Vitamin C for BV: A Breakthrough Study?

Author: Jessica Lloyd
Senior Naturopath | BHSc(N) | ISSVD, ISSWSH, BSSM, ATMS

Last reviewed: July 22, 2025

Researchers investigated the use of silicon-coated vitamin C for treating bacterial vaginosis (BV) in a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial.

Dose and treatment regimen in vitamin C treatment

A dose of 250mg of vitamin C (ascorbic acid) was given to women with BV, to insert vaginally for six days, once per day.

Vitamin C for BV: does it work?

There were several results categories.

BV was resolved in 55% of the treatment group and in 26% of those given the placebo.
In the per-protocol (PP) population, the cure rate was 66% for the vitamin C group and 27% for the placebo.
In a subset of patients with centralised evaluation of the vaginal swab, the cure rate in the treatment group was 86% with vitamin C and 8% in the placebo group.
A subset of patients underwent centralised evaluation of the vaginal swab, with cure rates in the PP group at 86% with vitamin C and 6% in the placebo group.

Conclusion of the BV study

The researchers state that both vitamin C and placebo were well tolerated, and there was no difference in safety profile between the groups. Vitamin C coated with silicon was determined to be an effective and safe treatment/management strategy for BV.

References¹

1.
Petersen E, Genet M, Caserini M, Palmieri R. Efficacy of vitamin C vaginal tablets in the treatment of bacterial vaginosis: a randomised, double blind, placebo controlled clinical trial. Arzneimittelforschung. Published online November 27, 2011:260-265. doi:10.1055/s-0031-1296197