Diluted apple cider or other vinegar is commonly used as a local management strategy or treatment for bacterial vaginosis (BV), yeast infections, and other vaginal microbial imbalances.
Treatment methods include apple cider vinegar baths, direct vaginal treatment via tampons or douches, and may extend to drinking ACV daily as a tonic.
Studies into using ACV vaginally – or lack thereof
Using apple cider vinegar (ACV) vaginally hasn’t been studied, despite a long traditional use by humans for everything under the sun.
We’ve found some research to back up the use of ACV as an antimicrobial and immune modulation tool, but beware – we don’t know how this works in the vagina! Use at your own risk and never use undiluted apple cider vinegar in your vagina.
Many of the studies into apple cider vinegar are lab studies (in vitro) or in animals (in vivo) and it’s unclear how they apply to vaginas. But, we reckon everything is worth a try.
Please see your healthcare professional if your symptoms don’t go away – you may need more help than humble apple cider vinegar can offer.
ACV as an antimicrobial agent
ACV has antimicrobial properties against different species, affecting several elements of a microbe that disable or kill. The dilution matters – some microbes succumb to weaker dilutions than others.
In a lab study into Braggs apple cider vinegar1, the minimum dilution to restrict the growth of specific microbes was:
- Candida albicans – undiluted (5 per cent acidity)
- Staphylococcus aureus – 50:50 dilution (2.5 per cent acidity)
- Escherichia coli – 1:50 dilution (0.1 per cent acidity)
It is believed that ACV causes certain responses in human cells, too, in particular, stimulating an anti-inflammatory effect. Considering both yeast and BV cause inflammation, promoting an anti-inflammatory action is beneficial.
The science stuff
The study1 showed that ACV suppresses cytokines and improves phagocytic responses in human cells.
Cytokines circulate to trigger the inflammatory response in various tissues, and phagocytic refers to phagocytes, which are cells that eat up bacteria and dead cells. Disruptive microbes were significantly impaired after the introduction of ACV.
ACV damages microbial cell integrity, including damaging structural and metabolic proteins, and nuclear material.
Other studies show that when taken orally, ACV can modulate certain aspects of the immune system and has a positive impact on the gut microbiome and digestive system cells.
Why we use ACV for vaginal infections
There are many types of vinegar, with apple cider vinegar being one of the most popular ‘healthy’ kinds of vinegar, especially if it still includes what’s known as the ‘mother’. The ‘mother’ is the unfiltered sediment that contains a lot of the beneficial enzymes and other elements of ACV.
Benefits of using ACV as a vaginal douche
- Acidic pH – 4.2 (healthy vaginal pH is 3.5-4.5, often above 4.5 in BV and other infections/imbalances)
- Antimicrobial activity
- Antifungal activity
- Anti-inflammatory effect
- Cheap
- Very accessible in supermarkets globally
- Easy to apply as a douche, a soaked tampon or in a bath
What are the active ingredients in apple cider vinegar?
- Acetic acid
- Flavanoids (gallic acid, tyrosol catechin, epicatechin, benzoic acid, vaninilin, caftaric acid, coutaric acid, caffeic acid and ferulic acid)
- Apple polyphenol
When ACV isn’t strong enough – what next?
Depending on your vaginal infection, apple cider vinegar may not be strong enough by itself. It’s not safe for protective vaginal flora to be douching regularly with any substance, so if your symptoms persist, get an at-home vaginal microbiome test and book with a My Vagina naturopath for support. We know how to treat yeast effectively and can help.
References
- 1.Yagnik D, Serafin V, J. Shah A. Antimicrobial activity of apple cider vinegar against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans; downregulating cytokine and microbial protein expression. Sci Rep. Published online January 29, 2018. doi:10.1038/s41598-017-18618-x
Specially formulated probiotic for vaginal application to promote a healthy vaginal microbiome.
Unique, comprehensive BV, AV and 'mystery bad vag' treatment guide, one-of-a-kind system, with effective, innovative treatments.
