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When your vaginal pH level is off, you may notice unusual odors and discomfort. Pills to help balance your vaginal pH levels vary in price and probiotic strains.
- Best overall: Renew Life Women’s Care Probiotic
- Best customer rating: HUM Nutrition Private Party
- Best for preventing infections: Wisp Reproductive Probiotics
- Best vegan formula: Uqora Promote
- Best comprehensive probiotic: Love Wellness Good Girl Probiotics
- Best multi-strain probiotic: OLLY Happy Hoo-Ha Capsules
Vaginal health is important. Regardless of what age you are, you want to make sure that you’re taking proper care of your “down there” area. One way to do that: pH balance pills.
If you’ve never heard of these capsules before, keep reading to find out what they are, if you should take them, and our top picks for the best ones.
To choose the best pH balance pills to feature in our list, we took some factors into account:
- Customer reviews. We only included options that had primarily positive ratings and reviews from customers. While different supplements work for different people, we made sure to heavily research every pick.
- Price. We made sure to include a variety of options at different price points.
- Vetting. Every product included in our roundups have been vetted for medical and business standards. This ensures that we’re only including items that are trustworthy and accessible.
A note on safety
It’s not unusual for supplements, including pH balance pills, to not have approval or authorization yet from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). If you have any doubts about introducing a supplement into your diet, talk with your primary care doctor to make sure it’s safe to do so.
Pricing guide
- $ = under $20
- $$ = $20–$30
| Product | Ingredients | Dose | Customer rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Renew Life Women’s Care Probiotic | • 25 billion live probiotic cultures • 12 probiotic strains | 1 capsule 1x day | 4.6 stars/5 |
| HUM Nutrition Private Party | • cranberry proanthocyanidins • L. acidophilus, L. rhamnosus | 1 capsule 1xday | 4.8 stars/5 |
| Wisp Reproductive Probiotics | L. acidophilus | 1 capsule 2xday | 4.8 stars/5 |
| Uqora Promote | • L. acidophilus • L. rhamnosus • L. reuteri | 1 capsule 1xday | 4.7 stars/5 |
| Love Wellness Good Girl Probiotics | • L. acidophilus • L. rhamnosus • L. gasseri | 1 capsule 2xday | 4.8 stars/5 |
| OLLY Happy Hoo-Ha Capsules | • L. acidophilus • L. rhamnosus | 1 capsule 1xday | 4.4 stars/5 |
PH is a measurement of how acidic or alkaline (”aka basic“) something is. The scale runs from 0 to 14. The pH balance of your vagina can help determine whether or not it’s healthy. A healthy vaginal pH level is between 3.8 and 4.5. However, a healthy pH level will vary based on your age.
During your reproductive years from ages 15 to 49, your vaginal pH will typically be at or below 4.5. Before menstruation and after menopause, a healthy pH will be higher than 4.5.
An acidic vagina means that it’s more protective. It creates a barrier that prevents unhealthy bacteria and yeast from multiplying too quickly and causing infection.
Having a vaginal pH level that’s above 4.5 puts you at risk of several infections, like:
- bacterial vaginosis (BV)
- trichomoniasis, or trich
An unbalanced pH level can be caused by:
- sex without a condom or other barrier method
- antibiotics
- douching
- menstrual periods
- anything unsanitized that’s put into the vagina
- any product that contains vinegar
PH balance pills can help balance vaginal pH levels. When your vaginal pH level is off, you may notice an unusual odor, itchiness, and general discomfort, along with yeast or bacterial vaginosis infections. Taking pH balance pills can help maintain good levels of healthy and unhealthy bacteria.
PH balance pills typically contain probiotics. These are living microorganisms that, when ingested, can provide certain health benefits. Probiotics have been found to help with:
- gut and digestive health
- lowering inflammation
- managing depression and anxiety
- immune function
- skin health
- aging support
Different probiotics affect different parts of the body. Specifically, Lactobacillus acidophilus has been found to help prevent and treat vaginal imbalance issues.
However, more research is needed to conclude how effective probiotics are in changing vaginal pH balance.
While probiotics have been found to improve gut health, experts are still
Probiotics have been found to help with a myriad of health concerns, from bloating to irritable bowel syndrome. Probiotic supplements, in particular, contain multiple strains of bacteria species. The recommended daily dosage ranges from 1 billion to 10 billion colony forming units (CFUs).
According to Harvard Medical School, vagina owners may benefit from prebiotics if they have BV or a yeast infection, thanks to the introduction of lactobacilli. But there isn’t a ton of concrete data that supports this.
The only proven treatments for BV and yeast infections are antibiotic and antifungal treatments.
Should you still choose to try out pH balance pills, it’s a good idea to talk with your doctor before introducing any supplements into your diet. They can look at your medical history and help you decide whether or not it’s a good idea.
You can start off with a lower dose of CFUs and work your way up once your body adjusts to the supplements. Also, according to a
Do vagina owners need to take pH balance pills?
No, pH balance pills are definitely not a necessity for vagina owners. However, you may want to try them out to see if they help if you frequently experience:
- UTIs
- yeast infections
- general discomfort
- itching
- odor
How can I maintain a healthy pH?
Some of the best ways to maintain a healthy vaginal pH are:
- Use a condom or other barrier method when you have sex. Not only will it protect you from sexually transmitted infections (STIs), a condom can prevent alkaline semen from disrupting your vaginal pH level.
- Don’t douche. Your vagina is self-cleaning, meaning that there’s no need for you to use any tools or extra products.
- Visit an OB-GYN, who can perform regular exams to make sure your vagina is healthy.
When should I visit a doctor?
Visit an OB-GYN for yearly check-ups. Also, it’s a good idea to schedule an appointment if you have:
- itching
- burning
- foul odor
- unusual discharge
pH balance pills can be beneficial for maintaining a healthy vaginal pH level. They aren’t an absolute must-have for vagina havers, but they may be helpful if you frequently experience:
- yeast infections
- UTIs
- bacterial vaginosis
If you have concerns about introducing a supplement into your diet, talk with a doctor about your vaginal health prior to doing so.
Melissa Lee is a market wellness editor at Healthline. She’s based in Pittsburgh, PA. When she’s not trying out new skin care or researching wellness product trends, she can be found buying books to add to her TBR pile. Follow her on Instagram.