Olive Oil Health Benefits: Olive Oil Could Help Combat Common Vaginal Infections In Women
Olive Oil Health Benefits: Fatty acids found in olive oil may inhibit the growth of harmful vaginal microbes while boosting other species beneficial for reproductive health.
A study by researchers from MIT and Harvard, published in the journal Cell, reveals that a type of fatty acid present in olive oil could help treat a common infection faced by women known as bacterial vaginosis.
Olive Oil Health Benefits, This infection often leads to burning and itching and is the most common cause of abnormal vaginal discharge. Additionally, it can increase the risk of other sexually transmitted infections like chlamydia and gonorrhea due to its impact on women’s ability to fight off pathogens. While bacterial vaginosis can be treated with antibiotics, it often recurs due to the disruption of the natural balance of beneficial and harmful microbes in the vagina.
Olive Oil Health Benefits: Vaginal Infections In Women
According to the Daily Mail, researchers have now discovered that oleic acid, a long-chain fatty acid abundantly found in olive oil, could help combat this infection.
Olive Oil Health Benefits, These fatty acids may inhibit the growth of harmful vaginal microbes while promoting the growth of other species that are beneficial for reproductive health. Researchers believe that treatments that strengthen this microbial balance could be used to prevent the recurrence of infections.
The UK’s National Health Service (NHS) reports that common symptoms of bacterial vaginosis include unusual discharge with a strong fish-like odor, changes in the color and texture of the discharge (from white to gray, and becoming thin and watery). This infection, affecting about 29% of women worldwide, is not a sexually transmitted disease but can be triggered by sexual activity. Treatment usually involves antibiotics in the form of pills, gels, or creams, but these treatments can lead to the overactivity of a type of vaginal bacterium known as Lactobacillus, creating an environment that is more susceptible to the recurrence of bacterial vaginosis.
Olive Oil Health Benefits, Professor Mylin Zhou, an infectious disease specialist at Massachusetts General Hospital, explains: “The success of current treatments for bacterial vaginosis is as unpredictable as a coin toss, meaning it’s almost random and has seen little change in the past 40 years.”
In her studies, Professor Zhou found that culturing different strains of vaginal bacteria with oleic acid showed that this fatty acid inhibits the growth of harmful Lactobacillus species while promoting the growth of other healthier strains. It was also shown that oleic acid could inhibit the growth of other bacteria associated with bacterial vaginosis, including some strains resistant to standard antibiotic treatment.
Olive Oil Health Benefits, This suggests that oleic acid may be an effective way to restore a stable and healthy microbiome in the female reproductive system after bacterial vaginosis.
Olive Oil Health Benefits, Doug Cowan, an associate professor of medicine at Harvard University and the senior author of the paper, is working to bring this research to human clinical trials. He believes that the findings of this study are promising and could lead to new methods for treating bacterial vaginosis, creating lasting changes in the vaginal microbiome, and reducing the adverse effects of this condition on women’s health worldwide.
Also Read:
Eating Breakfast And Child Well-being: Children Who Eat Breakfast Are Happier
Nutritional Guide For Men Over 60: Essential Foods
“The 8 Best Foods To Eat When You Have Diarrhea: A Guide To Recovery”
New Study: Daily Vinegar Intake Can Improve Depression Symptoms
