Lactobacillus Crispatus

What is Lactobacillus Crispatus?

Living in our guts are thousands of species of bacteria, called the 'gut microbiome', which is involved in many processes in the body. One of these is the 'gut-vagina' axis, the complex communication and feedback system between the gut microbiome (also called 'gut flora') and the vaginal microbiome. Lactobacillus is one of the best known groups of bacteria in both.

Lactobacillus crispatus is one of the main bacteria of the vaginal microbiome. The vagina is naturally more acidic than the rest of the body (pH 3.8–4.5, compared with 7.4), and the mix of bacteria living there changes when that pH shifts.

What does the research say about Lactobacillus Crispatus?

L. crispatus has been studied for its safety and tolerability when used vaginally. L. crispatus produces lactic acid and related compounds, and lactic acid contributes to the vagina's natural acidity. Laboratory research has looked at how L. crispatus interacts with other bacteria, including E. coli. A clinical trial reported by the US National Institutes of Health has also looked at L. crispatus and the vaginal microbiome.

It's important to remember that bacteria like L. crispatus require fibrous prebiotics as their food, so we need to include these in our diet too. One of the most important of these is Inulin, which can be found in a range of fruit and vegetables.

Form: Live bacteria.

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