SynForU-HerCare probiotics reduce vaginal yeast infection in pregnant women, study finds

01 Sep 2021 --- Synbio Tech’s SynForU-HerCare lactobacilli strain is effective in treating vaginal candidiasis (VC). This is according to a study, which supports that this probiotic is beneficial to pregnant women, particularly in reducing vulvovaginal symptoms and recurrences of VC, as well as improving emotional and social distress associated with VC.

“According to the findings, pregnant women are at higher risk for VC due to hormonal changes, vaginal glycogen production and certain immunologic alterations during pregnancy may lead to an overgrowth of yeast,” Lisa Chen, marketing manager at Human Healthcare, tells NutritionInsight.

“Regarding VC treatment, studies suggest that probiotics are a preferred option compared to antifungal drugs because these drugs normally come with side effects such as increased recurrence rate and drug resistance,” says San Land Young, human healthcare global operation head of Synbio Tech.

Thus, the researchers developed further studies to investigate the impact of probiotics on preventing VC, particularly in pregnant women.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), nearly 90 percent of women over 30 years old have been diagnosed with vaginal yeast infections.SynForU-HerCare supplementation reduces recurrences of VC and vulvovaginal symptoms. 

Over 60 percent of women spend between two to three days treating the vaginal or urinary tract infection every month, comments Chen.

Targeting physical ailments
The study, published in the Journal of Applied Microbiology, investigated the effects of lactobacilli strains in 78 pregnant women with VC.

Half received lactobacilli and the others received a placebo. The intervention group took lactobacilli probiotics twice a day in capsule form for eight weeks.

The lactobacilli group showed a 45 percent reduction of vulvovaginal symptoms such as irritation, discharge and burning.

Lastly, a 34.6 percent reduction of the impairment of daily activities attributed to VC at the eighth week was found.

The lactobacilli group demonstrated higher defecation times per week, featuring an 11 percent increase and showed marginally less constipation than the placebo group.

Improving emotional distress
SynForU-HerCare also improves emotional and social distress attributed to VC, according to Chen.

In contrast to the placebo group which showed no significant changes, the lactobacilli group also reported a 38 percent decrease in recurrences of emotional stress at week eight. There was also a 33 percent improvement in social impacts compared to the placebo group and a 31 percent reduction of worry.

“The result shows that this lactobacilli strain improves the physical health aspect and improves the participants’ emotional well-being. So, we can say it is holistic support to improving the quality of life in pregnant women,” says Chen.Probiotics may be preferred over antifungal drugs as these drugs usually result in side effects and drug resistance.

“Currently, our research team is exploring more solutions relating to gut-vagina axis through the use of SynForU-HerCare. We will reveal the details to the public when the results are confirmed.”

A blend of probiotic strains
The supplement is a combination of six probiotic strains isolated from dairy. These six strains are Lactobacillus plantarum LP115, Lactobacillus helveticus LA25, Lactobacillus rhamnosus LRH10, Lactobacillus paracasei LPC12, Lactobacillus fermentum LF26 and Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. lactis LDL114.

According to the company, the blend is superior in adhesive ability to Hela cell (an immortal cell line used in scientific research), hydrogen peroxide production and antibacterial activity compared to other intimate care probiotics in the market.

“There are many probiotics with claims in the market, but science is the key. SynForU-HerCare is backed by science and it is our commitment to providing long-term care for women around the globe, thereby making a difference in their life,” adds Chen.

Tackling vaginal health concerns
Industry players have been interested in formulating solutions that improve vaginal health. A few days ago, PersonalCareInsights reported on the launch of LastPad. This reusable pad has antimicrobial properties and does not contain 100 percent cotton, as “cotton fabric is ideal for microbial growth.”

In June, Probi and the Competence Centre on Health Technologies (CCHT) established an R&D agreement to develop probiotic lactobacilli strains that will aid in vaginal health.

Meanwhile, L’Oréal announced a partnership with Clue, the period tracking app with 12 million users in 190 countries, to deepen knowledge on the relationship between skin health and the menstrual cycle. This collaboration bridges L’Oréal’s historic skincare expertise and beauty-tech ambitions with Clue’s knowledge in reproductive health and data-driven technology.

By Nicole Kerr