Hello, my name is Tori, and I am a doctor of physical therapy who specializes in pelvic
dysfunction, which means I treat things that can go wrong around the pelvis.
Back in 2019, I made a video discussing chronic yeast infections where mentioned using boric
acid suppositories as a potential treatment option, and have since received questions
and requests surrounding boric acid and its relationship to vaginal health.
In today’s video, I want to first discuss what a healthy and unhealthy vaginal environment
looks like, so that we can make sense of the potential therapeutic uses of boric acid.
We’ll then discuss what boric acid is, how it works, and outline important safety considerations,
before finally discussing how to use it and what to expect.
Before we get started, I am so excited to announce that today’s video is sponsored
by Nutrablast’s Boric Life boric acid vaginal suppositories and their at home vaginal pH
test strips. I am excited to be working with this company because a video focused on education
and empowering their potential consumers with as much information as possible was just as
important to them as it is to me. We’ll get into more product details later on in
the video, but, if after watching this video, speaking with a trusted healthcare provider,
and doing your research, you feel boric acid may be a helpful intervention for you, you
can use the link in my description to get 20% off of your first order with Nutrablast!
Our vaginas have a microbiome, or a community of microorganisms, that maintain a specific
type of vaginal environment that keeps us safe and healthy—just like the microbiome
in our guts! We know that humans have a very unique vaginal environment compared to other
animals.
Human vaginas are naturally acidic. To remind you, pH is the measure of acidity and basicity.
It is scaled 0—14, where 7 is considered neutral, <7 is acidic, and >7 is basic. To
better understand the scale, think of vinegar, water, and milk of magnesia. Vinegar is acidic,
it has a pH of 2.5. Water is neutral, it has a pH of 7. Milk of magnesia is basic, it has
a pH of about 10.5. Vaginas, as we mentioned, are naturally acidic, and have a normal pH
value that can range from 3.5 - 4.5.
It is the vaginal microbiome—specifically a type of bacteria known as lactobacilli—that
maintain this acidic environment. And, while science isn’t entirely sure, the general
hypothesis is that the acidic vaginal pH and the microorganisms that maintain it help to
protect vaginas against opportunistic infections—like yeast infections and bacterial vaginosis—and
keep vaginas healthy.
Now that we’ve discussed what a healthy vaginal environment looks like, let’s talk
about how a change in that environment can lead to an unhealthy vagina.
Yeast infections are caused by fungi—microorganisms generally known as candida. Candida can live
in the vaginal microbiome without causing any harm. However, if left unchecked, Candida
can be opportunistic, which means a small, symptomless colonization can turn into a large,
symptomatic infection.
The same is true of bacterial vaginosis. BV is caused by bacteria—and while we do not
fully understand its pathology, we do know that it is associated with a depletion of
lactobacilli and a higher, or more basic, vaginal pH, which seems to give otherwise
harmless but opportunistic bacteria, like the better known Gardnerella vaginalis, a
chance to grow from that small, symptomless colonization to that large, symptomatic infection.
We know that symptoms of these infections can include foul odor, itching, and irritation—and
that sometimes those symptoms can be present before an infection is detectable, or without
an infection altogether. Either way, these infections and symptoms are due to an imbalance
in the vaginal environment.
A quick note on vaginal odor—it is important to me that you know that I am talking about
a foul, fishy, or yeasty odor when I say “vaginal odor.” Normal vaginas sweat, which means
normal vaginas have their own unique and perfectly healthy smell, just like armpits.
What can affect the vaginal microbiome? Using scented soaps or body wash around the vagina
can introduce unwanted chemicals. The same is true of certain lubricants as well as scented
tampons, wipes, pads, and feminine sprays. Douching can also significantly alter your
vaginal bacteria. Antibiotics can change the environment because they kill both bad and
good bacteria, which means they can kill good vaginal lactobacilli. Sex can affect the vaginal
environment—humans have different microbiomes living on their skin, and exposing the vagina
to another persons’ bacteria can alter it. If you’re having unprotected heterosexual
sex, semen has a higher pH of 7-8, and that could affect your vaginal pH. If you think
about menstruation, the same is true of blood—it also has a higher pH of around 7.4, which
means leaving a tampon in for too long could also affect your vaginal pH. Finally, hormones
are very much worth considering. Whether your hormones are being altered by the natural
flow of your cycle, birth control, or menopause—anytime there is less estrogen in your body, you tend
to be more vulnerable to vaginal infections, because we think less estrogen is tied to
fewer lactobacilli in the vagina.
All of this to say, a balanced vaginal pH is super important for a maintaining a healthy
vagina. That’s where boric acid comes in.
