Probiotics for yeast infection: Best probiotic supplements to treat & prevent

Probiotics for yeast infection

Using probiotics for yeast infection is a very important part of the yeast infection treatment, especially since the majority of the yeast infections are caused by an overgrowth of candida yeast in the gut. Probiotics supplements work by populating the intestines with beneficial organisms that can prevent the yeast from overgrowing and help the body to naturally balance the infection.

When choosing the best probiotic supplements for yeast infections, it is important to use the right probiotic strains. Different probiotic strains have different properties and as such, they have different uses, benefits and side effects. Taking the wrong probiotics can cause die off symptoms and side effects such as bloating, gas and other digestive issues. In some cases, it can even make the yeast infection become worse.

This experts guide summarizes our experience working with probiotics for yeast infection and candida issues. We hope this guide will help you get the many probiotics benefits while minimizing the side effects and risks.

In this guide

• Best probiotic for yeast infections.

Probiotics Use	Probiotic Strains	Best probiotic supplements
Probiotics for yeast infection treatment.	Brevibacillus laterosporus (BOD).	Latero-Flora.
Probiotics to prevent yeast infection.	Lactobacillus. Prebiotics.	FloraTrex.
Probiotics with antibiotics.	Lactobacillus. Prebiotics.	FloraTrex.

Specific Yeast Infection Issues

• Probiotics for thrush.
• Probiotics for women.
• Fermented Foods.

Best probiotic for yeast infection

When it comes to the best probiotic for yeast infection, the preference is to use probiotic strains that were shown by research to be effective for candida and yeast infections and also safe with no adverse side effects.

• Bacillus laterosporus (BOD) is a patented probiotic strain that has shown to be very effective on its own against candida yeast, and is best used during the initial yeast infection treatment, where the preference is to focus on a single probiotic strain that can target candida-yeast very effectively on one hand, but that also does it in a very gentle and safe way.
• Lactobacillus strains are among the most studied probiotic strains, and are best used for preventing yeast infection as well as during the middle of the yeast infection treatment. Most studies combined different types of the Lactobacillus strains together for increased effectiveness, which is considered a common best practice when using the Lactobacillus strains.
• Prebiotics are nondigestible food ingredients known to promote the growth of probiotics by serving as a food source for the probiotics. Supplementing with probiotics may help to initially populate your intestines with good bacteria; prebiotics can help this new population of good bacteria to better grow in your intestines.

Lactobacillus for yeast infection

• Common Lactobacillus probiotic strains: Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Lactobacillus reuteri, Lactobacillus fermentum, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus plantarum.
• Main properties: Very effective against candida yeast, support immune system function, safe.
• Best use: Prevent yeast infection, after initial yeast infection treatment.
• Best product: FloraTrex.

Using the probiotic strains of lactobacillus for yeast infection was shown to be both safe and effective in multiple published human studies. Most studies combined different types of the Lactobacillus strains together for increased effectiveness, which is considered a best common practice when using Lactobacillus probiotics for yeast infections.

Lactobacillus strains are best used for preventing yeast infection as well as during the yeast infection treatment after the initial treatment is completed (week 5 and on). In addition to their effectiveness for candida and yeast infections, Lactobacillus strains are also well known for their immune boosting properties, which is one of the reasons they are considered among the best probiotic to prevent yeast infections.

Below is a quick summary of some of the key benefits of Lactobacillus for yeast infection:

Vaginal yeast infection, improve cure rate, relieve discomforts

According to the medical literature, when the probiotic strains Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1 and Lactobacillus reuteri RC-14 were combined with oral antifungals, the cure rate was significantly improved. In addition, the participants in the study reported improvements with many of their symptoms, especially vaginal discharge, itching, burning, and pain during intercourse or urination (source).
Daily oral capsules of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1 and Lactobacillus fermentum RC-14 for 60 days were shown by human studies to be both effective and safe with no adverse effects reported (source).

