens for bacterial vaginosis. Specifically, Reid and colleagues found a combination of lactobacilli strains?that even when taken orally?reduce both yeast and bacterial pathogens in the vagina and provide a superior cure rate for bacterial vaginitis when used with metronidazole, compared to use of the antibiotic alone. 3,4,5 Further research is needed to determine which strains provide the greatest benefits.
Conclusion:
There is clearly potential for probiotics to help maintain good vaginal health. It is especially intriguing to note that even with use of oral probiotic products, the vaginal milieu may be beneficially modified, presumably as a result of bacterial translocation from lower portions of the intestines to urogenital areas.