Best Probiotics For Women – A Complete Guide and Review

You might have heard about how probiotics for women are helpful. There are heaps of data which prove that probiotics confer to health. Adding probiotics to your daily diet will boost your health. Probiotics are friendly bacteria found in our body, more in the gut. They confer to health with their complex mechanism of action which is yet unknown. There are many beneficial strains of probiotics which have been proved to help women in many ways. Choosing best probiotics for women is very easy once you know their potential effect.

What Are Probiotics?

“Probiotics are live microorganisms when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the host” – (Def)

We all have probiotics naturally in our body. Their primary role is to help our body to digest the foods. They also synthesize vitamins such as Vitamin K, Thiamine, Biotin, Vitamin B12, and Folic acid.

Probiotics are frequently destroyed (by stomach acids, our food habits, antibiotics etc.) and replaced. When this cycle is disrupted, the gut microbiome gets imbalanced. The imbalance in the gut microbiome causes several health problems varying from simple constipation to other severe disorders (citation needed). 

Researches proved that probiotics for women help in

• General health
• Vaginal health (Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Lactobacillus reuteri)
• Preventing urinary tract infections (UTI) (Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1 ®, Lactobacillus reuteri RC-14 ® and, Lactobacillus reuteri B-54)
• Strengthening immunity and delaying immunosenescence (Lactobacillus fermentum).
• Balances hormones (Lactobacillus acidophilus and L. reuteri).
• Weight loss in obese individuals
• Acne (Lactobacillus paracasei)
• Anxiety disorder

One must understand that these probiotics are not a preventive or medical treatment alternative. They act as adjuvants which help in fighting certain disorders such as IBS, diabetes, anxiety, leaky gut etc. The primary mechanism by which these probiotics act is by improving the gut function. The gut-brain axis is the answer how probiotics confer to overall health. It means that if your gut stays healthy so does your brain and general health. Although there is convincing evidence that probiotics can help in many other ways, there is no evidence for the mechanism of action. 

Unlike men, women need an extra dose of probiotics. They keep check on various opportunistic pathogens in the gut as well as vaginal fluids. They help in fighting infections by preventing the opportunistic pathogens that infest the body. They also help in reducing inflammation of the gut (IBS, leaky gut) and skin (eczema, acne). They play a prominent role in developing the immunity in infants. There are many best probiotics for women and choosing them isn’t a hard thing. If you are looking to treat a particular ailment, certain probiotic strains may not work for you. For example, if you want to reduce the symptoms of anxiety, Lactobacillus casei is the best choice. Unlike balancing your gut against bad bacteria, certain probiotics such as Bifidobacterium lactis is specific in its action. It helps in boosting the immunity in women.

How To Choose Best Probiotics For Women?

As stated earlier, certain probiotics are specific in their action. Understand their main health benefits and consume them according to your choice. These probiotics must survive the harsh environment of the stomach and reach the lower GI tract to colonize. It is after colonization in the lower gut, they exert the healthy benefits. Note that the stomach’s acids will actively destroy both good and bad bacteria.

To make sure that probiotics reach your lower GI, consume probiotic-rich foods regularly. If you are using supplements, read the label. The label should mention the number colony forming units (CFU). Higher CFU gives better results.  Selecting the best probiotics for women depends on your condition and requirement. Know which strains provide specific health benefits. If you are looking for overall general health, you can select any probiotic that help in digestion.

Do I Need Probiotics?

Unknowingly we consume certain foods which contain prebiotics and probiotics. But we all experience an upset stomach. Sometimes they subside on their own while the other times it may be a prolonged ailment. Since we all can benefit from probiotics, it is accurate to say that we all need probiotics. Since they not only help in gut support, the other health benefits are fruitful for us.

If you are suffering from any gut disease such as IBS or Crohn’s disease probtiotics can do wonders. They reduce the symptoms to a great extent. (1)

Considering vast health benefits from probiotics, we all need them for a healthy and normal functioning of our body.

Best Probiotics for Women

Lactobacilli are the most common probiotics. They are studied extensively by microbiologists (2) and considered as one of the best probiotics for women. Various strains of Lactobacilli exert many health benefits on different parts of the body. For women, Lactobacillus acidophilus is the best probiotic as it helps in maintaining the pH of vaginal fluids as well as fending off pathogens. It also helps in reducing acne. Other Lactobacilli species such as L. casei, L. rhamnosus, and L. plantarum can also be used for other health benefits (gut support, eczema, immunity, diarrhea).

Lactobacillus planatarum is recommended for inflammatory symptoms. It is proved that this particular strain will reduce the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (3). L. casei significantly reduces the incidence of diarrhea (4).

Other best probiotics for women include Bifidobacterium strains (longum, breve, bifidum) and streptococcus thermophilus.

Bifidobacterium breve B-3 reduces the inflammation in the skin and thereby delaying the age-related wrinkles (anti-aging effect) (5)

The Buyer’s Guide

If you are buying probiotic supplements, read the label for the following details:

• Number of Colony forming units (CFU)
• Number of strains
• Shelf life (expiration date)
• Quality of the ingredients
• The term ‘alive and probiotic’ doesn’t necessarily make it probiotic. The manufacturer must mention the names and number of the strains.

Other than supplements you can either buy or make yourself the fermented foods. Certain fermented foods like sauerkraut, kefir, and kombucha contain diverse strains of probiotics. It is easy to prepare them at home. Some of them are available in stores as well.

Please read our medical information disclaimer

Here are some of the best probiotics for women handpicked for you

Our # 1 Choice For Best Probiotics For Women

Our # 2 Choice For Best Probiotics for Women

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Final Thoughts

Best probiotics for women are specifically designed to boost health in women. They help in enhancing vaginal health, boost immunity and prevent UTI infections. Consuming probiotics regulatrly will improve health in many ways. Make sure you add them to your diet on a regular basis.

[1] Use Of Probiotics In Gastrointestinal Disorders

[2] The Scientific Basis For Probiotic Strains Of Lactobacillus

[3] Clinical Trial To Show How Probiotics Improve The Symptoms Of IBS

[4] Effect Of Lactobacilli On The Incidence Of Diarrrhea

[5] Effect of Bifidobacterium breve B-3 on skin photoaging induced by chronic UV irradiation