Your immune system is weakened or are you taking antibiotics? You may be prone to yeast infections.
Selon cette étude réalisée en 2019 sur l’activité de Candida albicans, la mycose est souvent associée à un état dysbiotique. C’est-à-dire une altération de la composition ou de l’abondance du microbiote hôte au niveau de la zone infectée.
Ce milieu devient permissif à la survie du champignon pathogène, ce qui contribue à sa prolifération.
Probiotics are defined by the WHO as “live microorganisms that, when consumed in appropriate amounts in foods, confer a health benefit to the host”.
Leur utilisation aide le microbiote hôte à retrouver un état d’équilibre. Ils peuvent agir par voie orale comme par voie locale.
Research has provided evidence confirming their positive role in intestinal, oral and vaginal health. But the studies conducted remain mixed. So what does that mean?
📚 Lire aussi | Une médecin experte en nutrition a analysé 15 probiotiques, voici son avis
If you suffer from a vaginal yeast infection
Prefer the strain Lactobacillus rhamnosus
Lactobacilli make up more than 90% of the vaginal flora. Therefore some lactobacilli are used as probiotics to restore the vaginal microbiota and prevent recurrent infections.
The main studies on probiotics have generally focused on bacterial vaginosis. And probiotics have been considered a supportive treatment.
If you are on antibiotic treatment
This prospective study from 2016 conducted on 250 women in Rome showed that the vaginal flora of women treated with antibiotics and probiotics significantly improved compared with those treated with antibiotics alone.
La supplémentation en probiotiques avec du Lactobacillus rhamnosus vaginal était donc utile pour entraver la croissance des bactéries. En particulier après un traitement antibiotique.
A reduction in symptoms
However, only a few studies have examined the role of probiotics in the treatment of vaginal yeast infection. This recent trial, a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study, was conducted on 76 women with vulvovaginal candidiasis.
Results after 35 days of treatment indicated that adding probiotics to fluconazole was more effective than in the control group receiving placebo. A significant reduction in candidiasis symptoms of 68% was observed in the first group versus 47% in the second.
The role of lactic acid
Cet effet probiotique des souches de Lactobacillus est probablement dû, selon cette étude, à l’accumulation d’acide lactique. Des concentrations locales plus élevées d’acide lactique empêchent peut-être leur prolifération à proximité immédiate de Lactobacillus.
De plus, les acides organiques produits par le Lactobacillus influencent positivement l’efficacité des agents antifongiques. Ils permettent d’augmenter la perméabilité de la structure de la membrane plasmique fongique, ce qui facilite l’absorption des azoles.
📚 Lire aussi | Les probiotiques naturels : leurs bienfaits et lesquels choisir
If you suffer from a digestive yeast infection
Rebalance the flora
Digestive fungal infection occurs when the intestinal and/or oral flora are disrupted. Candidiasis is the most common digestive fungal infection.
When the intestinal microbiota is unbalanced, Candida albicans can proliferate excessively in the digestive tract and release toxins.
Particularly painful, the lesions caused by this fungal infection can prevent you from eating or swallowing. It can even lead to dysphagia or malnutrition.
Treatment of oral fungal infections requires eradication of risk factors and administration of antifungals. But it is also essential to rebalance this flora to prevent the onset of the condition or its recurrence.
Probiotics effective for prevention
According to this 2019 meta-analysis pooling 5 studies with 435 patients, probiotics may reduce the incidence and lessen the severity of oral fungal infections induced by cancer treatment.
Ces traitements probiotiques semblent cependant plus efficaces dans la prévention des candidoses oropharyngées et la diminution de leur récurrence, que pour leur traitement en soi.
I believe that, given the small number of clinical trials conducted, further randomized, multicenter, double-blind trials in a larger population could shed more light.
🎧 Écouter notre podcast | Passion Microbiote
My advice for taking probiotics in case of a yeast infection
For oral intake, I recommend taking the probiotic on an empty stomach. Allow 30 minutes before a meal, or 2 hours after, so that it reaches the digestive system intact.
For vaginal use, I recommend applying it twice daily, morning and evening, whether as capsules, tablets, softgels, or suppositories inserted into the vagina. I recommend favoring the local route for vaginal yeast infections for a more targeted effect.
Furthermore, if you are taking antifungal treatments at the same time, I advise taking the probiotics separately from them.
Dans le cas d’une cure, privilégiez les souches de lactobacilles suivantes : L. rhamnosus , L. reuteri, L. acidophilus, L. bulgaricus, L. crispatus
Finally, I urge you to follow the usage precautions. While taking probiotics for a yeast infection can have many benefits, it does not replace conventional antifungal medications. So do not attempt to substitute the treatment your doctor prescribed with probiotics.
According to this study conducted in 2015, probiotics are generally considered safe. However, your doctor’s advice remains essential in cases of immunosuppression or a weakened intestinal lining, as well as for pregnant or breastfeeding women.
Scientific sources and studies
Bertolini M, Ranjan A, Thompson A, Diaz PI, Sobue T, Maas K, 2019. Candida albicans induces mucosal bacterial dysbiosis that promotes invasive infection. PLOS Pathog.
Food Argricultural Organization/World Health Organization, Cordoba, Argentina: 2001. Joint FAO/WHO Expert Consultation on Evaluation of Health and Nutritional Properties of Probiotics in Food Including Powder Milk with Live Lactic Acid Bacteria.
Zekai Shu, Peijing Li, Bingqi Yu, Shuang Huang, Yuanyuan Chen, 2019. The effectiveness of probiotics in prevention and treatment of cancer therapy-induced oral mucositis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Nadia Recine, Ettore Palma, Lavinia Domenici, Margherita Giorgini, Ludovica Imperiale, Carolina Sassu, Angela Musella, Claudia Marchetti, Ludovico Muzii, Pierluigi Benedetti Panici, 2015. Restoring vaginal microbiota: biological control of bacterial vaginosis. A prospective case–control study using Lactobacillus rhamnosus BMX 54 as adjuvant treatment against bacterial vaginosis.
De Gregorio P. R., Parolin C., Abruzzo A., Luppi B., Protti M., Mercolini L., 2020. Biosurfactant from vaginal Lactobacillus crispatus BC1 as a promising agent to interfere with Candida adhesion. Microb. Cell Fact.
Zahra Vahedpoor, Mahdi Abastabar, Mojtaba Sehat, Parisa Talebian, Tayebeh Felfelian Fini, Zahra Dastanpour, Iman Haghani, Ramtin Chelongarian, Mehdi Nazeri, 2021. Vaginal and oral use of probiotics as adjunctive therapy to fluconazole in patients with vulvovaginal candidiasis: A clinical trial on Iranian women.
Isabella Zangl, Ildiko-Julia Pap, Christoph Aspöck, Christoph Schüller, 2019. The role of Lactobacillus species in the control of Candida via biotrophic interactions.
Shira Doron, David R Snydman, 2015. Risk and safety of probiotics.
