IngredientsLactobacillus crispatus is an aerotolerant, Gram-positive, catalase-negative, non-spore-forming, rod-shaped, lactic acid-producing bacterium. The species name derives from Latin crispatus, meaning "curled," referring to the shape of the bacteria.
Its full taxonomic lineage is: Domain (Bacteria); Phylum (Firmicutes); Class (Bacilli); Order (Lactobacillales); Family (Lactobacillaceae); Genus (Lactobacillus); Species: Lactobacillus crispatus.
The Lactobacillus genus was split up into 25 different genera in April 2020, but L. crispatus remains in the Lactobacillus genus and its name did not change.
L. crispatus was first isolated in 1953 by Brygoo and Aladame, who proposed it as a new species of the genus Eubacterium. In the 1970s, the type strain VPI 3199 (ATCC 33820) of L. crispatus (at the time still designated "Eubacterium crispatum") was deposited in the collection of the Anaerobe Laboratory, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (VPI), where it was identified as a Lactobacillus and characterized by Moore and Holdeman.
Addressing the problem of genetic heterogeneity among a vast number of strains identified as L. acidophilus based on phenotypic similarity, Johnson et al. performed DNA homology experiments on 89 previously proposed L. acidophilus strains and delineated six distinct homology groups. Only the strains pertaining to DNA homology group A1 were still designated L. acidophilus; strains in the homology groups A2, A3, A4, B1, and B2 were proposed to be distinct species and later reclassified as L. crispatus, L. amylovorus, L. gallinarum, L. gasseri, and L. johnsonii, respectively.
It is host-adapted and commonly found in the vagina and in the vertebrate gastrointestinal tract, and is thought to be beneficial to health. L. crispatus colonizes the human feces, human vagina, and the crops and ceca of chickens; comparative genomic studies have examined strains isolated from the human vagina (n=17), human feces (n=11), and chicken feces (n=9).
Research conducted by Giorgi et al. in 1987 suggested that the most common Lactobacillus in the human vagina is not Lactobacillus acidophilus, but rather Lactobacillus crispatus, Lactobacillus jensenii, and Lactobacillus gasseri. Additional studies confirmed that Lactobacillus crispatus is the predominant H₂O₂-producing Lactobacillus found in the vagina of a healthy woman.
L. crispatus is a type of probiotic ("good" bacteria) found naturally in the human body and is also found in fermented foods. Isolates of L. crispatus have been identified from fermented olives, and table olives are becoming recognized as a potential source of probiotic bacteria that might be used to create health-promoting fermented food products.
L. crispatus is a rod-shaped, Gram-positive facultative anaerobe. The species is obligate homofermentative, meaning it only produces one end product from its metabolism. The chromosome is circular with a length of 2,043,161 bases (2.04 Mb). The genome has 37% G+C content with no plasmids and contains 2,022 protein genes. There are also 76 RNA genes present, including 4 rRNA operons, 2 CRISPR loci, and 64 tRNA genes.
In phylogenetic analysis, the genomes of vaginal L. crispatus strains cluster separately from fecal isolates; however, human fecal-origin L. crispatus did not form a separate cluster from chicken isolates, suggesting that feces-derived strains have a closer genetic relationship to each other.
L. crispatus, as a specifically identified bacterial species, has no traditional or historical use in the sense that most botanical or chemical ingredients do. The organism was first isolated only in 1953. The specific clinical strain CTV-05, for example, is a naturally occurring organism isolated from the vagina of a healthy woman in 1993. Thus, all deliberate use of this organism in probiotic applications postdates its microbial characterization in the twentieth century.
L. crispatus, first described in 1953, is used as a probiotic. Its development as a deliberate therapeutic or supplement intervention followed decades of scientific investigation into the vaginal microbiome. More broadly, in the early 1930s, preparations containing L. acidophilus (a closely related organism with which L. crispatus was historically conflated) were used to alleviate constipation. The broader history of fermented milk consumption, within which various Lactobacillus species were unknowingly consumed, constitutes the only indirect historical precedent for this organism.
L. crispatus received in 2013 the Qualified Presumption of Safety (QPS) status from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), which allows its deliberate use in food and feed in Europe. Although L. crispatus does not ferment milk efficiently, it can survive in milk for up to one month at 4°C, suggesting its use as an adjunctive culture in dairy products with probiotic potential.
Unlike botanical supplements defined by phytochemical constituents, L. crispatus exerts its biological effects through multiple categories of bacterially-produced molecules and structural features. The principal classes are described below.
