You can’t have escaped the health buzz surrounding the importance of looking after your gut, but did you know the vagina, just like the gut, has its own microbiome?
Billions of friendly bacteria keep the vagina healthy every day too, and when there’s an imbalance of these ‘good’ bacteria it can lead to common vaginal infections.
Disrupting the flora of the vagina is easily done. Sex, douching, taking antibiotics, having your period or using scented bath products are just some of the ways you can disrupt the vaginal microbiome. Signs you’ve done so include odour, discharge, itching, burning or general discomfort. This can lead to common intimate health conditions like thrush, bacterial vaginosis (BV) or urinary tract infections (UTIs).
To treat them, GPs generally prescribe creams and antibiotics, but they don’t always work, as “traditional treatments for these conditions do not replenish the good bacteria”, explains Camilla Gray, nutritional therapist at OptiBac. “They can even dimmish levels further, leading to a vicious cycle of repetitive infection for these common conditions”.
So, if you’re finding yourself with recurrent vaginal conditions, supporting your vagina’s microbiome with probiotic supplements, just like the gut, may help. Although, “it’s very important to pick the correct probiotic strains, as some colonise in the gut, whereas some will colonise in the vagina”, advises Gray. “The vaginal microbiome should be dominant in friendly bacteria called lactobacillus”.
For optimal intimate balance, we’ve rounded up the best vitamins and supplements for vaginal health that will help you starve off common vaginal issues and infections…
Best vitamins and supplements for vaginal health at a glance:
- Best for overall vaginal health: OptiBac Intimate Flora for Women - £19.99 for 30, Boots
- Best for bloating and vaginal health: Vida Glow Women’s Heath Gut Pro - £30 for 30, Cult Beauty
- Best for vaginal comfort and odour: Happy Mammoth Venus Vital Women’s Health Probiotics - £54.99 for 60, Happy Mammoth
- Best for thrush: Bio-Kult Candéa - £17.49 for 60, Holland & Barrett
- Best for UTIs and Cystitis: Gentil Take Care of U - £24 for 60, Gentil Health
- Best for gummies: Novomins Women’s Bio-Balance - £14.99 for 60, Superdrug
- Best for everyday probiotic: Symprove Daily Essential - £39.96 for 3 months, Symprove
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OptiBac Intimate Flora for Women
Best for: Overall vaginal health
You’ll probably already know OptiBac for its bestselling probiotic supplements for everyday use, but the brand also has this highly researched formula just for women and vaginal health in its lineup. Each capsule contains 2.5 billion live cultures scientifically proven to reach the vagina, using a combination of three lactobacillus strains to boost the friendly bacteria that are natural to the vaginal tract and support its pH levels.
Taking 30 years to perfect, you’ll find the vegan, gluten-free tablets safe to take during pregnancy and ideal to use during menopause. Plus, the capsules are on the smaller side making them easy to swallow as part of a daily routine.
Buy now £19.99, Boots
Vida Glow Women’s Heath Gut Pro
Best for: Bloating and vaginal health
You may already know Vida Glow for their collagen supplements, but last year they launched a women’s health range including these two-in-one capsules that nourish both the gut and vaginal microbiome in one easy-to-take daily tablet.
Packed with three types of lactobacilli, this multi-strain probiotic helps support your vagina’s health, as well as supporting the gut flora for overall health. Plus, for those that suffer from IBS, bloating and digestive issues it’s further aided with natural-digestive ginger and the herb gentiana lutea that’s used in Western herbal medicine to aid digestion.
Buy now £30.00, Cult Beauty
Happy Mammoth Venus Vital Women’s Health Probiotics
Best for: Vaginal comfort and odour
From aiding sleep to beating bloat, Australian-born Happy Mammoth has a range of natural supplements to help with some of the most common women’s wellness issues - including these supplements for vaginal and urinary tract health.
Two daily capsules contain a whopping seven probiotic strains of lactobacillus to support a healthy vaginal microbiome and keep infections at bay. Combined further with saccharomyces boulardii, a probiotic that helps maintain the vaginal pH for those that get discomfort after sex, periods and so on. What’s more, cranberry extract has been added to help those with reoccurring UTIs. A great all-rounder!
Buy now £54.99, Happy Mammoth
Bio-Kult Candéa
Best for: Thrush
Strengthen the body’s defences against an overgrowth of a yeast called candida which causes thrush with two of these capsules daily. This supplement for vaginal health uses seven strains of probiotics, which have been teamed with garlic (which you can taste) and grapefruit extract to further fight yeast infections.
The large pills can be easily broken up and sprinkled over food if you struggle to take larger supplements. Take note, they’re not suitable for vegans as they contain milk, but are vegetarian.
Buy now £17.49, Holland & Barrett
Gentil Take Care of U
Best for: UTIs and Cystitis
Australian intimate wellness brand Gentil has a collection of high-quality products that support vaginal health, including lube and intimate wash, as well as these daily supplements for maintaining a healthy urinary tract and immune system.
Not only will they help prevent a urinary tract infection (UTI) in the first place, but they’ll also help relieve symptoms of cystitis thanks to the cocktail of natural ingredients in each pill.
Lactobacillus probiotics boost the friendly flora, and cranberry, as we know, supports urinary tract health. Bearberry leaf, used in traditional Western herbal medicine, is also added to the mix to further support and relieve symptoms.
Buy now £24.00, Gentil
Novomins Women’s Bio-Balance
Best for: Gummies
If you prefer gummies to pills, these strawberry-flavoured chewable supplements are easy to take. Pop two daily for a boost of 4 billion friendly bacteria, including three types of lactobacillus strains that will not only support your gut biome but will also reach the intimate area to help with thrush and BV.
If that’s not enough they also include calcium and cranberry extract for a healthy urinary tract for those susceptible to UTIs. Plus, they’re vegan, gluten-free and halal, so safe for all to take.
Buy now £14.99, Superdrug
Symprove Daily Essential
Best for: Everyday probiotic
For a probiotic supplement to boost your overall health, as well as your vagina’s microbiome look to Symprove. Designed to be taken as a morning shot, this innovative liquid probiotic supplement is water-based so cleverly it doesn't trigger digestion so you can rely on it making it to the gut.
It contains four live strains of bacteria to boost your gut health, including one natural to our intimate area. Pick from three flavours, and simply take a 70ml shot on an empty stomach 10 minutes before breakfast to deliver billions of live and active bacteria each day.
Buy now £39.96, Symprove
Verdict
The OptiBac Intimate Flora for Women ticks all the boxes for effectiveness, ease of use, and price point. The specialist supplement for vaginal health can be taken alongside antibiotics to fight vaginal infections, or ongoingly to boost the ‘good’ bacteria in your vagina for those that suffer from recurring thrush, VB or UTIs or discomfort in the intimate area.
