Certain vitamins and supplements can help improve vaginal dryness—a common condition where the vaginal tissue becomes thin and dry.
Vaginal dryness is caused by low estrogen levels in your body, as estrogen helps keep the tissue of the vagina lubricated and healthy. Vaginal dryness can lead to itching, pain, or light bleeding, especially after intercourse. Menopause, some medications, childbirth, and smoking can lower your estrogen levels.
Vitamin D is an antioxidant naturally found in foods and obtained through direct sunlight. The vitamin helps support vaginal health in a few ways:
- Supports healthy vaginal tissue: Vitamin D is essential for cell growth throughout the body, including vaginal tissue.
- May help maintain the acidity of the vagina: A healthy vaginal pH is generally acidic, with a pH around 4. Keeping the pH around this level helps prevent infection and irritation.
- May ease vaginal dryness: Researchers have found that vitamin D supplementation can improve vaginal dryness and moisture in menopausal women.
More research is needed to determine the best vitamin D dose for vaginal dryness. The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for vitamin D ranges from 15-20 micrograms (600-800 International Units [IU]) in adults. The tolerable upper limit for adults is 100 micrograms (4,000 IU).
If your vitamin D level is very low, your doctor may prescribe much higher doses. Higher doses of vitamin D can cause side effects like nausea, vomiting, and headache.
Vitamin D is found naturally in fortified dairy products and fatty fish. Supplements are available in pill, liquid, and gummy form. Some studies also used vitamin D vaginal suppositories. However, these are not commercially available for purchase.
Vitamin E is an antioxidant that helps repair skin cells. Studies have found that the vitamin may also improve lubrication (moisture) and vaginal dryness, especially after menopause.
Vitamin E is available in many forms, including as a pill, liquid, gummy, and suppository. Many vitamin E and vaginal health studies use a suppository or cream that is directly inserted or applied to the vagina. More research is needed on how well taking vitamin E by mouth improves vaginal dryness.
Vitamin E is naturally found in nuts, seeds, and vegetable oils. The RDA in adults for vitamin E is 15 milligrams (19 milligrams if you are lactating). Most vitamin E supplements provide over 67 milligrams, much higher than the RDA. The tolerable upper limit for vitamin E in adults is 1,000 milligrams. High doses of vitamin E can raise your risk for bleeding.
Sea buckthorn (Hippophaë rhamnoides) oil is a traditional Asian medicine commonly used as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory supplement. Here are a few ways the oil may improve vaginal dryness:
- Provides a good source of fatty acids: The fats and vitamins found in sea buckthorn oil are known to help with vaginal dryness.
- May improve vaginal tissue: One study gave postmenopausal women 3 grams of sea buckthorn daily for three months. They found that their vaginal health and tissue slightly improved, but there was not a significant improvement in vaginal dryness.
- May relieve itching and dryness: Some research found that participants reported improvement in vaginal health, itching, and dryness after 12 weeks of sea buckthorn oil.
More research is needed to understand the role sea buckthorn oil may play in treating vaginal dryness symptoms.
Sea buckthorn is available as an oil taken by mouth or a cream applied to the skin. The supplement may raise your risk for bleeding.
Probiotics are live microorganisms that support beneficial bacteria in the body, offering several health benefits. They may help with vaginal dryness by improving the “good” bacteria found there. Here’s how probiotics might help:
- Restores “good” bacteria: Lactobacillus is the most common bacteria found in the vagina, and helps with tissue moisture and acidity. Keeping a consistent amount of lactobacillus bacteria is necessary for ideal vaginal health.
- Helps maintain estrogen levels: Estrogen is also important in keeping “good” bacteria in the vaginal area. As your estrogen levels lower, taking a probiotic may help keep the levels normal.
Probiotics can be taken by mouth as a supplement or inserted directly into the vagina as a suppository. You can also get probiotics through fermented foods like yogurt and kimchi.
If you have a weakened immune system, your doctor may not recommend that you use probiotics. This includes if you have received a transplant, cancer treatment, or are taking high-dose steroids.
Talk to your doctor before beginning any supplements for vaginal dryness. They can help you decide which product is best for you based on your symptoms, medical history, and other medications you are taking. Your doctor may also prescribe a medication, like estradiol, to help with dryness.
Other ways to improve your vaginal health include:
- Avoid irritants: The vagina can become irritated by scented soaps, detergents, perfumes, and lotions. Products like douches can also cause irritation.
- Avoid smoking: Cigarette smoke affects the amount of “good” bacteria in your vagina and the overall health of the vaginal lining.
- Use lubricants: Using lubricants or vaginal moisturizing creams can help treat dryness. Using a lubricant during intercourse can also help with pain.
- Make changes to your diet: Soy contains substances called isoflavones, which act like estrogen in the body. Eating foods high in soy may improve dryness. This includes soy milk, tofu, and edamame.
- Talk to your doctor about your medications: Medications like antidepressants and drugs for blood pressure can also cause vaginal dryness. Talk with your healthcare provider to see if your medications may be making your symptoms worse. If that is the case, they may recommend an alternative drug you can switch to.
Vaginal dryness can be irritating and uncomfortable. The discomfort can affect your quality of life. As soon as vaginal dryness begins to affect your lifestyle, you should see your healthcare provider.
See a doctor, such as a gynecologist (a medical doctor specializing in the female reproductive system), if you have one or more of the below symptoms:
- Vaginal dryness
- Soreness
- Burning
- Itching
- Pain during intercourse that does not get better with a water-based lubricant
Your doctor can also evaluate you to make sure you do not have an infection or some other underlying condition. Appropriate treatment usually helps relieve vaginal dryness.
Vaginal dryness is a common condition that can affect your quality of life. Certain vitamins and supplements, like probiotics, seabuckthorn oil, and vitamins D and E, can help improve vaginal dryness.
Talk to your doctor before beginning any supplements for vaginal dryness. They can help you decide which product is best for you based on your symptoms, medical history, and other medications you are taking.
