Vaginal Health Hub

Vaginal infection

Up to 75% of women will experience at least one vaginal infection in their lifetime, including bacterial vaginosis and thrush.¹ This can lead to discomfort, odour, and an imbalance in vaginal flora.

Probiotics like Lactobacillus crispatus and Lactobacillus reuteri are essential for maintaining healthy vaginal flora, reducing the risk of infections by promoting an acidic pH and producing antimicrobial substances.²

Unrinary tract infection

Over 50% of women report experiencing recurring UTIs, leading to frequent discomfort, antibiotic use, and disruption in daily life.³
Up to 47% of sexually active women experience vaginal dryness or irritation at some point, often due to hormonal imbalances, which can affect their quality of life.⁴

The evidence behind DRV+

Vaginal Health

Vaginal health across the lifespan

Our survey of 1,202 women reveals how prevalent, chronic and under-discussed vaginal health issues are - and where the menopausal transition changes everything.

1,202 respondents

July 2024

Cross-sectional customer survey

55% report dryness or atrophy

33% have had an infection

95% say sex education fell short

Study Findings

We surveyed 1,202 women on the prevalence, recurrence and impact of vaginal health conditions, and how well current remedies perform.

What we found:

55.1% reported vaginal dryness or atrophy - half experiencing it daily or near-daily - and 32.6% had had at least one infection, mostly recurrent. 39.7% of sexually active women reported pain during sex, and 58% said their sex life was affected. Cranberry juice, the most popular remedy, was the least effective (59.3%).

What This Means

Chronic for most sufferers

Half of those with dryness feel it daily or near-daily; infections recur.

These are ongoing, not one-off, conditions.

Menopause is the turning point

Dryness onset averaged 47.5 years; issues worsen with age for 49%.

The transition is the consistent inflection point.

Popular doesn't mean effective

Cranberry juice: most used, least effective (59.3%).

A clear gap for better-evidenced options.

Read the abstract

Women's Health

Top-rated nutritional support for vaginal health

pH Hero® supports vaginal pH balance and common vaginal and urinary conditions - from dryness and discomfort to thrush, BV, and UTIs. This evaluation benchmarks it against all other management strategies in a 1,202-woman survey.

75 pH Hero® users (from 1,202 surveyed)

July 2024

Cross-sectional customer survey

79% effective (rated users)

39% extremely effective

75% responders within 4 weeks

Study Findings

Of 1,202 women surveyed, pH Hero® users were assessed for effectiveness, time to relief and symptom-level outcomes, benchmarked against creams/pessaries, supplements and cranberry juice.

The results?

78.7% of rated users found pH Hero® effective; its 38.7% extremely-effective rating was the highest top-box score of any remedy - ahead of creams and pessaries (33.8%) and far ahead of cranberry juice (7.4%). Relief spanned dryness, discomfort and itchiness alongside thrush, UTIs, BV and pH balance; 75% of responders noted benefit within four weeks.

What This Means

Highest top-box of any option

38.7% extremely effective - above creams/pessaries (33.8%).

And well above probiotics (16.2%) and cranberry juice (7.4%).

Acts on an upstream mechanism

26.4% reported improved overall pH balance.

A common upstream factor across UTIs, BV and thrush.

Spans chronic and recurrent

Dryness 31.9%, itchiness/discomfort 33.3%, thrush 26.4%, UTIs 25.0%.

Covering both daily-living symptoms and recurrent infection.

Read the abstract

Lifestages and changing needs

Younger Women

Middle Age Women

Postmenopause

Vaginal Flora Support

Probiotics help maintain balanced vaginal flora, protecting against infections like thrush and bacterial vaginosis, especially during menstruation and periods of stress.

Maintaining healthy vaginal pH and flora is essential during hormonal shifts related to perimenopause; Lactobacillus strains provide support to prevent infections.

Vaginal flora balance may be disrupted by declining oestrogen, increasing the risk of dryness and discomfort; probiotics help maintain healthy vaginal tissues.

Urinary Health

Occasional support is needed, particularly during times of stress or sexual activity when UTIs may be more frequent; Cranberry helps prevent bacterial adhesion.

