Nutrient Intake Influences Vaginosis Incidence

TUSCALOOSA, Ala.Higher intakes of certain nutrients, including folate, vitamin E and calcium, may reduce the incidence of severe bacterial vaginosis (BV) in women, while higher fat intake may raise BV incidence. Researchers from the University of Alabama sought to determine the association between diet and the presence of BV, a condition of altered vaginal flora that is associated with adverse reproductive health, in a subset of 1,521 women (86 percent black women) from a larger study about vaginal flora. Out of the cohort, 42 percent had BV, and 14.9 percent had severe BV. Higher consumption of dietary fat was significantly associated (OR 1.5) with BV incidence; severe BV was associated with total fat (OR 2.3), saturated fat (OR 2.1) and monounsaturated fat (OR 2.2). Significant inverse associations (OR 0.4) were seen between severe BV and intakes of folate, vitamin E and calcium.

The study appeared in the Journal of Nutrition (2007;137:2128-33).