Q: Can yeast infections be treated or cured with plain yogurt?
A: There’s no evidence that yogurt can treat vaginal yeast infections.
Yeast, called Candida, is normally present in small numbers in the vaginas of healthy women. In addition, the vagina is colonized by several bacteria, including the lactobacillus, also present in yogurt. Under normal circumstances, the microorganisms in the vagina compete with each other for nutrients and in the process keep each other’s growth in check.
Yeast infections occur when the Candida grow in larger numbers. Infection is characterized by a thick, white vaginal discharge and intense vaginal itch. One risk factor for yeast infection is use of antibiotics, which eliminate the vaginal bacteria, allowing the yeast to grow unabated. It has been speculated that yogurt, either ingested by mouth or applied directly to the vagina, could supplement vaginal lactobacillus to compete with the yeast.
Although this is an interesting theory, no studies support the use of yogurt to treat yeast infections. When taken by mouth, the lactobacillus in yogurt often does not survive the passage through the strong acid environment of the stomach. Also, the bacteria in yogurt do not readily attach and colonize the gastrointestinal tract or vagina. Instead of yogurt, vaginal yeast infections should be treated with anti-yeast medications such as the imidazoles.
Q: Is the birth control patch known for causing unusual vaginal discharge or yeast infections?
A: Small amounts of yeast are present in the vagina in many women and cause no symptoms. If the vaginal environment is disrupted, the yeast may grow and cause an infection. Symptoms of a vaginal yeast infection include intense itching and a thick, white discharge.
Hormones used for birth control can alter the vaginal environment in susceptible women and promote yeast infections. This may occur regardless of whether the hormones are taken by mouth as the birth control pill or by the patch. The patch may allow for a higher absorption of hormones than the pill. In theory, the patch might be more likely to promote yeast infections, though most women do not report this as a concern.
Joan Marie Bengtson, M.D., is assistant professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive biology at Harvard Medical School and a member of the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproduction at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.
