Lactobacillus acidophilus is one of more than 500 different types of bacteria that live in your gastrointestinal tract. Acidophilus is a beneficial, or "probiotic" bacteria that helps keep less-beneficial bacteria, such as Candida albicans -- the bacteria responsible for causing yeast infections -- under control. There are more than 100 trillion microbes in your digestive system -- over 3 lbs. of living microorganisms in your gut that aid in digestion and nutrient absorption and boost your immune system.
Yeast Infections
Yeast infections are typically caused by an overgrowth of Candida albicans, states the National Institutes of Health. A candida overgrowth can cause a vaginal yeast infection, urinary tract infection, diaper rash, jock itch, canker sores, oral thrush and athlete's foot. Normally candida is kept in check by probiotic bacteria, but using certain medications -- including antibiotics -- eating a diet very high in sugar and having a weakened immune system can all contribute to candida flourishing.
Probiotics
Your body maintains a complex balance of both friendly and less-than-friendly bacteria, yeasts and microbes. Any of these living microorganisms that are beneficial to you are called probiotics -- from the Latin pro biota, meaning "for life." Each strain of probiotic bacteria has its own unique benefit, so it's important to know which strain you need. For fighting candida, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus gasseri and Lactobacillus rhamnosus are all useful.
Treatment
The best treatment for a yeast infection is a combination of an anti-fungal medication and probiotics. You can take Lactobacillus acidophilus as a supplement or look for fermented dairy foods such as yogurt or kefir that have live cultures. Avoid foods that have been pasteurized; the pasteurization process kills both bad and good bacteria. The NIH recommends you ingest between 1 billion to 10 billion living organisms daily; you can divide the dose throughout the day. Although that may seem like a lot, remember that there are 100 trillion living organisms in you digestive tract alone.
Other Treatments
Although taking acidophilus orally will help restore the balance of bacteria in your body and fight your yeast infection, you can also use probiotic suppositories vaginally to help fight vaginal yeast infections. Use 10 million live cells of Lactobacillus acidophilus twice daily inserted vaginally for six days to help treat your vaginal yeast infection. Two other strains -- Lactobacillus gasseri and Lactobacillus rhamnosus -- can help lengthen the time between yeast infections when used for one week following your menstrual cycle for three months in a row.
