Your vaginal health encompasses not only your vagina but your urinary tract (bladder and urethra), too. Like your gut, these areas are teeming with bacteria, fungi, archaea, and eukaryotes1. In a healthy vaginal microbiome, these microbes work together to maintain a balanced pH (around 4 to 4.5) that’s not hospitable to harmful bacteria like E. coli and fungi like yeast.
It’s when our microscopic good guys are outnumbered by bad guys that problems can occur. Periods of high stress, certain medications, and hormonal changes can all throw off your vaginal microbiome and leave it more susceptible to intruders. Once you have an overgrowth of bad bacteria, you’ll start to notice issues like unusual discharge, odors, and irritation.
There are a few stages of life when people are more susceptible to suboptimal vaginal balance. For instance, estrogen shifts during one’s cycle can negatively affect the vaginal microbiome, as can hormonal changes during menopause. Postmenopausal women may also find it harder to maintain vaginal health due to weakening muscles in the bladder and pelvic floor.
Vitamins and supplements can be helpful in restoring balance in this sensitive region.* Some of the ones with the most research behind them include:
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