The Best Vitamins for Vaginal pH Balance

Diet and nutrition play a significant role in supporting our health and wellness, but did you know that they can also affect a certain balance in our bodies? We’re talking about pH balance — more specifically, vaginal pH balance. 

Understanding vaginal pH, including which vitamins for feminine pH balance to consider, can help you better support vaginal health as you approach menopause.

What is Vaginal pH?

The vagina has a unique pH that must be kept in balance in order to prevent certain symptoms such as itching, discharge, odor, irritation, or infection.

The vagina’s pH is acidic, ranging from about 3.8-4.5. The acidity of the vagina helps fend off certain harmful bacteria and other organisms that can cause irritation, infection and illness.¹ As estrogen levels decrease during menopause, the vagina’s pH balance becomes more alkaline, rising to about 6.5-7.0. This change from acidic to alkaline makes menopausal women even more prone to conditions like yeast infections and bacterial vaginosis (BV).²

In addition to lower estrogen levels during menopause, some of the things that can disrupt the delicate vaginal pH balance include:

• Douching
• Using products containing fragrance or other chemical irritants in the vaginal area
• Wearing tight and/or non-breathable types of clothing

Vaginal Dryness and Vaginal pH: What’s the Connection?

Anything that throws vaginal pH off balance can lead to symptoms such as burning, itching and dryness. Since vaginal dryness can already occur before, during and after menopause simply because of decreased estrogen levels, a disruption in vaginal pH may make dryness, and its associated symptoms, even more problematic.³

Vitamins for Vaginal Dryness and Supporting Female pH Balance

While it’s an unfortunate fact that many of the hormonal fluctuations experienced during menopause can impact vaginal health, including potentially increasing the risk for vaginal pH imbalance or vaginal dryness, there are steps (and supplements) you can consider taking to alleviate these conditions during menopause.

Some of the nutrients more specifically shown to help with vaginal dryness include:

Vitamin E

Vitamin E can be taken by mouth, as a dietary supplement, or used topically to help lubricate the vaginal or vulvar tissues. One study of postmenopausal women found that vitamin E suppositories helped relieve vaginal dryness and other symptoms associated with vaginal atrophy.⁴

Vitamin D

Like vitamin E, vitamin D can be taken orally, as a dietary supplement, or used vaginally in a suppository form, to alleviate vaginal dryness. A review and meta-analysis of six studies showed that both vitamin D supplements and suppositories could relieve dryness and improve overall vaginal health during menopause.⁵ Before considering this option, be sure to speak with your healthcare provider first, so you can determine the best, and safest treatment option for you.

Hyaluronic Acid 

Found naturally in the body, hyaluronic acid is a gel-like molecule that helps to moisturize the skin, cushion joints and more. When used internally or topically, hyaluronic acid can help to relieve vaginal dryness, itchiness and dryness — in menopausal women, without negatively impacting vaginal pH.⁶

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Which Vitamins Support Female pH Balance?

When taken as dietary supplements, some vitamins and minerals have been shown to be especially beneficial for helping to keep the vaginal pH balanced before, during and after menopause. These include:

Vitamin C

Research suggests that vitamin C tablets or suppositories inserted in the vagina can help lower vaginal pH.⁷ One randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial found that vitamin C vaginal tablets could help prevent bacterial vaginosis in women who are prone to it.⁸ Again, before considering vitamin C for its pH balance benefits, check in with your healthcare provider first, as a precaution.

Probiotics

Probiotics geared toward supporting vaginal health and female pH balance, contain “good” lactobacilli bacteria strains that work to produce hydrogen peroxide and lactic acid. Hydrogen peroxide and lactic acid help to maintain a low or acidic vaginal pH  and may also assist in reducing your risk of specific infections, like bacterial vaginosis, yeast infections and UTIs.⁹

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Garlic Pills

Garlic possesses potent antibacterial and antifungal properties, thanks to a phytoactive compound called allicin.¹⁰ One study found garlic tablets, when taken orally, can be helpful for to treating the symptoms of vaginal infections — with fewer side effects, however they’re not to be compared to the efficacy of antibiotics.¹¹ If you think you may have an infection or yeast infection, it’s important to not self-diagnose. Always check in with your healthcare provider before treating an infection to ensure you’re getting the appropriate treatment for the issue you’re seeking to treat.

Cranberry Supplements

The acidic nature of cranberries means they may help to support healthy vaginal pH levels. They also contain compounds called proanthocyanidins which may help to flush UTI-causing bacteria from the body.¹²

Choosing the Right Vaginal pH Balance Vitamins

When considering vitamins to support your vaginal pH, be sure to look for products from a reputable company along with supplements that contain meaningful amounts of the active ingredients. Also check with your healthcare provider or pharmacist about potential interactions with any medications you’re taking before adding anything new into your supplement routine.

Resources:

1. https://www.webmd.com/women/what-is-vaginal-ph-balance
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2398721/#:~:text=During%20premenopausal%20years%20vaginal%20luminal,to%20about%205.5%20(1).
3. https://www.insider.com/guides/health/conditions-symptoms/vaginal-dryness#:~:text=An%20upset%20in%20the%20vagina's,dryness%2C%20itching%2C%20or%20burning.
4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5114791/
5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6952708/
6. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33759670/
7. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16723311/
8. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3712888/
9. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/probiotics-for-vaginal-health/amp/
10. https://www.healthline.com/health/natural-remedies-to-restore-ph-balance#natural-remedies
11. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4166107/
12. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16055161/