Increased risk of urinary issues (e.g. UTIs) due to hormonal fluctuations and changes in vaginal pH; cranberry provides ongoing UTI prevention and supports urinary tract health.

Continued focus on preventing UTIs as the risk remains higher postmenopause due to vaginal atrophy; Cranberry support remains beneficial for urinary health.

Gut Health

Probiotics support gut flora balance, helping to maintain healthy digestion and immune function during busy, active years; Lactobacillus strains are needed for gut health.

Gut microbiome may fluctuate due to hormonal changes in perimenopause, requiring probiotic support to maintain digestive balance; probiotics aid in nutrient absorption.

Probiotic support is crucial to sustaining gut health and immune function as digestive efficiency declines with age; it is beneficial for reducing constipation and promoting regularity.

Hydration and Mucosal Health

Sea Buckthorn supports the hydration of vaginal and mucosal tissues, protecting against dryness, especially in those with physically demanding lifestyles.

Hydration becomes more critical as vaginal and urinary tissues become drier due to hormonal decline; Sea Buckthorn helps maintain moisture levels.

Stress and Immunity

Probiotics and botanicals like Parsley help boost immunity and manage stress in high-pressure environments, supporting.

Stress management becomes essential, and probiotics combined with botanicals help support immune and stress.

Continued probiotic and botanical support promotes stress resilience and protects against immune decline as the body ages.

Vaginal Flora Support

Younger Women Probiotics help maintain balanced vaginal flora, protecting against infections like thrush and bacterial vaginosis, especially during menstruation and periods of stress.

Middle Age Women Maintaining healthy vaginal pH and flora is essential during hormonal shifts related to perimenopause; Lactobacillus strains provide support to prevent infections.

Postmenopause Vaginal flora balance may be disrupted by declining oestrogen, increasing the risk of dryness and discomfort; probiotics help maintain healthy vaginal tissues.

Urinary Health

Younger Women Occasional support is needed, particularly during times of stress or sexual activity when UTIs may be more frequent; Cranberry helps prevent bacterial adhesion.

Middle Age Women Increased risk of urinary issues (e.g. UTIs) due to hormonal fluctuations and changes in vaginal pH; cranberry provides ongoing UTI prevention and supports urinary tract health.

Postmenopause Continued focus on preventing UTIs as the risk remains higher postmenopause due to vaginal atrophy; Cranberry support remains beneficial for urinary health.

Gut Health

Younger Women Probiotics support gut flora balance, helping to maintain healthy digestion and immune function during busy, active years; Lactobacillus strains are needed for gut health.

Middle Age Women Gut microbiome may fluctuate due to hormonal changes in perimenopause, requiring probiotic support to maintain digestive balance; probiotics aid in nutrient absorption.

Postmenopause Probiotic support is crucial to sustaining gut health and immune function as digestive efficiency declines with age; it is beneficial for reducing constipation and promoting regularity.

Hydration and Mucosal Health

Younger Women Sea Buckthorn supports the hydration of vaginal and mucosal tissues, protecting against dryness, especially in those with physically demanding lifestyles.

Middle Age Women Hydration becomes more critical as vaginal and urinary tissues become drier due to hormonal decline; Sea Buckthorn helps maintain moisture levels.

Postmenopause Hydration becomes more critical as vaginal and urinary tissues become drier due to hormonal decline; Sea Buckthorn helps maintain moisture levels.

Stress and Immunity

Younger Women Probiotics and botanicals like Parsley help boost immunity and manage stress in high-pressure environments, supporting.

Middle Age Women Stress management becomes essential, and probiotics combined with botanicals help support immune and stress.

Postmenopause Continued probiotic and botanical support promotes stress resilience and protects against immune decline as the body ages.

How diet impacts stress

Foods to reach for

Foods to avoid

Learn More

pH Hero®

Our nutritionists chose the two species most abundant in healthy vaginal flora: L. crispatus and L. reuteri. They added three more supporting strains providing a combined 20 billion CFU, a dose backed by research. This means every strain doing a job that makes a difference.