L. crispatus is a Gram-positive, facultative, anaerobic bacterium that produces both the L- and D-lactic acid isomers as its primary fermentation end-products. Although originally thought to lack the intrinsic ability to degrade glycogen without the help of host amylases, studies have now confirmed this metabolic capability in L. crispatus. As the human vaginal epithelium is glycogen-rich, L. crispatus likely derives the majority of its carbon and energy through the fermentation of glycogen, converting it ultimately into lactic acid.
D-lactic acid is more protective against vaginal dysbiosis than L-lactic acid. Its levels are highest when L. crispatus is the dominant species and lowest when L. iners, Gardnerella, or Streptococcus predominate. D-lactic acid inhibits Chlamydia infection through a pH-dependent effect on the vaginal epithelial cells and microenvironment. This conclusion arose from the significantly greater protection against chlamydia provided by L. crispatus, L. gasseri, and L. jensenii, which produce more D-lactic acid than L. iners, which produces predominantly L-lactic acid.
D-lactic acid prevents upper genital tract infection by modulating the L-lactic acid-induced production of extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer (EMMPRIN) from vaginal epithelial cells, and inhibiting the production of MMP-8. Lactic acid production lowers vaginal pH, often to levels less than pH 4.2, and this acidification of the vaginal microenvironment is one hypothesized means by which L. crispatus benefits the host.
Another powerful antimicrobial compound produced by certain vaginal microbiota-associated lactobacilli—namely L. crispatus and L. jensenii—is hydrogen peroxide, which is believed to counteract colonization of pathogenic bacteria, thereby exerting a protective role against bacterial infections of the human vagina. The CTV-05 strain is a facultative anaerobe, homofermentor of lactic acid, fastidious in its growth, and capable of H₂O₂ production.
The production of bacteriocins by lactic acid bacteria has been reported for several decades, and only recently the genetic determinants of bacteriocins produced by L. crispatus (LCB) have been characterized by in silico studies. A total of six putative bacteriocin-encoding genes/loci, named LCB 1 to 6, were predicted to be harbored by eight genomes of L. crispatus strains isolated from vaginal swabs. In addition, two bacteriocin-encoding gene clusters, termed LCB 7 to 8, were found to be located on the genomes of seven L. crispatus strains isolated from chicken fecal samples.
A study investigating the genomic relationships and bacteriocin diversity across 95 L. crispatus strains used BAGEL4 and core genome multilocus sequence typing (cgMLST) approaches to identify and characterize bacteriocin genes, revealing a high level of conservation of major bacteriocins among strains.
Dominance of L. crispatus species—producing D- and L-lactic acid, S-layer proteins, hydrogen peroxide, and bacteriocins—prevents pathobiont overgrowth, lowering the risk of upper genital tract infections. S-layer proteins (SLPs), expressed by some lactobacilli, form a 2D crystalline array on the cell surface that mediates interactions with other cells. Research published in Nature Communications has shown that vaginal lactobacilli associated with optimal health interact selectively with a restricted subset of anti-inflammatory receptors through their Surface Layer Proteins, both in vitro and in cervicovaginal fluids, correlating with lower maternal inflammation.
The adherence of L. crispatus to vaginal epithelial cells is thought to block adhesion of pathogens, although the role of adhesion to a rapidly shedding vaginal epithelium remains under investigation. Unlike most commercially available strains of Lactobacillus, CTV-05 adheres well to vaginal epithelial cells and is capable of colonizing the vaginal epithelium. Genomic analysis identified putative mucin-binding genes distinct to L. crispatus subspecies, and a higher number of strain-specific genes in L. crispatus related to cell wall biogenesis, carbohydrate and amino acid metabolism, many under positive selection.
The lactobacilli use the glycogen supplied by the host as a carbon source and create a protective environment against infections or colonization by pathogens and non-indigenous microbes by the production of L- and/or D-lactic acid, bacteriocins, hydrogen peroxide, competition for tissue adhesion, enhancement of the protective mucus layer integrity, and modulation of the innate immune system response.
Lactobacilli play key protective roles through different mechanisms: production of various antibacterial compounds (lactic acid, hydrogen peroxide, bacteriocins, and biosurfactants), co-aggregation, competitive exclusion, immunomodulation, and signalling between bacteria that can lead to down-regulation of toxin production in pathogens. Obligate intracellular pathogens, like C. trachomatis, use host integrins to attach and enter host cells; L. crispatus BC5 has been shown to interfere with this process by reducing the α5 integrin subunit exposure on the plasma membrane of cervical cells.
