The Yogurt Lie?

[Sunflower23]

Hmm...this is new to me. Has anyone else heard about this before?

I recently ran across a post by a doctor regarding yogurt for treating frequent yeast and BV infections. (Lord knows we ICers get enough infections.) It caught my interest because I use yogurt ALL the time to treat infections. At first I was suspicious of what he said, but the more I searched google, the more medical studies and research papers I found supporting it. I'm actually a little angry now that it's not common knowledge. Here is what he said...

According to Dr. H. Hunter Handsfield, the strain of lactobaccilus that naturally exists in the vagina and prevents yeast infections, BV, and UTIs, is NOT the strain that exists in yogurt and probiotics. In other words, the lactobaccilus acidophilus that we get from yogurt and probiotic pills, does absolutely nothing to prevent infections because it cannot survive in the vagina long-term.

It seems that the medical community has not yet perfected a way to get the strains that DO exist naturally in the vagina (e.g. lactobaccilus crispatus and others) back into our bodies after they're gone (if they were wiped out by an antibiotic for example).

There is one product to try, though, Fem-Dophilus, which contains Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Lactobacillus fermentum, 2 of the strains that are said to occur naturally and theoretically should be able to survive and prevent infections. You can apparently buy Fem-Dophilus on Amazon.com. Judging from other posts on this website, other ICers find Fem-Dophilus helpful. I haven't tried it though, so I can't say myself how well it works.


Here are some of the papers and studies that I ran across if any of you are interested in reading them:

http://www.springerlink.com/content/3t372h4812q2757q/fulltext.pdf?page=1

http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=154705

http://www.freshpatents.com/Probiotic-lactobacillus-strains-for-improved-vaginal-health-dt20081030ptan20080268006.php

http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=14973189



You can also see Dr. Handsfield's post here if you're interested: http://www.medhelp.org/posts/STDs/Need-some-advice/show/247347

[sissygirl]

Rephresh (the company that makes Replens vaginal moisturizer and RePhresh vaginal pH cream) also makes a probiotic designed for vaginal flora. I have taken it after antibiotics. I have read the same thing--that despite all the talk of yogurt for yeast, yogurt does not contain the right kind of probiotic...

[merelin]

In the past I have use natural yoghurt (my mother's home made) very succesfully to cure vaginal yeast - faster than the creams. But this time I tried it with different yoghurt (I am living in India now) and it only gave temporary relief. I think some yoghurts do seem to work very well and others do very little so just try to get the most live and organic seeming one possible.

[ICNDonna]

Some years ago I read an article about yogurt being used for yeast infections. As I recall it was one of those things you had to use daily over several weeks. I didn't try it; the prescription remedies are so much faster.

Donna

[merelin]

if you use good quality yoghurt you will cure the infection faster than the yeast cream (used topically on a tampon ) if it is not good quality it wont work well.eating it probably wont be enough to clear up an infection but long term may prevent it.

[bluetou]

I have used plain yogurt for yeast many times, and it does work...if I am a bit too far along in my yeast diagnoses, then I use an acidpoholis suppository which does the trick!

Peace
Blue
:pray:

[TexasHoney]

I've used yogurt a couple times with Rx remidies and think the yogurt increased healing time slightly.

[glassd18]

I haven't had any luck taking a probiotic as they all seem to flare me (increase bladder pressure/pain). I tried Pearls for a month.

[Talula]

Best treatment for yeast infections and atheletes foot too! Don't eat sugar, fruit, or most breads for 3 or 4 weeks. I got rid ofa relentless case of atheletes foot by going on the candida diet for nearly a month, I was able to go back to eating fruit and sugar again, and my atheletes foot has not come back. Good bye exspensive antifungal creams!

[Natalie41]

I have never had any luck treating yeast infections with yogurt. Rx meds have always worked bst for me.

[Sunflower23]

Best treatment for yeast infections and atheletes foot too! Don't eat sugar, fruit, or most breads for 3 or 4 weeks. I got rid ofa relentless case of atheletes foot by going on the candida diet for nearly a month, I was able to go back to eating fruit and sugar again, and my atheletes foot has not come back. Good bye exspensive antifungal creams!

Intriguing. I think I'm actually going to try that. I've noticed that sugar always = instant yeast infection for me. Thanks for mentioning it. (I hope it works for me too!)