Efficacy of fermented foods for the prevention and treatment of bacterial vaginosis and vulvovaginal candidiasis

Akpınar, Aslı (author), Markiewicz, Lidia Hanna (author), Harsa, Hayriye Şebnem (author), Paveljšek, Diana (author), Domínguez-Soberanes, Julieta (author), Agirbasli, Zeynep (author), Naziri, Eleni (author), El Jalil, Mounaim Halim (author), Bouchaud, Gregory (author), Salminen, Seppo (author), Savary-Auzeloux, Isabelle (author), Humblot, Christèle (author), Chassard, Christophe (author), Praćer, Smilja (author), Vergères, Guy (author), Karakaş-Budak, Barçın (author)

Vaginal function in healthy women is closely associated with a lactobacilli-dominated microbiome. Among the most common conditions arising from dysbiosis are bacterial vaginosis (BV) and vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC). While the efficacy of oral probiotics for the treatment of BV and VVC is well documented, the role of consuming fermented foods remains underexplored. This systematic review aims to present a systematic evaluation of the potential role of fermented foods in the prevention and treatment of BV and VVC and establish the extant research gap between the realm of the clinical sciences and the field of food science and technology. For this purpose, under the guidance of COST Action CA20128—Promoting Innovation of Fermented Foods (PIMENTO), a systematic literature review was conducted in two phases. PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane databases were used for Phase I to analyze articles on human trials and observational studies where the intervention/exposure involved oral consumption of fermented food. In Phase II, a two-step search strategy was employed: (i) identifying microorganisms with demonstrated clinical efficacy in managing BV and VVC, and (ii) reviewing food science literature where these strains are utilized for fermentation. It was observed that 87% of the food starter applications exploited only two of the 54 efficacious strains identified through clinical studies, namely Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG and Lactobacillus acidophilus LA-5. Findings underscore the potential of fermented foods as carriers for beneficial microorganisms and their relevance in supporting vaginal health. This review contributes to a deeper understanding of the interplay between nutritional consumption of viable probiotic strains and their importance in immunomodulation, highlighting the need for more integrated research efforts across disciplines. Future research aimed at filling this gap will enable informed clinical decisions and dietary recommendations.

• Language: English
• Keywords: vaginosis, vaginal microbiome, fermented dairy food, probiotic starter, fermented foods, woman, female genital system, systematic review
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.02 - Review Article
• Organization: BF - Biotechnical Faculty
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Publication date: 21.11.2025
• Year: 2025
• Number of pages: 16 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 12, [article no.] ǂ1658988
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-176179
• UDC: 613.2:616
• ISSN on article: 2296-861X
• DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2025.1658988
• COBISS.SI-ID: 258340611
• Publication date in RUL: 24.11.2025

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Frontiers in nutrition
• Shortened title: Front. nutr.
• Publisher: Frontiers Media S.A.
• ISSN: 2296-861X
• COBISS.SI-ID: 4431992

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: prehrana ljudi, fermentirana živila, medicina, mikrobiologija, bakterijska vaginoza, vulvovaginalna kandidoza

Projects

• Funder: Other - Other funder or multiple funders
• Funding programme: European Cooperation in Science and Technology
• Project number: CA20128
• Name: PIMENTO CA20128