Bacterial vaginosis might increase HIV risk by eliciting genital inflammation and epithelial barrier disruption, whereas vaginal Lactobacillus crispatus is associated with immune quiescence and HIV protection. A clinical substudy found that LACTIN-V treatment was significantly associated with lower concentrations of the proinflammatory cytokine IL-1α.
Immune phenotyping identified three distinct cervicovaginal immune subtypes reflecting underlying microbial composition: a low-antibody type (LAT) characterized by Lactobacillus crispatus dominance and immune quiescence; a high-antibody type (HAT) with enhanced humoral activity; and an excessive inflammatory type (EIT) defined by elevated IL-8, C3b/iC3b, and prostaglandin E₂, signifying robust activation of innate inflammatory pathways.
The main conclusion of one in vitro study is that high concentrations of L. crispatus inhibit infectivity of C. trachomatis in vitro. There were significant differences between women with high compared to low E. coli inhibitory activity; high activity was associated with a predominance of L. crispatus, and culture supernatants from L. crispatus exhibited greater E. coli inhibitory activity compared to supernatants obtained from L. iners or G. vaginalis.
A widely used method of classifying vaginal sequencing data was described by Ravel et al., who used next-generation molecular sequencing techniques to characterize the vaginal microbiota of 396 asymptomatic North American women from four ethnic groups. The authors found that the vaginal communities clustered into five core vaginal microbiomes, termed community-state types (CSTs). Four of these CSTs, found in 73% of women tested, were dominated by different species of Lactobacillus: Lactobacillus crispatus (CST I), Lactobacillus gasseri (CST II), Lactobacillus iners (CST III), and Lactobacillus jensenii (CST V).
The human vaginal microbiota includes all microorganisms that colonize the vaginal tract. In this context, a vaginal microbiota dominated by Lactobacillus and specifically by Lactobacillus crispatus is considered a hallmark of health.
Important variation in CST prevalence has been documented across populations. Intra-continentally, vaginal microbiome signatures are reported to be significantly different between Black and Caucasian women, with women of African ancestry having the less well-defined heterogeneous bacterial CST deficient of Lactobacillus species (CST IV). Bacterial vaginosis affects 20–50% of general-population women in sub-Saharan Africa and increases the risk of HIV acquisition and transmission, accounting for up to 15% of HIV infections.
Background: Bacterial vaginosis (BV) affects more than 25% of women worldwide and often recurs after standard-of-care metronidazole (MTZ) treatment. BV is a condition characterized by a microbiota similar to CST-IV, vaginal pH greater than 4.5, and production of amino acid compounds, sometimes associated with clinical symptoms including discharge, fishy odor, and presence of clue cells.
Key clinical trial — Phase 2b RCT (LACTIN-V): LACTIN-V, a live biotherapeutic product (LBP) containing Lactobacillus crispatus strain CTV-05, significantly reduced recurrent BV in a phase 2b clinical trial, but efficacy was incomplete. By week 12, an L. crispatus-dominant microbiota was achieved in 30% of LBP recipients compared with 9% of placebo recipients (benefit ratio: 3.31; p < 0.005). This is primarily due to CTV-05, but native L. crispatus strains are also present and increase over time. Inflammatory cytokines decreased in both arms after MTZ but returned to baseline in placebo recipients.
In this phase 2b study, at 12 and 24 weeks after the initial LACTIN-V dose, participants experienced recurrence significantly less (15%) than the placebo group. LACTIN-V also led to a sustained increase in L. crispatus and a decrease in BV-associated organisms. In both of these studies, there were no adverse events linked to LACTIN-V supplementation.
Colonization dynamics: L. crispatus CTV-05 was detected in 79% (at week 12) to 84% of participants during weeks 4, 8, and 12, and in 48% of participants at week 24. In contrast, in the placebo group, L. crispatus CTV-05 was detected in only 2–6% of participants during weeks 4, 8, and 12, and 2% at week 24. Among participants with detectable L. crispatus CTV-05, the median concentration in the Lactin-V group ranged from 1.7×10⁶ to 6.2×10⁶ CFU per milliliter during the treatment phase through week 12.
Predictors of response: LACTIN-V appears to decrease BV recurrence only in women with clinical cure of BV following initial antibiotic treatment. Future trials of LBPs should consider limiting enrollment to these women. The LACTIN-V to placebo risk ratio of BV recurrence by 12 weeks was 0.56 (CI: 0.35, 0.77) among participants with initial clinical BV cure after metronidazole treatment.