Probiotics with antibiotics to prevent yeast infections

Taking probiotics with antibiotics to prevent yeast infections was suggested by published human studies as a useful strategy to reduce the risks of developing yeast infections due to the antibiotics use. In one study, a mix of Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium and other probiotics strains was given to patients who were treated with broad-spectrum antibiotics. The study finding suggested that the probiotic mix was able to reduce the growth of Candida in blood (candidemia) and candida in urine (candiduria) (source).

Another published human study, showed that participants who took Lactobacillus probiotics during the antibiotic treatment, had reduced risk for developing antibiotic-associated diarrhea, a very known side effects of antibiotics (source).

Using antibiotics is one of the most common causes of yeast infections (source). If you are planning to take antibiotics, we encourage you to consult with your doctor, share this information and consider taking probiotics with antibiotics to prevent yeast infections.

Lactobacillus anti-candida properties

Lactobacillus anti-candida properties were suggested by many studies, including identifying the mechanism of action of Lactobacillus for yeast infection. As research suggests, lactobacilli probiotic inhibit early stages of Candida albicans biofilm development by reducing their growth, cell adhesion, and filamentation (source).
Lactobacillus acidophilus, another common lactobacillus probiotic strain also demonstrated similar anti-candida properties, and was able to inhibit candida albicans biofilm formation and filamentation (source).

Probiotics for immune system

Considering that a weak immune system is one of the main causes of yeast infections and candida issues (source), having a healthy immune system can be very helpful in order to prevent candida and yeast infections.
The Lactobacillus probiotics immune system connection is well known and has been extensively studied. Various Lactobacillus strains such as Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus paracasei and Lactobacillus casei were shown in different studies to enhance gut and systemic immune function (source 1, source 2). Another study suggested that Lactobacillus plantarum can enhance the antitumor immune response and delay tumour formation (source).

Best probiotic to prevent, treat yeast infections, overall health: FloraTrex

FloraTrex is our preferred choice for a Lactobacillus probiotic complex, especially for the following scenarios:

• Probiotics for overall health and immune function.
• Probiotics for yeast infection treatment, after the initial treatment (week 5 and on).
• Probiotics to prevent yeast infections.
• Probiotics with antibiotics to prevent yeast infections.

Floratrex contains 23 active cultures of the Lactobacillus strains that are combined with additional highly studied key probiotic strains for immune system health (see below), optimized with inulin prebiotic.
Often overlooked, prebiotics serve as a food source for probiotics and are shown to encourage the good bacteria growth. Supplementing with probiotics may help to initially populate your intestines with good bacteria; prebiotics can help this new population of good bacteria to better grow in your intestines.

The biggest advantage we see in FloraTrex is its complete formula and purity the probiotic strains used. FloraTrex contains all the key most studied probiotic strains shown by research to be both safe and effective, but also use a 100% vegan probiotic strains, so there are no dairy, soy, wheat, or gluten or other allergens. This is especially important during the candida and yeast infection treatment, where many people have high sensitivities to dairy, wheat and other allergens. This is where many probiotic products fail, and one of the reasons of the digestive issues such as gas and bloating people experience when using dairy based probiotics.

Combining Lactobacillus strains with other probiotic strains such as the Bifidobacterium strains was shown in many studies to be very beneficial and it is considered a common best practice. FloraTrex uses the Lactobacillus – Bifidobacterium combination as well. Here are a few of the key probiotic strains used:

• Bacillus subtilis was shown in studies to have antifungal and anti-candida properties (source).
• Bifidobacterium lactis strain has been documented in the medical literature as very safe and effective for boosting the immune system, including an antipathogenic effect (the ability to prevent disease caused by yeast, fungi, bacteria, viruses, etc). Long term studies (1 year) in children 1 to 3 years, showed reduction in infections rate (source).
• Bifidobacterium breve was shown in published human studies to promote a healthy intestinal flora (source). Additional studies suggested that Bifidobacterium breve also have anti-inflammatory properties (source).
• Streptococcus thermophilus has been documented to be very helpful in preventing antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD) when taken with the antibiotics (source).

For a complete list of all the probiotic strains that are included in FloraTrex: FloraTrex Ingredients.

