Effect of Hifas Intima Oral on Vaginal Microbiota in Healthy Women

Open-label Clinical Trial to Evaluate the Effect of the Hifas Intima Food Supplement on the Vaginal Microbiota of Healthy Women

The goal of this clinical trial was to learn whether the vaginal microbiota changed after healthy women aged 18 to 45 years took Hifas Intima, an oral food supplement, for 3 months. The study also evaluated changes in vaginal pH and vaginal health and collected information about adverse events, tolerability, adherence, and participant satisfaction.

The main questions it aimed to answer were:

Did the composition of the vaginal microbiota change after participants took Hifas Intima for 3 months? Did vaginal pH or vaginal health change during the study? What medical problems or tolerability issues did participants have while taking Hifas Intima? How closely did participants follow the supplementation schedule, and how satisfied were they with the supplement?

All participants received Hifas Intima. The study did not include a placebo or another comparison group.

Participants were asked to:

Take one capsule of Hifas Intima by mouth once daily for 12 weeks Attend one study visit before starting supplementation and another visit after 3 months Provide vaginal samples at both visits to assess the vaginal microbiota Undergo gynecological assessments, including measurement of vaginal pH and vaginal health Have a urine pregnancy test at both visits Report medical problems and provide information about tolerability, adherence, and satisfaction with the supplement

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Microbiota; Vaginal Microbiome; Vaginal Microbiota
• Intervention / Treatment: Dietary supplement: Hifas INTIMA Oral

Detailed Description

This was a prospective, single-center, single-group, open-label, pre-post interventional study conducted at Instituto Palacios, Salud de la Mujer, in Madrid, Spain. The study enrolled 30 women aged 18 to 45 years who were asymptomatic or had nonspecific vaginal symptoms and who did not have a diagnosed specific vaginal infection. Women receiving treatment for a vaginal infection or using probiotics at enrollment were excluded.

After providing written informed consent and meeting the eligibility criteria, all participants received one capsule of the oral food supplement Hifas Intima once daily for 12 weeks. The study did not include randomization, placebo, an active comparator, or masking.

Participants attended a baseline visit and a follow-up visit after 12 weeks. Vaginal samples were collected at both visits. Vaginal microbiota composition was assessed using next-generation sequencing to determine the relative abundance of vaginal microorganisms, including clinically relevant Lactobacillus species such as Lactobacillus crispatus, Lactobacillus gasseri, and Lactobacillus jensenii. Vaginal pH and vaginal health, assessed using the Vaginal Health Index, were also measured at both visits.

The primary objective was to evaluate changes in vaginal microbiota composition from baseline to 12 weeks. Secondary objectives were to evaluate changes in vaginal pH and vaginal health and to assess adverse events, tolerability, adherence to supplementation, and participant satisfaction.

Because all participants received the same intervention and there was no comparison group, outcomes were evaluated by comparing each participant's follow-up measurements with her baseline measurements.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 30
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Spain
  • Madrid
    • Madrid, Madrid, Spain, 28009
      • Instituto Palacios, Salud y Medicina de la Mujer

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Female participants aged 18 to 45 years
• Able and willing to provide written informed consent, participate in the study, and follow the study supplementation schedule and procedures
• No symptoms, or only nonspecific symptoms not attributed to a diagnosed vaginal infection

Exclusion Criteria:

• Unexplained vaginal bleeding
• Suspected or diagnosed cancer
• Known intolerance, allergy, or hypersensitivity to any component of Hifas Intima Oral
• An immunosuppressive disorder or human immunodeficiency virus infection
• Current use of probiotics by any route of administration
• A diagnosed specific vaginal infection or current treatment for a vaginal infection
• A poorly controlled chronic noncommunicable disease, such as diabetes mellitus, Hashimoto thyroiditis, or heart disease
• Pregnancy or planning to become pregnant
• Premature menopause

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Other
• Allocation: N/A
• Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

1

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Intervention / Treatment

Experimental: Hifas Intima Oral; Participants received one capsule of Hifas Intima orally once daily for 12 weeks. All participants received the same intervention. No placebo or active comparator was used.

