Does Boric Acid Kill Probiotics? – Is It A Scam?

Boric Acid & Probiotic bacteria are often used for vaginal health.

In this guide, I am going to share my research on what happens when these two substances meet together.

In my final thoughts, I will share why I think it's all a bit of a scam.

Does Boric Acid Kill Good Probiotic Bacteria?

Not all good bacteria are the same and they are different in their genetic makeup. Certain probiotic bacterias like Bacillus Coagulans for example can withstand extreme conditions like boiling water. On the flip side, many different Lactobacillus bacteria will die quickly with high heat or types of acid.

Many oral probiotic supplements use capsules that are delayed released and claim to protect the probiotics from stomach acid protecting the bacteria on its journey to the large colon. Since Boric acid is highly toxic when taken orally, this sort of protection cannot be used.

When Boric acid is taken as a suppository there is nothing to protect the good bacteria from this acid and the billions of good probiotic bacteria in your vaginal flora will likely be destroyed quickly. 

After taking a boric acid suppository you may notice benefits with your vaginal issues but over time without the billions of good probiotic bacteria in your vaginal microbiome, issues could come back. I would suggest taking a probiotic supplement orally or eating fermented foods after taking Boric acid to rebuild your flora.

Can I Use Boric Acid And Probiotics Together?

Supplements containing both Lactobacillus Acidophilus and Boric together have gained popularity in recent years for issues like Bacterial Vaginosis, Yeast Infections, and more. Lactobacillus bacteria have been well studied for use in feminine health issues.

In my opinion, using boric acid and probiotics as a suppository isn't the best thing to do. Most probiotic strains will be killed off by the boric acid rendering them worthless and this can also happen with Oregano oil.

The exceptions are that some strains of Bacillus Coagulans may be able to survive but this strain has not been studied to show benefits for vaginal health. 

Finally, if you want to nourish the vaginal microbiome, the best way to do that is orally with fermented foods like kimchi, sauerkraut, kefir, or with supplements.

The bacteria in your gut will be able to multiply with the help of prebiotic fiber and then make their way to your vaginal microbiome via the gut.

One company that seems to agree with my theory is PeachLifeINC. They offer a bundle that includes boric acid suppositories and a 360-billion CFU probiotic capsule that contains;

This way, the boric acid can kill the bad bacteria at the source and the capsule can replenish your microbiome with good bacteria. Another brand called tsourcrew also has a similar bundle for sale with a lower 9-billion CFU count but they don't list what probiotic strains are included.

Boric Acid And Bacteria On Reddit

Over the years many different men & women have discussed the use of Boric Acid and Probiotics sometimes sparking interesting discussions. 

Just 1-year ago In /r/HealthyHooha, a user by the name of eventures12 wanted to know if Boric acid would kill off the good bacteria needed to prevent BV. They said they understood that Boric Acid resets your pH and that they use it 2-3 times per week but their BV kept recurring.

The top-rated reply from TheLastUnicorn80 stated that Boric acid cannot tell the difference between good and bad bacteria and that acid destroys the biofilm of microorganisms. 

In a different thread 2-years, ago a user called iamsarahnova shared their experience with Boric Acid for a recurring BV infection. They stated that they had been on and off both boric pills and antibiotics for at least 30-days. They stated that the while on both they felt their symptoms subsided but after finishing everything start to come back.

Is Boric Acid A Probiotic?

Probiotics are a type of good bacteria found naturally in the digestive tract and in many different fermented foods. Boric acid or hydrogen borate is a boron compound that can be used as an antiseptic. They are not the same thing in any kind of way and boric acid is 100% not a probiotic because it is not a bacteria.

Final Thoughts

In my opinion, from my research, boric acid is effective in killing off bad bacteria & yeast but it also kills off the important good bacteria in your vaginal microbiome. Without the good bacteria there, it's easy for infections to come back easily.

I'm not entirely convinced that when taking boric acid suppositories the probiotic bacteria are even able to survive! essentially you could be purchasing probiotic bacteria that isn't even alive.

When I reached out to many different brands selling boric acid & probiotic bacteria, not one brand replied to me answering my question about whether the probiotic bacteria could survive in boric acid capsules.