Probiotics for yeast infection treatment

Brevibacillus laterosporus

• Also known as: Bacillus laterosporus.
• Main properties: Very effective against candida yeast, safe, support digestive issues, highly stable.
• Best use: Initial candida and yeast infection treatment.
• Best product: Latero-Flora.

The patented Brevibacillus laterosporus BOD probiotic strain was shown in research to be very effective in eliminating candida as well as other pathogens such as Salmonella, E-Coli, and Streptococcus Faecalis (source).
Safety testings have shown it is completely safe with no indications of toxicity, even at very high dosage.

The Brevibacillus laterosporus strain has a natural ability to encapsulate itself when exposed to different environment changes (spore-bearing). This makes it very stable and resilient. It can easily pass the stomach acids and become very active in the body. The fact that it is stable in room temperature and doesn’t need to be refrigerated means you can take it with you wherever you go.

Brevibacillus laterosporus also promotes healthy digestion: in one study, participants who took Brevibacillus laterosporus, reported a significant relief to many of the digestive issues discomforts they previously had (see study). This is an important benefit during the yeast infection treatment, as digestion issues are very common in cases of candida and yeast overgrowth.

Best probiotic supplement for yeast infection treatment: Latero-Flora

During the initial candida and yeast infection treatment, we highly recommend to focus on probiotic strains that their main characteristic is specifically yeast and candida elimination, as the priority is to balance the yeast and candida infection. Using a single strain is preferred over multiple strains at this point, as it simplifies the treatment with less factors that need to be considered.
This makes the Brevibacillus laterosporus one of the best probiotic for yeast infection treatment: it is effective enough as a single probiotic anti-candida targeted strain that is also very gentle and safe.

Latero-Flora is our preferred choice of probiotics during the initial yeast infection and candida treatment (week 1-4).
Latero-Flora is using the patented Brevibacillus laterosporus BOD strain, with its potency, purity and effectiveness specifically guaranteed by the manufacturer, including a complete 180-day money back guarantee.
Latero-Flora is also a 100% vegan, so there are no dairy, soy, wheat, gluten or any other allergens. As we mentioned earlier, this is especially important during the candida and yeast infection treatment, where many people have high sensitivities to dairy, wheat and other allergens.

Prebiotics

Prebiotics are nondigestible food ingredients known to promote the growth of probiotics by serving as a food source for probiotics (source). Taking prebiotics together with probiotics has shown by research to enhance the probiotic growth (source), and is considered a common best practice. This is especially important in cases of compromised gut flora (such as after antibiotic use) where there’s a need to rebuild a healthy gut flora. In other words, supplementing with probiotics may help to initially populate your intestines with good bacteria; prebiotics can help this new population of good bacteria to better grow in your intestines.

One of the best sources of prebiotics is inulin, which is found in many foods. Chicory root, raw dandelion greens, dried garlic, Jerusalem artichoke and onions are considered the best sources of inulin (source).
Getting enough inulin or prebiotics from natural foods is possible, especially if your diet is high in these inulin rich foods. In cases of compromised gut flora however, it is usually preferred to combine a diet that is high in prebiotics with prebiotics supplements such as inulin, in order to make sure you have enough prebiotics to rebuild a healthy gut flora.

Probiotics with prebiotics

Combining probiotics with prebiotics at the same formula was shown to be a very effective way to enhance the effectiveness of the probiotics. This is also more convenient, saving people the need to take two separate products: one for the probiotics, and the other one for the prebiotic. FloraTrex is a good example of a product that combines both.

Best probiotic supplement for yeast infections

probiotic supplements for yeast infections: the 4 factors that matter

In order to choose the best probiotic supplement for yeast infections, it is important to use the right probiotic strains. Different probiotic strains have different properties and as such, they have different uses, benefits and side effects.

Taking the wrong type of probiotics may do nothing positive for your yeast infection. Taking the wrong probiotics however, can cause die off symptoms or side effects such as bloating, gas and other digestive issues. In some cases, it can even make the yeast infection become worse.