Evidence strength: Moderate. The phase 2b randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial provides the strongest evidence to date. A reduction in BV recurrence was demonstrated in a well-characterized cohort. Limitations include relatively small sample size, the fact that overall efficacy was incomplete, and the requirement for prior clinical cure of BV with antibiotics for the intervention to be effective. Larger Phase 3 trials are ongoing.
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are common among women and frequently recur. Depletion of vaginal lactobacilli is associated with UTI risk, which suggests that repletion may be beneficial. A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of a Lactobacillus crispatus intravaginal suppository probiotic (Lactin-V; Osel) was conducted for prevention of recurrent UTI in premenopausal women.
Recurrent UTI occurred in 7/48 (15%) of women receiving Lactin-V compared with 13/48 (27%) of women receiving placebo (relative risk 0.5; 95% confidence interval, 0.2–1.2). This phase 2 trial showed a trend toward reduced UTI recurrence, but the confidence interval crossed 1.0, meaning the result did not reach conventional statistical significance.
A preceding Phase I safety trial established tolerability. Women were randomized to use L. crispatus CTV-05 or placebo vaginal suppositories daily for five days; 30 women were randomized. No severe adverse events occurred, and mild to moderate vaginal discharge and genital irritation were reported by women in both study arms. L. crispatus CTV-05 can be given as a vaginal suppository with minimal side effects to healthy women with a history of recurrent UTI.
Evidence strength: Preliminary. The phase 2 RCT showed a clinically meaningful numerical reduction in UTI recurrence, but the result did not reach statistical significance. The trial was likely underpowered. This area requires larger confirmatory trials.
Lactobacillus crispatus predominance in the female genital tract has been linked to protection against HIV acquisition, most likely due to direct anti-inflammatory effects or the competitive exclusion of proinflammatory BV-associated bacteria, or both.
A phase 2, randomised, placebo-controlled trial was conducted in South Africa in 45 Black South African women at high risk of HIV acquisition. Forty-five women were randomly assigned to receive LACTIN-V (n=32) or placebo (n=13). One woman in each group discontinued the trial during the intervention, and two discontinued during follow-up. No severe or serious adverse events were observed. Solicited adverse events occurred in 35 (78%) of 45 participants, with no significant difference by group.
Regarding Chlamydia: The main conclusion of an in vitro study is that high concentrations of L. crispatus inhibit infectivity of C. trachomatis in vitro. This finding remains in vitro only, with no confirmatory human trial data available to date.
Evidence strength: For HIV risk reduction, evidence is observational and early-phase clinical (Phase 2). The mechanistic rationale is well-supported by immunological data, but no definitive efficacy trial on HIV acquisition endpoints has yet been completed. The Chlamydia inhibition data is limited to in vitro studies.
A systematic review and network meta-analysis found that women presenting with "low-lactobacilli" vaginal microbiome were at increased risk (OR 1.69, 95% CI 1.15–2.49) for delivering preterm compared to Lactobacillus crispatus-dominant women. The network meta-analysis supports the microbiome being predictive of preterm birth, where low abundance of lactobacilli is associated with the highest risk, and L. crispatus dominance the lowest.
Several studies that focused on populations predominantly of European descent have associated Lactobacillus crispatus with a lower risk of preterm birth, and the finding was replicated in a cohort of predominantly African descent. Women who went on to deliver at term were more likely to exhibit L. crispatus predominance in the vaginal microbiome (p = 0.014), paralleling earlier observations.
Evidence from HIV-positive populations is more nuanced. Vaginal microbiota dominated by L. crispatus, although very uncommon among women with HIV and rare overall in one Zambian cohort, did not confer the anticipated protective effect against preterm birth as presented in other cohorts.
Microbiome communities with abundant L. crispatus likely contribute to the E. coli inhibitory activity of vaginal secretions, and efforts to promote this environment may prevent E. coli colonization and related sequelae including preterm birth.
Evidence strength: The association between L. crispatus-dominant microbiomes and lower preterm birth risk is well-supported epidemiologically (systematic review level). However, this is observational and does not establish causation. No completed randomized trial has tested whether deliberate restoration of L. crispatus dominance reduces preterm birth rates. Results may vary significantly by population and geographic context.
L. crispatus suppositories and vaginal capsules might help prevent bacterial vaginosis in people with recurring symptoms, but it is not clear if taking L. crispatus by mouth helps. Taking L. crispatus by mouth increases the levels of this bacteria in the gut and may help improve the health of the microbiome. However, there are many different factors that can affect whether a probiotic survives in the body. When taken by mouth or placed directly into the vagina, it may not always survive long enough to grow and multiply. As a result, its benefits are not well defined, and it is not clear whether oral L. crispatus can help with any health problems.
