Vaginal health; not too long ago, this was a very taboo and not talked about subject. In fact, I don’t think many of us had any idea that vaginal health is something that we should be concerned with.
Over the last few years, I’ve watched as more and more information came out about vaginal health, specifically, the health of our vaginal microbiome. This came on the heels of an intense focus on our gut health and gut microbiome.
As science, technology, and information become more prevalent and detailed, we now know far more about our bodies and how to keep them healthy and protected.
My husband, Alex, and I have been taking Seed Probiotics for a couple of years now (and our kids take Seed kids probiotics) so when they launched their new vaginal probiotic, VS-01, my interest was piqued.
In this article, I’m going to share my reasons for trying VS-01, what happened, and whether or not this is a supplement that I plan to continue using.
Rating Seed VS-01 Vaginal Probiotic
Seed's VS-01 is a revolutionary product for women. Too few of us focus on our vaginal health, instead suffering with embarrassing problems that we're constantly trying to mask. Thanks to VS-01, maintaining a healthy, balanced vaginal microbiome is simple and completely pain-free.
Discount Code: FHM20
Brand
Seed is a highly trusted brand. They have some of the most legitimate science and evidence I have ever seen. What I love most about Seed is that they don’t offer a million products, they focus on one product at a time and do it better than their competitors. Currently, Seed has 3 products (DS-01 probiotics, PDS-01 kid’s probiotics, and VS-01 vaginal synbiotics.)
Customer Service
I have been a Seed customer for a couple of years now. I have never had a problem with a Seed product, shipping, or the ability to contact the company. Seed has a 30-day risk-free guarantee on its products. I have not had to use this, however, it’s a sign of a great company.
Effectiveness
After using VS-01 for the last two months, I have definitely noticed a difference in my vaginal health. It can be hard to quantify “results” for products such as this, and transparently, I wasn’t experiencing any vaginal health-related issues prior to taking VS-01. That being said, I feel “cleaner” and have peace of mind that my vaginal microbiome is optimized and doing what it should be.
Side Effects
VS-01 is administered via a vaginal suppository, any side effects I noticed can be attributed to the delivery method. Using a suppository is fairly simple and straightforward, however, if it is a new concept for you, you might notice some discomfort with insertion. You may also notice that some of the product “leaks” out, which is the main side effect I experienced while taking VS-01, although this was very minimal.
Value
VS-01 is not a cheap product, but it is HSA/FSA eligible. The upfront cost is $99 to get started with your 2-month starter kit. After that, it’s $39.99 per month, which is reasonable and justifiable, especially when you understand the science and innovation that Seed delivers.
Use coupon code: FHM20
What Is VS-01?
VS-01 is a vaginal synbiotic made by Seed, a leader in the probiotics industry. This product is the first of its kind vaginal probitoic suppository clinically validated to optimize the vaginal microbiome.
VS-01 contains Lactobacillus crispatus, the most important strain for vaginal protection, according to Seed. This particular strain is native to the vagina and has been identified as critical to the stability, resiliency, and protection of the vaginal microbiome. In addition to Lactobacillus crispatus, over 1,000 microbial strains are present in VS-01.
VS-01 is a synbiotic product meaning that it contains both probiotics, prebiotics, and postbiotics, working together to provide a holistic optimization of the vaginal microbiome.
Aside from the unique blend of probiotic, prebioric, and postbiotic strains, another unique feature of VS-01 is the fact that its delivery is via vaginal suppositories. The suppository adds an extra layer of effectiveness as you are quite literally delivering the product to the exact place that it needs to go vs taking an oral probiotic and wondering if it ever reaches the vaginal microbiome.
Why Use a Vaginal Probiotic?
According to Seed, 9 out of 10 women have unstable vaginal microbiomes, which seems like a compelling enough reason to use a vaginal probiotic. Common symptoms of an unstable vaginal microbiome include vaginal odor, itching, and irritation.
Our day-to-day lives can easily be the cause of our vaginal microbiome disruption. Common everyday things that can cause disruptions include:
- Your period
- Diet
- Stress
- Exercise
- Clothing
- Sex
- Birth control
- Cleaners
- Tampons
- Etc.
Unfortunately, these factors can cause you to experience unwanted symptoms that can disrupt your life and your confidence in your body.
How Does VS-01 Work?
VS-01 works so well because Seed includes the most essential native vaginal microbe, L. crispatus. This specific strain has been connected to the stability, resiliency, and protection of the vaginal microbiome.
Your first purchase of VS-01 comes with a Starter Kit which contains two months' worth of vaginal probiotic suppositories. Your first month will be what Seed refers to as your “Reset” which is essentially where you’ll use the suppositories more frequently. Your Reset protocol has 6 suppositories.
For the first month, you’ll insert the first VS-01 capsule on day 1, which will be immediately after your period bleeding stops. Note, depending on where you are in your cycle, you may have to wait a bit before starting your Reset.