Boric acid is an odorless white crystal, and, when it is used as a vaginal suppository,
it is ground into a powder. It has antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral properties.
Boric acid suppositories have been used for over a hundred years to treat vaginal infections.
And, while its mechanism of action remains unknown, we do have some hypotheses.
We think boric acid may be effective in treating yeast infections because of its antifungal
properties and its acidic nature—we imagine it might kill off the unwanted yeast while
optimizing vaginal pH.
We think it may be effective in treating bacterial vaginosis because of its antibacterial properties
and again because of its acidic nature—usually, when someone has BV, their vaginal pH is too
basic, or higher than that 3.5-4.5 range. We imagine boric
acid might kill off the unwanted bacteria while optimizing the vagina’s pH.
And, when someone has foul odor, itchiness, or irritation but no present infection, we
think its acidic nature may help restore that optimal vaginal environment and encourage
the good bacteria in the microbiome to flourish.
Now that we’ve talked about what boric acid is and how it might work, it’s important
that we discuss its safety, its potential side effects, and who should and shouldn’t
use it.
While boric acid suppositories, like many supplements, are not FDA-approved, many, many
studies have proven them to be a safe, alternative, and economic option for people with vaginas,
and I’ve seen them used safely and successfully in the clinic many times.
That being said, there are some potential side-effects worth considering. The most common
side-effects include: vaginal discomfort, a mild burning sensation after inserting the
suppository, redness, watery vaginal discharge, and a sandy/gritty sensation in the vagina.
Some women report mild cramping and bleeding, but intense cramping and bleeding are not
normal, and if this happens you should stop using boric acid and consult with your physician.
You should NOT use boric acid suppositories without first consulting with a healthcare
provider who you know and trust, or if you are pregnant or breast-feeding, have pelvic
inflammatory disease, or anything else listed on the screen. Boric acid is safe to use inside
of your vagina, but is not safe to eat. Do not ingest boric acid.
Finally, be sure to talk with your healthcare provider about any other medicines or supplements
you are taking, especially anything containing estrogen or magnesium, before using boric
acid suppositories.
Alright! Let’s finally talk about how to use boric acid suppositories and what to expect
when using them. If you and your physician decide that boric acid is a good intervention
for you, purchasing boric acid suppositories online can save you time and money.
However, if you decide to purchase online, it is important to choose a company that uses
medical grade boric acid, and offers the correct amount of the product, which is 600mg of boric
acid per suppository.
Boric Life is routinely tested for efficacy and quality control by a certified and reputable
third-party testing laboratory. It is also manufactured in an FDA registered and inspected
facility. Nutrablast uses vegetable capsules, and Capsugel’s patented natural colorants
to write “Boric Life” on their suppositories, making their product natural, vegan, and vegetarian
friendly. Finally, they offer their customers an “it works or it’s free” policy—which
means if Boric Life or the vaginal pH test strips don’t work for you, Nutrablast offers
a 100% money back guarantee.
So, should you decide to use boric acid suppositories, I want to share a few considerations with
you: make sure you wash your hands before inserting
your boric acid suppository inserting the suppositories with your finger
is a perfectly effective strategy, it may feel better to use some lubricant or oil to
aid in the ease of insertion When inserting, be sure you push the suppository
as deep into the vagina as you comfortably can—as sometimes the redness and burning
side-effects we discussed earlier are due to too shallow of insertion
inserting the suppositories at night so that they stay in place, and, finally, making sure
that you wear underwear with a panty liner to bed can be really helpful, as you may experience
that watery vaginal discharge we talked about
If you’re interested in testing your vagina’s pH to get a pulse on the health of your vagina,
consider Nutrablast’s pH testing strips. To use these,
again, make sure you wash your hands, and that you and your vagina are dry—remember
that water has a neutral pH and it can throw off your test results. Rip a strip off, spread
your vaginal lips, and touch the strip against the inside wall of your vagina. Alternatively,
you can use a q-tip to swab the inside wall of your vagina and then rub the q-tip against
the strip. then, simply read the results!
Don’t forget, if you want to give either of these products a try, click the link in
my description to get 20% off of your first order with Nutrablast.
On that note, thank you all so much for watching! I am so honored to be making requested content,
and I can’t believe I am doing my first sponsored video! If you found this video helpful
please like it and share it. Feel free to comment any questions, requests, or anything
else below, I try really hard to read and respond to all of my comments. Don’t forget
to check meowt on instagram and, finally, please subscribe to my channel for more content
about not only pelvic things, but also life things.
Thank you so much again for watching. I hope you have a wonderful rest of your day, and
I will see you in the next video. Bye!