To make sure you use the best probiotic supplement for yeast infections, here is a quick summary of the key properties to look for:

probiotic strains are backed up by science to be effective for yeast infection and also safe

Many people are surprised to learn their probiotics supplements caused side effects such as bloating, gas, constipation, diarrhea, abdominal pain and even acne. In some cases, the reaction was so severe, that they had to stop the treatment! The fact that a probiotic strain is effective against candida is not enough; it also has to work in a gentle and safe way in order to help the body balance the yeast overgrowth at a rate your body can handle.

probiotic strains are stable and potent

Another important factor to consider has to do with stability. The probiotic strains need to be stable inside the body so they can survive the stomach acids, as well as stable outside the body with a solid shelf life profile; many probiotic strains must be kept refrigerated and by the time you get them lose their strength significantly; other may be potent at the time of manufacturing, but lose their strength due to low stability or poor manufacturing methods; to avoid these common scenarios, it is essential to choose probiotic strains known to be stable from a trusted source.

Purity – No allergens

A common problem with probiotic products, and one of the main reasons of the digestive issues such as gas and bloating many people experience, is that they used probiotic strains that contained dairy, wheat and other allergens.
This is especially important during the candida and yeast infection treatment, where many people may have high sensitivities to dairy, wheat and other allergens.

Always make sure to use a 100% vegan based probiotics. This should be clearly mentioned on the product label. Good examples are Latero-Flora and FloraTrex.

Probiotic strength

A common issue with many probiotic products is that they are either not strong enough, or that they do not meet their label claim. One study that tested 15 different probiotic supplements found that only 4 out of the 15 products (27%) that had specific claims of viable organisms met or exceeded their label claim (source).

For this reason, it is very important to get your probiotics from a trusted source that has their strength and potency guaranteed.

Probiotics for yeast infection – Specific Concerns

Probiotics for thrush

Using probiotics for thrush can be very beneficial and is suggested by research as an effective way to control the oral thrush (source 1, source 2). It is very important however, to identify what is causing the thrush, as the needed treatment may be completely different.

This is especially important when the thrush is caused by a systemic candida overgrowth infection in the body. In this case, there are usually additional signs of the candida infection in the body in addition to the yeast infection in the mouth. In other words, the thrush infection in the mouth is one symptom of a larger problem of yeast overgrowth in the body. This is very common.

To see the complete list of candida overgrowth symptoms broken down by different areas in the body see:
candida symptoms checker.

Best probiotic for thrush treatment

When it comes to the best probiotic for thrush treatment, the choice depends on whether the goal is to treat or prevent thrush. Brevibacillus laterosporus is usually preferred for the thrush treatment due to its strong anti-candida properties. A mixture of Lactobacillus probiotic strains has been suggested by research as effective probiotics to prevent thrush. Combining oral probiotics such as FloraTrex together with coconut oil pulling has shown to be an effective and safe natural way that can help to prevent thrush and also promote oral health.

For more info: home remedies for oral thrush.

Probiotics mouthwash & mouth rinse

Probiotics mouthwash and mouth rinse were suggested by research as effective for oral hygiene regimen (source). One study found that short term probiotic mouth rinse was effective in reducing plaque accumulation and gingival inflammation (source).

Are probiotics mouthwash and mouth rinse also effective for thrush? According to research, perhaps in the future. The main challenge is finding probiotic strains that can survive the oral environmental conditions and stay there long enough to bring effect (source). For this reason, the best probiotic for thrush treatment are oral probiotics that are used as a part of the candida and yeast infection treatment as shown in the above table.

Best probiotic for women

Oral probiotics vs. probiotic suppository for yeast infection

Using probiotics for feminine health has been commonly suggested as a way to prevent or treat vaginal yeast infection. Oral probiotics are usually preferred over probiotic suppository or other methods involving inserting probiotics for yeast infection into the vagina.

There are a few reasons why oral probiotics for yeast infection are considered a better choice over inserting probiotics for yeast infection.

The majority of the vaginal yeast infections are caused by a systemic yeast infection problem in the body. In other words, the vaginal infection is only one symptom of a larger problem of candida yeast overgrowth in the body. Inserting probiotic suppository or probiotic pill in vagina may help the yeast infection in the vagina, but it won’t help to balance the infection in other areas in the body. Oral probiotics however, will.

