They help the elderly to compensate for the effects of time which have repercussions on transit, children to build strong immune defenses, athletes to maximize their performance and overall the entire population to feel better. But if there is one category of people who always need probiotics , at any age, it is women, because an unbalanced microbiota will have harmful repercussions at every stage of a woman's life. So what benefits can we get from probiotics as women?
During premenstrual syndrome
Premenstrual syndrome, or PMS, is a phenomenon that affects 90% of women, at different levels, and which occurs 2 to 7 days before the period, but it can occur up to 14 days before the period! It is therefore a very common syndrome, since almost all women report being subject to one or more of the symptoms identified: fatigue, cravings, irritability, breast sensitivity... But also digestive problems! Many people see their bloating increase and their transit disrupted. However, probiotics provide solutions to several symptoms related to PMS. Indeed, the first mode of action of these good bacteria concerns digestive comfort, they therefore help reduce bloating and accelerate sluggish transits. But that's not all, since they also help improve morale and calm anxiety and irritability.
During pregnancy
When you are expecting a child, taking probiotics is beneficial for both the child and the mother. Firstly, they allow you to live these 9 months more peacefully, since they limit the risks of gestational diabetes and act, once again, to strengthen the intestinal barrier to limit digestive disorders, which are very recurrent in pregnant women. Other recurring inconveniences when waiting: mycoses and cystitis. These are often linked to an imbalance in the intestinal and vaginal flora, we can therefore get closer to the strains specific to the vaginal microbiota. Probiotic vaginal flora is a product which concentrates 3 strains intended for the balance of the intimate sphere.
Concerning the benefits provided to the child, who builds his bacterial capital during his first 3 years of life, it is essential to have a balanced flora at the time of birth, because it is at this time that the baby will come into contact with the first bacteria. The mother therefore leaves part of her microbial profile to her child, during childbirth and breastfeeding. In addition to the many benefits of starting life with quality bacteria, this also helps prevent the appearance of allergies in children, allergies which have increased considerably in recent decades, mainly due to the sharp increase in dysbiosis. To find out more, you can consult the article “The constitution of the microbiota in children”.
At menopause
The drop in sex hormones at the onset of menopause has an impact on the vaginal and intestinal microbiota. Loss of lactobacilli, largely in the intimate sphere, affects a good number of women, but it is a little-known phenomenon which gives rise to intimate dryness, pain during intercourse, atrophy of the mucous membranes, etc. At the level of the intestinal flora, it is found to be greatly degraded for the same reasons, which gives rise to all types of symptoms, in particular a greater chance of being subject to osteoporosis. Furthermore, as these two microbiota are intrinsically linked, they directly influence each other.
Globally…
… Probiotics help women in many circumstances.
For example, women are 3 times more prone to constipation than men, particularly because of their menstrual cycles, pregnancy, menopause, etc. But even outside of these periods, many women suffer from slow transit. This is one of the first symptoms that consuming probiotics can resolve.
As women, we are also more prone to cystitis, due to our anatomy: the urethra is shorter in women, which allows pathogens to colonize the bladder more easily. But if it is easier for them to achieve their goals, it is also because we have not succeeded in defending ourselves. Normally, the intimate microbiota is a barrier against aggression, but for this to happen, it must be balanced.
It's the same principle for fungal infections. To avoid it, you must preserve your intimate flora, the proof is that many of us experience this very disturbing infection after taking antibiotic treatment.
Regardless, women will always need probiotics to hope for lasting intestinal and intimate comfort, in a society like ours where we increase exposure to dysbiosis risk factors.
At DIJO, we created the Flore Intime pack bringing together two probiotic treatments. The essential probiotics , to act on the intestinal flora and restore the microbial balance, thanks to its 8 strains of bacteria. It is recommended to carry out a treatment of at least two months, to really feel the effects, when you feel the need, at each change of season... It is also entirely possible to take them continuously. Probiotic vaginal flora helps strengthen the vaginal microbiota, thanks to its three strains specialized in the treatment of gynecological infections. The treatment is also to be taken over two months, in the event of repeated cystitis and/or mycosis, to be repeated with each vaginal infection.
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] 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
[3] Aragón, IM, Herrera-Imbroda, B., Queipo-Ortuño, MI, Castillo, E., Del Moral, JS, Gómez-Millán, J., Yucel, G., & Lara, MF (2018). The Urinary Tract Microbiome in Health and Disease. European urology focus , 4 (1), 128–138. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.euf.2016.11.001
[4] Dickerson, L.M. (2008). Premenstrual syndrome. American family physician . Accessed October 22, 2021, at https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12725453/
