B vitamins: their benefits for vaginal health

Though it is often assumed there is just one type of vitamin B, there are actually eight distinct forms. Collectively termed vitamin B complex, these eight molecules play numerous roles within the body. They are primarily involved in the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats and proteins. In February, we discussed their additional benefits for reducing the risk of dementia. More recently, a study has revealed the positive role they play in vaginal health¹. According to the researchers involved, supplementation with B vitamins may represent an adjuvant therapy for certain vaginal infections such as complicated vulvovaginal candidiasis. Let’s take a look at their findings.

The benefits of vitamin B supplementation for treating complicated vulvovaginal candidiasis

Knowing the crucial role played by B vitamins within the body, the scientists behind this research were focusing on their potential benefits for vaginal health. Their study set out to test the vitamins’ efficacy in helping to treat complicated vulvovaginal candidiasis, a fungal disease that causes inflammation in the vulva and vagina. A total of 159 patients were divided into three groups and treated as follows:

• group A - with suppositories plus oral antifungal agents;
• group B – with suppositories plus vaginal cream;
• group C – with suppositories plus vaginal cream plus oral vitamin B complex.

After four weeks’ treatment, the researchers measured various parameters such as vaginal secretion, histopathological changes in vaginal tissue and expression of inflammatory factors. The results of these first tests confirmed the benefits of vitamin B supplementation in enhancing treatment for complicated vulvovaginal candidiasis. The therapy prescribed for group C - with the additional vitamin B supplementation - was found to be more effective than that given to groups A and B, suggesting that the B vitamins act as an effective adjuvant to medical treatment.

The efficacy of supplementation with B vitamins

Having established this adjuvant role for vitamin B complex, the researchers then went on to evaluate the most effective dose for improving treatment of complicated vulvovaginal candidiasis: 50 μL, 100μL or 150μL. For this, they measured the effects of supplementation in 80 mice given fluconazole-based treatment, a synthetic antifungal prescribed for candidiasis. They found a dose-dependent effect – the higher the B vitamin dose, the more the inflammatory response was inhibited and the greater the efficacy of the antifungal treatment. These additional findings provide confirmation of the efficacy of vitamin B supplementation in enhancing fluconazole-based treatment.

These two studies confirm the benefits of vitamin B supplementation for vaginal health. It seems to be particularly helpful in boosting the therapeutic effects of fluconazole, a drug prescribed for vaginal candidiasis. Supersmart have developed a wide range of vitamin B supplements, including the complete formulation: Coenzymated B Formula.

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> Source :
1. Mei-Guo Suna, Ying Huangb, Yuan-Hong Xub, Yun-Xia Caoa, Efficacy of vitamin B complex as an adjuvant therapy for the treatment of complicated vulvovaginal candidiasis: An in vivo and in vitro study, Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy, Volume 88, April 2017, Pages 770–777.