The physiological and psychological upheavals linked to it can be difficult to experience, and it is not uncommon to find yourself in need of solutions to compensate for these inconveniences.
Menopause, what does it mean? This is the cessation of menstruation: it is the end of ovulation and the secretion of sex hormones by the ovaries. While this may seem advantageous for women who do not or no longer wish to have children, this phenomenon is often accompanied by a range of symptoms, which vary greatly from one woman to another. Depending on the woman, it can occur more or less early and more or less intensely in terms of symptoms.
Among the most recurring and unpleasant ones, we find: hot flashes, sleep disorders, mood swings, skin, capillary and vaginal dryness, urinary incontinence, headaches, fatigue, taking weight,…
The drop in sex hormones will have an effect on two very important microbiota in the body.
- In terms of the vaginal microbiota, lactobacilli dominate and are very present in pre-menopausal women (95% of the total microbiota). They have a protective role for the vaginal sphere. Women who enter menopause often lose a good part of this microbial population, and are subject to intimate dryness, pain during intercourse, or even atrophy of the mucous membranes. We realized the low prevalence of these symptoms in women who have maintained a good constitution of the vaginal microbiota. Research therefore tends to demonstrate that supplementation with probiotics, to maintain/regain a balance in the vaginal flora, reduces or even eradicates the symptoms mentioned above.
- At the level of the intestinal microbiota, here again the loss of sexual hormones, more particularly estrogens, will significantly modify the constitution of the flora, causing all types of consequences linked to an unbalanced microbiota, and increase intestinal permeability. To find out more about this phenomenon, also called intestinal porosity, you can refer to the article “ What is intestinal porosity? ”. For postmenopausal women, this will have a direct effect on the onset of osteoporosis, characterized by a decrease in bone density, making bones more fragile. This alteration, almost inevitable in women, can be reduced/avoided through supplementation with probiotics and/or prebiotics.
Thanks to all these discoveries regarding the effects of menopause on the constitution of microbiota, and the consequences associated with it, it is increasingly recommended to start taking probiotics a little before the theoretical arrival of menopause, or at the first signs of arrival, for a few months or even a few years.
At DIJO, we created the probiotic vaginal flora treatment, containing 3 strains of the Lactobacillus genus, and 10 billion CFU, for targeted action on the consequences of menopause. Taking it orally also allows it to have an action on the intestinal flora, which is also often mistreated when the first signs appear. Its formula allows a reduction in symptoms linked to menopause, but not only that: it also targets the reduction of vaginal infections, such as mycoses and cystitis, reducing their appearance and recurrences. For even more effectiveness, the Intimate Flora pack helps rebalance the two microbiota and thus avoid recurrences.
Sources:
[1] Muhleisen, AL, & Herbst-Kralovetz, MM (2016). Menopause and the vaginal microbiome. Maturitas , 91 , 42–50. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.maturitas.2016.05.015
[2] Caretto, M., Giannini, A., Russo, E., & Simoncini, T. (2017). Preventing urinary tract infections after menopause without antibiotics. Maturitas , 99 , 43–46. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.maturitas.2017.02.004
[3] Huidrom, S., Beg, M.A., & Masood, T. (2021). Postmenopausal Osteoporosis and Probiotics. Current drug targets , 22 (7), 816–822. https://doi.org/10.2174/1389450121666201027124947
[4] Wolff, BJ, Price, TK, Joyce, CJ, Wolfe, AJ, & Mueller, ER (2019). Oral probiotics and the female urinary microbiome: a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial. International urology and nephrology , 51 (12), 2149–2159. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11255-019-02282-3
