Probiotics for Aging Vaginal Health

There comes a time when you must face the music. As you get older, so does your vagina. It is not sexy to think about, but vaginal health can take a hit as you get older, especially if you are not proactive in being as healthy as possible down there. The good news is that even if you have not been as diligent as you should have been, you can turn things around with probiotics that are suited for aging vaginal health.

Imbalances of the Vagina That Women Experience as They Age

Before getting into how probiotics can help your aging vagina, you should probably know what issues you will have in the first place. This will help you understand how valuable the probiotics are. Some of the vaginal health concerns as you age include the following:

• Infections. As you age, you become more susceptible to conditions such as bacterial vaginosis or urinary tract infections (UTIs).
• Appearance. The uterus can begin to look old. It may become wrinkled and dry because the skin can lose elasticity. This can be due to a decrease in estrogen.
• Odors. When you’re young, an odor coming from your vagina is definitely a bad thing. As you age, your vagina may naturally start to have slight odor. However, it should still be a light odor.

Don’t panic! The risk of these issues can be reduced or even prevented simply by taking care of your vagina. Probiotics is one way to take care of it.

What Probiotics Are and How They Help Your Vaginal Health

There is a simple definition for probiotics—they are live bacteria that are good for you. Your body is full of good and bad bacteria. Probiotics help tip the scale in favor of good bacteria, leading to better vaginal health, especially when you are older.

It is essential to keep good and bad bacteria balanced as you get older. This is known as your vagina’s pH level. Good bacteria create an acidic environment inside your vagina, which keeps the bad bacteria at bay. Without this balance, you will be susceptible to the imbalances mentioned above.

Keep in mind that some of these imbalances will require medicine once they get really bad, but if you prevent them in the first place, you will not have to worry about them.

It sounds like probiotics are great for vaginal health at any age. This is true, but there is another good reason that they are recommended for older women. As women age, the body makes less estrogen. Estrogen helps keep your vagina young, healthy and functioning, so a drop in estrogen is one of the reasons your vagina begins to show signs of aging. Think of probiotics as a replacement for the lack of estrogen.

Best Type of Probiotic for Aging Vaginal Health

There are several types of probiotics. In fact, there are too many to cover in this article. However, the one you need to know about is the Lactobacilli species. Luckily, this is the most common species, so it is not hard to find foods and supplements that contain it. According to a study done by Harvard Health, Lactobacilli is the best species for maintaining your vagina’s pH level and can help prevent bacterial vaginosis.

While there are several strains in the Lactobacilli species, the one that researchers have found to be the most beneficial is Lactobacillus acidophilus (L. acidophilus). When searching for a probiotic, it is best to try to find one with this strain. However, the other Lactobacilli strains are also helpful. They will be indicated by the “L.” before the strain’s name.

Final Thoughts

Women protect their skin, hair, nails and brains as they age. Vaginal health is just as important but can sometimes be overlooked. Using probiotics is a simple way to attend to your aging vaginal health. Taking supplements or eating the right foods can keep you balanced in your golden years.