Blog · Ingredient science
Lactobacillus Crispatus: What the Research Used and What LCr86 Is in FemiPro
Lactobacillus crispatus is a bacterium that dominates the vaginal community in many women. FemiPro lists strain LCr86 first among five probiotic strains, sharing a 50 mg blend, so it weighs at most 50 mg. No CFU count is printed. Trials of L. crispatus used other strains, given vaginally.
Written by the FemiPro label deskUpdated · 4 min read
The bacterium01
What is Lactobacillus crispatus?
Lactobacillus crispatus is one of several lactic acid bacteria found in the vagina of healthy women. A sequencing study of 396 asymptomatic North American women found five community groups, four of them dominated by L. iners, L. crispatus, L. gasseri or L. jensenii (Ravel et al. 2011, vaginal microbiome).
So crispatus is common, but it is one of several normal patterns. The same study found that group frequencies and vaginal pH differed between ethnic groups, which warns against calling one pattern the right one.
The study describes normal variation. It is not a trial of a supplement, and it does not show that swallowing a strain changes what lives in the vagina or bladder.
The trials02
Have trials tested Lactobacillus crispatus?
Yes, but the trials used a vaginal product with a different strain, not an oral capsule. A phase 2b trial of 228 women gave L. crispatus CTV-05 (Lactin-V) vaginally after treatment for bacterial vaginosis. Recurrence by week 12 was 30% versus 45% on placebo (Cohen et al. 2020 NEJM, Lactin-V and bacterial vaginosis).
A second trial gave the same vaginal product to 100 premenopausal women with recurrent UTI. Infections recurred in 15% versus 27%, a gap that was not statistically significant (Stapleton et al. 2011, L. crispatus and recurrent UTI).
The gaps between those trials and a swallowed capsule are wide. Each difference in the table below could change the result, and a label cannot close them.
| Point | Trials | FemiPro |
|---|---|---|
| Strain | CTV-05 | LCr86 |
| Route | Vaginal | Swallowed capsule |
| Dose | Set by the product | No CFU count printed |
| Outcome | Bacterial vaginosis; recurrent UTI (not significant) | No trial of the capsule |
The FemiPro strain03
What is LCr86 in the FemiPro capsule?
LCr86 is the label's name for the Lactobacillus crispatus strain in FemiPro, listed first in a 50 mg probiotic blend. It shares that blend with L. acidophilus LA88, L. plantarum N13, L. gasseri LG08 and L. casei LC16.
Lines are listed by weight, so the first strain weighs at most 50 mg and the average of the five is 10 mg (21 CFR 101.36, supplement labeling). A gram of culture can hold billions of organisms, but the label prints no CFU count, so the number of living bacteria per capsule is unknown.
Take a worked case. If LCr86 took a fifth of the blend, it would weigh 10 mg. If it took half, it would weigh 25 mg. The label fits both, and in neither case does it tell you how many living cells that is.
Effects are strain-specific. NIH says a benefit from one strain does not carry over to others, and for most conditions researchers do not know which probiotics help or how much to take (NCCIH, Probiotics: usefulness and safety). A result for CTV-05 does not transfer to LCr86 by name.
FemiPro: from $49 a bottle30 capsules · 1, 3 or 6 bottles · free US shipping · 60-day money-back guarantee
See packsThe claim04
Does a crispatus capsule give microbiome balance?
No trial shows that FemiPro balances the microbiome. The front of the label says "Microbiome Balance*", and the asterisk points to the FDA statement. Nobody has measured a change in bacterial communities after taking this capsule.
It helps to separate the claim from the capsule. Balanced vaginal bacteria are a real research topic, and some women do well with a crispatus-dominated community. A product claim needs a product trial, and the product here has none.
The nearest urinary evidence is an association review, which suggests certain Lactobacillus species may help maintain a healthy bladder environment. It does not show that swallowing probiotics changes urinary symptoms (Govender 2019, urinary microbiome and UI).
- Label front“Bladder Control Support*”Structure/function wording, allowed with the FDA asterisk. FDA did not review it, and no trial of FemiPro was found. (21 CFR 101.93, structure/function claims)
- Label front“Microbiome Balance*”Five Lactobacillus strains share 50 mg, with no CFU count. Probiotic effects are strain-specific, and no human trial of these strain codes was found. (NCCIH, Probiotics: usefulness and safety)
- Label front“Healthy Urinary System*”Cranberry has the most research: it cut repeat UTIs in trials of women prone to them. That is infection prevention, not bladder control, and it does not treat an infection. (Cochrane 2023, cranberries for preventing UTIs) (NCCIH, Cranberry)
- Supplement Facts“UTI Herbal Blend”A blend name, not a treatment. A urinary tract infection needs a clinician and usually antibiotics. (CDC, UTI basics)
- Sales page“targets the harmful bacteria that can cause sudden urinary leaks”Most leaks come from a weak pelvic floor (stress leaks) or an overactive bladder (urge leaks). An infection can cause sudden urges, and needs a clinician, not a supplement. (NIDDK, Urinary Incontinence (definition and facts)) (CDC, UTI basics)
- Sales page“scientifically proven”The sales page cites no study, and we found no published trial of the product. Health claims need competent and reliable scientific evidence. (FTC, Health Products Compliance Guidance)
- Sales page“100% Satisfaction 60-Day Money Back Guarantee”A 60-day money-back guarantee from purchase. Call the desk with the order ID first; return postage is on you. (FemiPro sales page)
Claims as printed on the label and the sales page (FemiPro sales page). Health claims need competent and reliable scientific evidence, generally human trials of the same product (FTC, Health Products Compliance Guidance).
Keep taking prescribed medicine. NIH notes risk is higher in people with severe illness or weakened immune systems (NCCIH, Probiotics: usefulness and safety), and the label asks anyone with a known medical condition to consult a physician. Read the FemiPro probiotic blend page for the full strain list.
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FAQ05
Lactobacillus crispatus questions, answered
Is Lactobacillus crispatus a probiotic or part of the normal flora?
It is both. L. crispatus lives in the vagina of many healthy women, and it is also sold in supplements. A supplement strain is a particular culture, not a copy of any one person's flora.
Does oral L. crispatus reach the vagina?
The sources used here do not show it for the FemiPro strain. The trials placed the product in the vagina directly. Whether a swallowed strain colonizes is not answered by them.
What does a CFU count tell you?
It tells you how many living bacteria a capsule held at the stated time. FemiPro prints none, so you cannot compare it with a trial product or judge strength at the expiry date.
Who wrote this06
Written and reviewed by
Pages built from the label, the sales page and linked NIH, FDA, FTC and peer-reviewed sources.
Last updated . Read our editorial standards and how we check reviews. This website is run by a U.S. stocking partner for FemiPro, not by the manufacturer or the label's distributor. We earn money when you buy through our order links.
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More about FemiPro
U.S. stocking partner for FemiPro
Ready to try FemiPro?
Check your medicines first, then pick a pack. Every pack ships free in the US, six bottles cost the least per bottle, and each order carries the 60-day money-back guarantee.
- Secure checkout
- 60-day money-back guarantee
- Ships from the U.S.