Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC)—commonly referred to as a “yeast infection”—is caused by overgrowth of Candida albicans, a yeast that normally resides in the vaginal microbiome. VVC is very common; nearly 75% of adult women experience at least one episode during their lifetime. Read about the microbiome and health.
Certain probiotic strains have been shown to inhibit the growth and adhesion of Candida albicans. A retrospective study published in the European Journal of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology (November 2014; Volume 182, Pages 136–139) evaluated the effectiveness of supplementation with Lactobacillus plantarum P17630, a strain known to adhere to vaginal epithelial cells and reduce Candida adhesion.
The study included 89 women diagnosed with vulvovaginal candidiasis. All participants received standard medical therapy consisting of 2% clotrimazole vaginal cream once daily at bedtime for three days. This was followed by vaginal application of a lubricant-containing capsule once daily for six days and then once weekly for four additional weeks.
The control group received only this conventional treatment. The probiotic group followed the same regimen but additionally received a vaginal capsule containing Lactobacillus plantarum once daily for six days and then once weekly for four weeks, beginning the day after clotrimazole treatment ended.
At the conclusion of the study, women in the probiotic group showed a significant increase in vaginal Lactobacillus levels. They also experienced better symptom resolution compared with the control group, with improvement reported in 90% of the probiotic group versus 67.5% of controls. Read about how probiotics can support the immune system.
