In recent years, the understanding of how the vaginal microbiome impacts health has expanded. The bacterial inhabitants of the vagina not only influence the direct local environment protecting it from infection, ranging from candida, bacterial vaginosis (BV) and sexually transmitted infection acquisition, it also impacts fertility, birth outcomes and possibly the success of IVF.[1] Understanding of the vaginal microbiome environment offers insights into manipulation that have the propensity to change the clinical approach to female health.
We are now over 60 years and several generations of women in to OCP use as a primary method of contraception and we're only beginning to unravel the long term health consequences.
Holistic Paediatrician, Dr Elisa Song joins us to talk about maximising teenage physical and emotional wellbeing.
Dr Van Den Bogaerde shares the current scientific opinion on gut microbial diversity and he discusses his excitement about the research exploring faecal microbial transplants
A recent study has suggested maintaining gut barrier function may be key to efficacy of probiotics on oxidative stress and inflammatory response.
The intestinal microbiome is a complex signalling hub that incorporates environmental factors, such as diet, stress and xenobiotics, with genetics and immune signals to influence host immunity and response to infection.[1-3] Within the last decade, we have begun to understand the importance of this interdependent bilateral interaction between the host and its microbiota and how its mutually beneficial balance is crucial in host defence and immune health.[1]
In this podcast, with the help of Dr Jessica Younes we explore the complexities and the outside influences of the vaginal microbiota.
It is understood that the microbiome differs from person to person, even varying in the same individual at different stages of life, thus influencing which genes are active at any given time. How is this influencing autoimmunity?