Water can do, well, just about anything! It can improve your digestion, promote weight loss efforts, and improve your skin. But can it actually help to flush infections from your body, specifically vaginal yeast infections? 

That’s what we’re talking about today because, chances are, you have probably experienced a yeast infection at least once in your life and are maybe even experiencing one right now! And while antifungals are an important part of treatment, there are other things you can do at home to get rid of your infection.

Understanding Yeast Infections

An image with the title ‘Can dehydration cause a yeast infection?’ shows an illustration of yeast cells and explains that an overgrowth of Candida Albicans is usually the cause of yeast infections. While dehydration doesn’t cause yeast infections, it can contribute to them. Hydration is essential for maintaining the vagina’s slightly acidic pH, which kills bad microbes, like Candida Albicans, before they have a chance to cause infections.

Next, we’ll be diving into how water can help flush yeast infections, but first, let’s talk about how lack of water may contribute to infection in the first place. 

Yeast infections are caused by an overgrowth of fungus within the vagina, most often a fungus called Candida albicans. When this overgrowth occurs, you often experience symptoms like vaginal itching, discomfort when urinating or having sex, sores or bumps, and thick, cottage cheese-like vaginal discharge. 

Though dehydration doesn’t cause yeast infections, it can contribute to them. Hydration is essential for maintaining your vagina’s slightly acidic pH, and your vagina’s pH is important because it kills bad microbes, like Candida albicans, before they have the chance to cause infections. If you consistently lack hydration, it can throw your pH off balance, making it harder to fight bad bacteria.

The Role of Water in Flushing Out Yeast Infections

An image with the title ‘How can water help flush an active infection out of the body?’ shows a water bottle and glass. It explains that drinking more water leads to more frequent urination, which helps flush excess yeast and toxins from the body. Additionally, drinking more water dilutes sugar levels, reducing the yeast’s food source and preventing its growth.

Water not only plays a role in preventing vaginal infections like yeast infections; it can actually help to flush an active infection out of your body. How? Well, there are two main ways. 

First, when you drink more water, you have more trips to the bathroom, and more frequent urination helps flush excess yeast and toxins from the body1. Second, when you drink more water, you are diluting sugar levels throughout your body. And you know what yeast loves to eat? Sugar! So when you drink more water, you are diluting yeast’s food source and preventing its growth2, 3. 

But exactly how much water do you need to drink to get these two great benefits? Keep reading!

How Much Water to Drink to Flush Out Yeast Infections

An image shows four hands holding glasses of water against a pink background. The text explains that generally, when it comes to drinking water to flush out a yeast infection, most doctors recommend 8-10 glasses a day.

Generally, when it comes to drinking water to flush out a yeast infection, most doctors recommend 8-10 glasses a day, though this can vary quite a bit based on your age, weight, activity level, and climate. 

The best way to know if you are drinking the right amount of water is to listen to your body. If you are thirsty, that’s a sign you need to drink more water! Also if you go to the bathroom and notice that your urine is dark in color or cloudy, that’s another sign you are dehydrated and need more water. Ideally, your urine should be very light yellow, even almost clear!

If you feel like you are drinking all the water you can stomach and still experiencing signs of dehydration, remember that you can get water through foods, too, especially fruits and vegetables like melons, oranges, bell peppers, and celery.

Additional Ways to Get Rid of Yeast Infections at Home

An image with the title ‘Additional ways to get rid of yeast infections at home’ shows various illustrations and suggests: using vaginal probiotics, wearing cotton underwear, taking garlic tablets, and using tea tree oil.

Along with increasing your water intake, there are other natural remedies you could utilize, too, to help fight a yeast infection at home, the biggest being vaginal probiotics. 

Probiotics are good bacteria that keep your vagina functioning as it should. One of the most important probiotics for vaginal health is called Lactobacillus. Lactobacillus helps to maintain your vaginal pH, which is slightly acidic to prevent bacteria and yeast overgrowth. By taking daily probiotic supplements that contain these clinically proven strain of Lactobacillus, like Happy V’s Prebiotic + Probiotic, you are balancing the levels of good bacteria in your vagina to help fight off the bad4. 

While probiotics have some really promising science, there are other natural remedies, too, particularly tea tree oil and garlic tablets, both of which have natural antifungal properties. Just talk to your doctor before starting these to make sure you are taking them correctly. 

Lastly, you will want to prevent your genital area from becoming too moist, since moisture fuels the growth of fungi. You can do this by wearing breathable cotton underwear, avoiding tight-fighting clothing, and changing clothes promptly after working out or swimming.

When to Seek Medical Assistance

An image with the title ‘When to seek medical assistance’ shows an illustration of a doctor holding a clipboard. It advises that if you continue to experience symptoms accompanied by fever, pelvic pain, or unusual vaginal bleeding, you should call your doctor right away.

While the home remedies we just described are all safe and backed by science, they should not attempted until your doctor confirms diagnosis, since yeast infections share symptoms with other common vaginal infections. 

Also, if you continue to experience symptoms despite taking these natural remedies or experience symptoms accompanied by fever, pelvic pain, or unusual vaginal bleeding, call your doctor right away. And if you ever experience recurrent vaginal yeast infections, meaning more than four per year, reach out to your doctor so they can help you investigate why these infections keep happening. 

A Holistic Approach to Vaginal Health

An image with the title ‘A holistic approach to Vaginal Health’ shows various illustrations and suggests the following practices: avoiding douching, taking a daily probiotic, practicing safe sex, managing underlying health conditions, and avoiding scented vaginal soaps.

Vaginal health is about more than clearing infections. It’s about adopting a lifestyle that supports a healthy vaginal microbiome. This lifestyle includes things like: 

  • Practicing safe sex
  • Not douching
  • Avoiding scented soaps and washing
  • Managing underlying health conditions like diabetes or HIV
An image with the title ‘Key Takeaways’ provides important points about managing yeast infections: Water helps maintain vaginal pH, flush fungi and other toxins, and prevent fungi overgrowth by diluting their food source—sugar. To flush a yeast infection, drink 8-10 glasses of water a day, and increase water intake if signs of dehydration occur. Daily probiotics can help fight yeast infections and support vaginal health. If yeast infection symptoms don’t improve or are accompanied by fever, pelvic pain, or vaginal bleeding, consult your doctor.

Also, while daily probiotics can help fight an active yeast infection, they are also a great way to support everyday vaginal health by replenishing your levels of good bacteria. Just make sure to look for probiotics like Happy V’s that are doctor-formulated to contain those clinically proven strains of Lactobacillus!