Kourtney Kardashian's vaginal health gummies could be 'misleading' say experts

Kourtney Kardashian has launched a range of vaginal health gummies and unsurprisingly they are causing quite the stir online.

The 43-year-old reality TV star has recently moved into the world of wellness, creating a range of supplements, called Lemme, with the most recent release, Lemme Purr, claiming to boost the health of your vagina.

Sharing a promotional video of herself trying the gummies to Instagram, in the accompanying caption Kardashian went on to detail some of the perceived benefits of taking them.

"Vaginal health is such an important part of a woman’s overall well-being (and not talked about enough) which is why we are so excited to launch this!" she wrote.

"Give your vagina the sweet treat it deserves (and turn it into a sweet treat). You know what they say… you are what you eat," the post continues.

"We combined real pineapple and Vitamin C with the power of clinically-studied SNZ 1969™ probiotics to target vaginal health and pH levels that support freshness and taste."

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Unsurprisingly, the upcoming launch has been somewhat divisive with some experts not convinced about the health claims of the gummies.

"If you think you have a health condition, consult an expert not a Kardashian," Dr Jen Gunter, a gynaecologist and author of The Vagina Bible wrote on Instagram.

Dr Gunter also has some doubts about whether pineapple can in fact change the taste of the vagina."That pineapple myth needs to die," she wrote. "It’s a myth and one of the reasons I had to include a chapter on food in The Vagina Bible."

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Can gummies really improve the health of your vagina?

In order to ascertain whether we should be taking gummies to boost our down-there health, Dr Melanie Bone, an OBGYN on the medical board of gynaecological health research company Daye, says it is important to understand exactly what we mean when we talk about vaginal health.

"Your vaginal microbiome is made up of a delicate balance of millions of bacteria," she explains. "When that balance is disrupted, you're more at risk of contracting vaginal infections like thrush, Bacterial Vaginosis (BV) and sexually transmitted diseases/infections (STDs/STIs)."

Dr Bone says the Lemme Purr gummies contain probiotics, and probiotics have been clinically proven to boost good bacteria and encourage a healthy microbiome.

"However, it's important to note that not all probiotics are the same, and some are proven to be more effective than others," she adds.

While some have been lab-tested to confirm that the strain of probiotics used can survive in the acidic environment of both the gut and the vagina that is not always the case.

Dr Bone says certain probiotics have been developed specifically to increase the ratio of good bacteria in the vaginal canal, strengthening the overall health of the vaginal microbiome.

"You can take them vaginally if you struggle with recurring vaginal infections, but you can also take them orally as a form of maintenance," she adds.

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Though it's clear that some probiotics could be a good thing for the vagina, Dr Bone says there are other claims that are very "misleading".

"The messaging and marketing around the Lemme Purr gummies suggest that they have been designed to improve the taste of your vagina with the help of ingredients such as pineapple," she explains. "There is absolutely no validated clinical data that suggests you can, or should, alter the way your vagina tastes.

"This narrative can be harmful, as the vagina is entirely self-cleaning, and any changes in odour can often be a sign of infection," she adds.

So do we actually need vitamins/supplements like these gummies to strengthen our vaginal health?

"Probiotics can be a great way to proactively boost the amounts of good bacteria in your vaginal microbiome, especially when recovering from an infection or while taking a course of antibiotics," Dr Bone says.

"That being said, it's not the only thing you can do – eating a balanced high-fibre diet is also really important and should not be underestimated."

And what of the suggestion that the gummies can alter the taste of the vagina?

"It has not been clinically proven that it is possible to alter the taste of your vagina," Dr Bone adds. "Your vagina is perfect just the way it is, and you shouldn't buy into misleading messaging like this, which brands use more often than not to boost sales."

A post shared to Lemme's Instagram says: "We scientifically formulated our vaginal health gummy with a clinically-studied dose of SNZ 1969™ probiotics, clinically shown to support a healthy vaginal microbiome and healthy pH levels.

"Our probiotic strain is not only tested to support healthy levels of good vaginal bacteria but also survive the harsh gut environment."

Yahoo UK have contacted Lemme for comment.

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Top tips for good vaginal health

Though we might not need gummies to improve our vaginal health, there are lots of things we can do to look after this part of our body, starting with a balanced diet.

"You should look to include lots of fibre and should also think about adding fermented foods for an extra boost of good bacteria," Valentina Milanova, founder of Daye, explains.

"Keeping your vagina clean and dry is also super-important. Wearing cotton underwear is best, as synthetic materials can trap heat and moisture, encouraging bacteria to grow."

Milanova recommends changing your underwear every day, twice a day, if you exercise.

She also advises being proactive about noticing any changes in your vaginal health and seeing your GP if you're concerned about any unusual symptoms.