Evidence strength: Very weak. There is minimal or no clinical trial data specifically examining oral L. crispatus supplementation for gastrointestinal or systemic health outcomes. Oral use lacks the strain-specific, route-specific evidence that intravaginal use has generated.
Some strains are commercially available as a probiotic that can be used by women to maintain a healthy vaginal microbiota. The primary dosage forms used in clinical research are described below.
LACTIN-V, the most extensively studied product, contains Lactobacillus crispatus CTV-05 bacteria preserved by spray drying with a simple drying medium. The product is prepared as a powder in an applicator for intravaginal use.
Early studies of LACTIN-V administered the product in gelatin-coated capsules. LACTIN-V administered as a capsule has been tested in four trials (LV 001–004) with a dose level up to 5×10⁸ CFU/capsule.
A safety study evaluated doses of 150 mg (5.0×10⁸ CFU), 300 mg (1.0×10⁹ CFU), or 600 mg (2.0×10⁹ CFU) administered vaginally daily for 5 consecutive days.
In the Phase 2 BV prevention trial, LACTIN-V was administered at 2×10⁹ CFU/dose versus placebo, administered vaginally with a pre-filled applicator once daily for five consecutive days, followed by a weekly dose over two additional weeks after an initial standardized antibiotic treatment with 0.75% topical metronidazole (MetroGel).
In the South Africa HIV-risk trial, the study product was dosed daily for 5 days in week 1, then twice per week for an additional 3 weeks.
When taken by mouth, L. crispatus is possibly safe for most people. L. crispatus has been used safely in doses of up to 20 billion colony-forming units (CFUs) daily for up to 12 months.
These bacteria are sometimes added to fermented foods like yogurt and are also found in dietary supplements.
L. crispatus received in 2013 the Qualified Presumption of Safety (QPS) status from EFSA, which allows its deliberate use in food and feed in Europe. All species included in a 2023 review of fermented foods for BV had received a Qualified Presumption of Safety (QPS) status by EFSA.
Intravaginal route: In the Phase I vaginal suppository trial, there were no severe adverse events. Mild to moderate adverse events were relatively common; of those felt to be related to study drug use, abnormal vaginal discharge was the most frequently occurring, followed by external genital irritation and vaginal candidiasis.
In both the Phase 2a and Phase 2b BV trials, there were no adverse events linked to LACTIN-V supplementation.
Oral route: The most common side effects of taking L. crispatus by mouth are gas and an upset stomach.
Serious adverse events: Serious side effects are rare and include infections in some people who are at high risk of infections.
Probiotics are viable organisms, and therefore it is feasible that they could infect the host. Precaution is advised in the administration of probiotic organisms to some populations—specifically immunocompromised patients.
The Phase I UTI trial excluded women with: sexually transmitted infection or bacterial vaginosis, risk factors for STI and HIV, history of recurrent genital herpes, menses anticipated within ten days, pregnancy, lactation, recent antibiotic or antifungal use, diabetes or other immunocompromised state, drug or alcohol abuse, use of the NuvaRing (intravaginal hormonal ring), prior use of the study drug or allergy to any of its components, and abnormal initial pelvic examination. These exclusion criteria indicate populations in whom additional caution is warranted in the absence of clinical trial data.
Antibiotic treatment can substantially alter the efficacy of L. crispatus supplementation. Among women receiving LACTIN-V, those who had achieved post-antibiotic clinical cure of BV at enrollment reached higher levels of detectable L. crispatus CTV-05 compared to women failing to achieve post-antibiotic clinical cure. LACTIN-V appears to decrease BV recurrence only in women with clinical cure of BV following initial antibiotic treatment. Conversely, antibiotic use during supplementation is expected to reduce or eliminate colonization by the administered strain, as lactobacilli are susceptible to many common antibiotics.
Safety and efficacy data generated for the well-characterized strain CTV-05 are not necessarily transferable to other commercially available L. crispatus strains. Lactobacillus crispatus exhibits strain-specific diversity with important implications for host–microbe interactions and probiotic potential. E. coli inhibitory activity varied among different strains of L. crispatus.
Health conditions that Lactobacillus crispatus may help support.
Lactobacillus crispatus CTV-05 has some of the strongest specific clinical data for UTI and bladder health among probiotic strains. The EAU guidelines recommend it for recurrent UTI prevention. It is the dominant Lactobacillus in the healthy female urogenital tract and its depletion is strongly associated with UTI and OAB risk.