Another reason to prefer oral probiotics for yeast infection (besides the ease of use) is that most published studies used oral probiotics. There is some research data suggesting that intravaginal (probiotic pill in vagina) may be beneficial as well though. A study that had women take vaginal lactobacillus plantarum capsule together with antifungals, showed that using lactobacillus plantarum probiotic increased the Lactobacillus values in the vagina, and improved symptoms of vaginal discomfort such as burning and itching (source).

Our recommendation: probiotics for yeast infection in women

When it comes to vaginal yeast infections, oral probiotics for yeast infection have been shown in our many years of practice to be safe and effective when combined with the yeast infection treatment.
If you need a relief for the vaginal yeast infection discomforts such as the itchiness, burning and pain, you may want to look into Ozonated olive oil, which is considered as one of the best natural remedies for vaginal yeast infections that is also backed up by science (source).

Probiotics to prevent yeast infection

Best probiotic to prevent yeast infections

Using probiotics to prevent yeast infection was suggested by the medical literature to be very useful. A common best practice done in most studies is using a mixture of the Lactobacillus probiotic strains (source 1, source 2), which are considered the best probiotic to prevent yeast infections. The Lactobacillus probiotic complex we use in our protocol for yeast infection prevention is FloraTrex and it has shown to be very safe and effective.

In addition to using probiotics to prevent yeast infection, it is important to be aware of common causes and risk factors of yeast infection. The effectiveness of any protocol for preventing yeast infection may be different from one person to another, as there are many different yeast infection causes and risk factors to consider. Taking probiotics for yeast infection or any yeast infection pill will not always prevent the yeast infection. Using probiotics to prevent yeast infection however, can reduce the chances of developing a yeast infection (source).

To see a list of common yeast infection causes and risk factors, see candida overgrowth causes.

Fermented and probiotic foods for candida and yeast infection

Fermented and probiotic foods consumption while on the candida diet and yeast infection treatment has been controversial. It is possible to get probiotics from natural fermented foods and drinks such as live cultured yogurt, Sauerkraut, Kimchi, Kombucha tea and others. Consuming fermented foods when you have a yeast infection however, can also backfire. With Yogurt and other dairy based fermented foods the concern is usually sensitivity to dairy. In addition, stability, quality issues, and contamination risks (especially store-bought probiotic foods) make fermented foods risky when you already have a compromised gut flora issue such as in cases of yeast infections.

For this reason, fermented foods are usually not recommended for people with candida and yeast infection issues, or with increased food sensitivities. So unless you make your own homemade fermented foods and know for a fact they have worked for you personally in the past, counting on these foods as a good and safe source of probiotics for yeast infection may not provide the best results and can even cause digestive issues such as gas and bloating.

If you do however want to enjoy the health promoting benefits of fermented foods (source), you may want to slowly introduce them to your diet once your yeast infection has healed.

FAQ

Yogurt with probiotics for yeast infections

Using yogurt with probiotics for yeast infections is very common, although it has been considered by many health experts highly controversial. Next to some cases where it was found as very useful, there were many reported cases where consuming yogurt with probiotics caused side effects such as bloating, gas and other digestive issues. The research data also shows this conflict: one study found that consuming yogurt with probiotics for yeast infections did benefit some people, while other did not not see any benefits. The conclusion of the study was that more studies are needed (source).

As we mentioned, yogurt and other probiotic foods may not be the best fit when you have yeast infection due potential sensitives to dairy, as well as potential contamination risks that are very common with store-bought probiotic foods. The bottom line: it is much safer and effective to get your probiotics for yeast infection from probiotic supplements.

Acidophilus probiotic for yeast infections

The effectiveness of lactobacillus acidophilus probiotic for yeast infections was suggested by research (source). Most studies combined lactobacillus acidophilus with other types of the Lactobacillus strains together for increased effectiveness, which is considered a best common practice when using Lactobacillus probiotics for yeast infections. A good example can be found here.

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Candida Specialists

Editorial team at Candida Specialists

Candida Specialists Healing Center combines research, modern medicine and natural medicine concepts with big data technology for chronic candida and yeast infection care.

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