After your first suppository, you’ll use one again on days 4, 7, 14, 21, and 28. If you don’t have a regular cycle, you can begin your day 1 on any day and then just keep track of your days on a calendar. You are supposed to use all 6 of your tablets or stop when your period starts, whichever comes first. If you have a short or irregular period, you might not get to take all 6. If that’s the case, Seed recommends that you simply move forward with the next month of treatment.
Once you’ve done all 6 reset tablets, you will move on to the “Sustain” portion of your treatment. This will be your new monthly protocol and it contains just two tablets per month. You’ll use one tablet on the first day that your menstrual bleeding stops and then the second tablet on day 14 of your treatment cycle.
The Reset portion of your treatment is designed to be an intensive jumpstart that will infuse your vaginal microbiome with plenty of the good bacteria that it needs to thrive. By the time you move onto your second month and beyond, you will have already laid a healthy, balanced microbiome foundation and from there on it should be in maintenance mode.
Unique Features of VS-01
When I think of Seed, I think of science. Everything Seed does is backed by science and clinical research. Here are a few unique features of Seed’s VS-01 that help it to stand apart from the other vaginal probiotics on the market:
Probiotic Selection
VS-01 is the first and only vaginal synbiotic that’s clinically validated to optimize the vaginal microbiome with three different live L. crispatus probiotic strains.
Prebiotics
VS-01 is not just a probiotic, it’s a synbiotic, which means that it also contains prebiotics. From what I understand, prebiotics are what feeds probiotics, ensuring that they are in the ideal environment and have ample energy to thrive inside the vagina.
SMART Tablet ™ Delivery
Seed included a slow-release delivery system that’s engineered to maximize exposure and absorption within the vaginal walls. When compared to an oral vaginal probiotic or even other vaginal probiotics on the market, Seed’s VS-01contains the most effective delivery system.
Clinically Researched
Seed put VS-01 to the test, doing a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial that resulted in 90% of participants establishing an optimal vaginal microbiome that was dominated by L. crispatus. Additionally, the study found that there was a 10x increase in L. crispatus in study participants within 21 days and that 100% of participants maintained an optimal vaginal pH.
My Experience Using VS-01
I have used vaginal suppository products before, so the concept of inserting them wasn’t totally foreign or unfamiliar to me. That said, if you are new to suppositories, I understand that you might be feeling a bit intimidated or weirded out by them. If you’ve used a tampon, you can use a vaginal suppository! It’s very easy and painless if you do it correctly.
Your VS-01 kit will come with individually wrapped capsules as well as suppositories to insert them. When you’re ready to insert a tablet, you will pop the VS-01 tablet out of the container and place it in the applicator. The tablet will go in about halfway. When you’re ready, you will insert the applicator (with the tablet on the end) into your vagina the same way you would with a tampon. Once it’s in the right place, you will push the bottom of the applicator and it will release the tablet.
Once the tablet is released, you’re good to go! Dispose of the applicator and move on. Some women may experience some leakage from the tablet as it dissolves, however, I experienced very little of that.
When I ordered my VS-01 kit, I was approaching my period, so it timed up almost perfectly that I could go ahead and start my first tablet shortly after receiving my package in the mail. I would say the most difficult part was keeping track of what day I started the treatment on and then remembering to use the tablets each week for the first month. I ended up writing it all down on my calendar so I wouldn’t forget or miss a dose.
Once I got through the first 6 tablets as part of the “Reset,” using the monthly “Sustain” was easy. Again, to ensure that I don’t forget or skip a dose, I write it on my calendar. Over the course of the 3ish months that I’ve been using VS-01, I was off by a day or two a couple of times, but I don’t think it made a difference in my treatment.
My Results
I began my journey with VS-01 according to Seed’s recommendations. I used my first tablet on the first day after my period. Insertion was simple and pain-free. I didn’t notice that the capsule was there at all. I followed the protocol, using the remaining 5 capsules throughout the rest of the month.
By the end of my “Reset” month, I was feeling a lot fresher and more stable down there, although I hadn’t realized this was something I needed. I noted that my discharge was very white and was virtually scent-free. I also had an overall feeling of being cleaner and healthier. I like knowing that I am doing everything I can to improve my health from all angles.
Since starting the “Reset” pack, I have gone through two months of “Sustain” tablets and continue to have the same feelings of overall freshness, which is a feeling that I would like to maintain.
Final Thoughts
Overall, I am incredibly impressed with Seed’s VS-01. We were already big fans of the brand after seeing such great results using Seed’s DS-01 probiotics. In fact, Alex shared his experience with using Seed probiotics in a recent post. Trying Seed’s new vaginal probiotic was a no-brainer for me.
Vaginal health problems are very embarrassing and still a bit taboo to talk about, however, I am grateful that women have so many more options to treat symptoms discreetly these days. I would recommend VS-01 as part of every woman’s daily health and wellness routine, but specifically, if she were dealing with any kind of symptom related to unbalanced pH, I have no doubt the VS-01 will help.