Dietary supplement: Hifas INTIMA Oral; Participants took one capsule of Hifas Intima orally once daily, on an empty stomach before a main meal, for 12 weeks. Each capsule contained Ganoderma lucidum fruiting body powder 200 mg; Salvia lavandulifolia leaf and stem dry extract 53.33 mg, providing 8 mg of ursolic acid; D-mannose; inulin 45 mg; Lactobacillus acidophilus La-14® 8 × 10^9 colony-forming units; vitamin C 12 mg; Lactobacillus crispatus 1 × 10^9 colony-forming units; Lactobacillus gasseri 1 × 10^9 colony-forming units; Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus HN001™ 2 × 10^9 colony-forming units; and vitamin A 121 micrograms.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change from baseline in the relative abundance of Lactobacillus crispatus in the vaginal microbiota	Vaginal samples were collected at baseline and week 12 and analyzed using next-generation sequencing. The relative abundance of Lactobacillus crispatus was expressed as the percentage of the vaginal bacterial community assigned to this species. Change was calculated as the week 12 percentage minus the baseline percentage and was expressed in percentage points. Positive values indicate an increase in relative abundance.	Baseline and week 12
Change from baseline in the relative abundance of Lactobacillus gasseri in the vaginal microbiota	Vaginal samples were collected at baseline and week 12 and analyzed using next-generation sequencing. The relative abundance of Lactobacillus gasseri was expressed as the percentage of the vaginal bacterial community assigned to this species. Change was calculated as the week 12 percentage minus the baseline percentage and was expressed in percentage points. Positive values indicate an increase in relative abundance.	Baseline and week 12
Change from baseline in the relative abundance of Lactobacillus jensenii in the vaginal microbiota	Vaginal samples were collected at baseline and week 12 and analyzed using next-generation sequencing. The relative abundance of Lactobacillus jensenii was expressed as the percentage of the vaginal bacterial community assigned to this species. Change was calculated as the week 12 percentage minus the baseline percentage and was expressed in percentage points. Positive values indicate an increase in relative abundance.	Baseline and week 12

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change from baseline in Vaginal Health Index score	Vaginal health was assessed using the Vaginal Health Index, also referred to in the protocol as the Bachmann Vaginal Health Index. The total score ranges from 5 to 25, with higher scores indicating better vaginal health. Change was calculated as the week 12 total score minus the baseline total score. Positive values indicate improvement.	Baseline and week 12
Participants with adverse events	The number and percentage of participants who experienced one or more adverse events during the supplementation period were assessed. Adverse events were collected at the week 12 visit and were to be described according to their nature and severity.	From the first dose through week 12
Participant-Reported tolerability	Tolerability was assessed at week 12 using a study-specific yes-or-no assessment. The number and percentage of participants who reported that the supplement was tolerable were summarized. Discontinuations attributed to poor tolerability were also recorded.	Week 12
Adherence	Adherence during the 12-week supplementation period was assessed using the participant medication diary and returned product packaging. The diary and returned packaging were reviewed at the week 12 visit to determine whether participants followed the prescribed once-daily supplementation schedule.	From the first dose through week 12, assessed at week 12
Participant satisfaction	At week 12, participants rated their overall satisfaction with Hifas Intima Oral using a 7-point Likert-type scale. Scores ranged from 1 to 7, with higher scores indicating greater satisfaction with the supplement.	Week 12

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Hifas da Terra S.L.
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Santiago Palacios Gil-Antuñano, Instituto Palacios, Salud y Medicina de la Mujer

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): June 11, 2025
• Primary Completion (Actual): March 17, 2026
• Study Completion (Actual): March 17, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: July 15, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 15, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): July 20, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): July 20, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 15, 2026
• Last Verified: July 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Dietary supplement; Vaginal pH; Women's health; Vaginal microbiome; Lactobacillus crispatus; Vaginal Health Index; Lactobacillus gasseri; Oral probiotic supplementation; Lactobacillus jensenii
• Other Study ID Numbers: HIFAS-2025-001

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO
• IPD Plan Description: No individual participant data will be made available. The study protocol did not establish a prospective plan, repository, data dictionary, access criteria, or governance process for sharing participant-level data with external researchers. Study data will be maintained confidentially and handled in accordance with applicable data-protection requirements. Only aggregate, non-identifiable study results may be reported.

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No