L. crispatus produces lactic acid, hydrogen peroxide, and antimicrobial peptides that inhibit Candida albicans growth and block the yeast-to-hyphae transition critical for virulence. In vitro studies show it reduces C. albicans adhesion to vaginal epithelial cells by ~42–53%. A 2025 randomized placebo-controlled trial of a multi-strain L. crispatus vaginal synbiotic demonstrated significant reduction of Candida alongside restoration of a healthy vaginal microbiome. Animal model data further support antifungal efficacy.
L. crispatus-dominant vaginal communities are associated with antiviral mucosal stability and lower HPV persistence. Observational data show that L. crispatus depletion at CIN2 diagnosis predicts significantly lower regression rates at 12 and 24 months. A 160-patient clinical study of oral L. crispatus M247 in HPV-infected women investigated eubiosis restoration and viral clearance. Mechanistically, L. crispatus suppresses HPV oncogene-related pathways and inhibits precancerous cervical cell proliferation in vitro.
L. crispatus actively suppresses vaginal mucosal inflammation via multiple mechanisms. Its surface layer proteins (SLPs) shield TLR ligands and interact selectively with the anti-inflammatory receptor DC-SIGN, reducing NF-κB activation and lowering pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β and IL-8. A 2022 Lancet Microbe RCT (LACTIN-V) demonstrated that vaginal L. crispatus CTV-05 significantly reduced IL-1α and the epithelial barrier disruption marker soluble E-cadherin.
Vaginal dominance by L. crispatus is associated with favorable gestational outcomes, including lower rates of preterm birth. A North Carolina cohort study (n=824 women) found high L. crispatus abundance significantly reduced preterm birth risk. A longitudinal Japanese cohort (Nature Communications, 2025) confirmed early-pregnancy L. crispatus dominance correlated with favorable gestational parameters. Depletion of vaginal L. crispatus is linked to spontaneous preterm birth, prompting active clinical trials of L. crispatus supplementation in high-risk pregnancies.
Preclinical evidence from a 2025 Journal of Biomedical Science study reports that oral L. crispatus (10⁸ CFU/day) significantly improved insulin sensitivity and reduced hepatic steatosis in a diet-induced cardiometabolic disorder mouse model — described as the first such report for this species. The mechanism is proposed to involve SLP-mediated epithelial barrier reinforcement and PPAR-γ upregulation reducing NF-κB–driven cytokine release. Human clinical evidence is not yet available.
Lactobacillus crispatus is considered one of the most protective vaginal Lactobacillus species during pregnancy; a dominant L. crispatus vaginal environment is associated with significantly reduced risk of preterm birth, bacterial vaginosis, and ascending infections. Its importance is supported by multiple observational cohort studies and emerging RCT data on vaginal probiotic interventions.
Lactobacillus crispatus is one of the four dominant species in the female bladder microbiome and is strongly associated with urinary tract health. Scientific research demonstrates it protects against uropathogenic E. coli by triggering type I interferon responses in bladder epithelial cells. Women with recurrent UTIs have markedly reduced bladder populations of L. crispatus compared to healthy controls. The European Association of Urology specifically recommends L. crispatus CTV-05 for prevention of recurrent UTIs.
Lactobacillus crispatus is a dominant native vaginal probiotic species associated with protection against urinary tract infections in women. Its presence in the vaginal microbiome is inversely correlated with UTI susceptibility. A clinical trial demonstrated intravaginal L. crispatus CTV-05 significantly reduced UTI recurrence in premenopausal women.
Lactobacillus crispatus is a dominant species in the healthy vaginal microbiome and has been clinically tested as a vaginal suppository (CTV-05 strain, Lactin-V) for prevention of recurrent UTI. A Phase I RCT demonstrated it safely colonizes the vagina and higher colonization rates correlated with fewer UTI recurrences. It is among the strains with the strongest emerging clinical evidence.
Lactobacillus crispatus is the dominant species in the most protective and stable vaginal microbiome community state type (CST I), producing lactic acid and hydrogen peroxide to maintain vaginal pH below 4.5. Clinical strain CTV-05 has been evaluated in randomized trials demonstrating effective vaginal colonization and prevention/treatment of recurrent bacterial vaginosis. A systematic review confirmed strains DSM and LMG S-29995 reduce BV symptoms and prevent recurrence.
Body systems that Lactobacillus crispatus may help support.
Go back