What’s the Best Probiotic for Yeast Infection?

Probiotics are your best allies when you’re trying to treat or prevent a yeast infection.

They may not cure the infection on their own, but they’re an excellent supplement to your antifungal treatment, and they’ll help you achieve a long-lasting effect and avoid recurrent yeast infections in future.

Probiotics are basically friendly bacteria that colonize your intestines and vagina making it difficult for harmful organisms to spread and start an infection.

When it comes to using probiotics for yeast infection treatment and prevention, you’ve got two options:

• Ingesting probiotics in the form of probiotic supplements or probiotic-rich foods

• Inserting probiotic suppositories into your vagina

So What’s the Best Probiotic Supplement for Vaginal Yeast Infection?

When you’re treating a yeast infection, it’s best to use probiotics with a high CFU count, a large variety of probiotic strains and probiotic strains scientifically proven to colonize your vagina when taken orally, Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Lactobacillus reuteri. One of the best probiotic supplements that meet all these criteria is:

Garden of Life Probiotics Women

Garden of Life probiotics for women have got an 85 billion CFU count and an impressive number of probiotic strains: 32. Among them, L.  rhamnosus and L. reuteri to ensure full protection of your vaginal tract.

Apart from probiotics, this supplement contains a selection of vitamins and minerals to further boost your immunity and help you fight infections. Garden of Life Women is one of the most popular and best rated probiotic supplements on Amazon, you can check the reviews here.

Take three capsules a day, preferably with a meal (the best option is to open the capsule and mix its contents with yogurt or smoothie). You can take up to 9 capsules a day, so start with 3 and then keep adding one extra capsule a day, at least until you recover from a yeast infection. Then you can get back to taking 3 capsules a day.

The only downside is that sometimes, because of a very high count of probiotics, this supplement can cause digestive issues such as bloating or diarrhea. This side effect should be temporary and your body should adjust within a few days.

If it doesn’t happen, you can try Garden of Life Probiotics for Vaginal Care supplement with a lower CFU count. If you want to learn more about Garden of Life probiotic for women check my full review here.

How About Probiotic Suppositories?

Probiotic suppositories can be very effective when it comes to vaginal yeast infection treatment. They provide probiotics directly to where they are needed: your vagina.

You can use them together with an antifungal suppository during your treatment, or as a preventative measure, once a week for as long as you need. My favorite probiotic suppositories are:

EcoVag Probiotic Suppositories

EcoVag suppositories contain two probiotic strains, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, and Lactobacillus gasseri, proven to be able to successfully colonize the vagina and protect it from infections caused by yeast and bacteria.

I like the fact that EcoVag efficacy is confirmed by numerous studies and they’ve been shown to reduce vaginal infection symptoms in 80% of women after 8 days of use.

They’re supposed to be inserted into your vagina for 8 to 10 consecutive nights before going to bed. If you want to use it as a preventative measure, insert it once a week. You can also use it after swimming in a swimming pool or after a night out to rebuild healthy levels of good bacteria in your vagina.

Do you get Yeast Infections Straight After Your Period? Try Probiotic Tampons!

The time before, during and after your period is when you’re more vulnerable to a yeast infection. It’s because your hormone levels fluctuate and your vaginal pH changes during that time.

Add the use of tampons (shown to be linked to yeast infections) and you may be heading straight for another yeast infection. If you’re prone to yeast infections during or after your period, you can try:

• Saforelle Probiotic Tampons: Available in three different sizes, they work as normal tampons. However, they also contain probiotics which are gradually released into your vagina while the tampon is absorbing blood. The probiotics (Lactobacillus gasseri, Lactobacillus fermentum, Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Pedicoccus acidilactici) will normalize your vaginal pH and colonize the mucous membranes making it impossible to yeast to strike.

• Another option is to ditch tampons altogether and start using a menstrual cup. Made entirely of silicone, a menstrual cup can be used for years, so it eliminates the need to spend money on tampons and pads every month. It also cuts your risk of developing a vaginal infection or a toxic shock syndrome. Check my review of the best menstrual cups for beginners here.

Start Incorporating Probiotic-Rich Foods into Your Diet

Probiotic-rich foods are an excellent natural way of providing your body with immunity-boosting friendly bacteria and warding off all kinds of infections, such as vaginal yeast infection.

Some of these foods may take time to get used to as they’re made through a fermentation process and their taste is quite distinctive. Some people will love their acidic taste, while others will take some time before they start to appreciate it.

Take a look at my list of probiotic-rich foods that you can easily get in your grocery store or online:

• Sauerkraut – fermented cabbage

• Olives in Brine

• Miso paste – made from fermented soybeans, rice, and barley

• Kefir and yogurt

• Pickles

• Fermented Soy Sauce

• Fresh Green Peas

• Apple Cider Vinegar

Try incorporating these foods into your daily diet and see how your immunity improves. Some of them, such as green peas or olives, can be used as a snack, so it shouldn’t be difficult to include them in your lunch box.

Conclusion

Probiotics can be a great help when you’re trying to get rid of a yeast infection. Whichever form you choose, you’re bound to see the effects in no time.

I’d recommend that if you’re suffering from a yeast infection now, you combine your OTC or prescription antifungal treatment with probiotics and then after you’ve recovered, make sure you get a probiotic boost every day to stay healthy and infection free.

Order Garden of Life Probiotics for Women

Have you tried using probiotics to get rid of a yeast infection? I’d love to hear your stories. Please share your experiences and questions in the comment section below.