Just like your DNA your microbiome is totally unique to you. (There’s a reason they call it the “second human genome.” Factors like your age, home environment, and lifestyle will all impact the microbial landscape that lies within you. Research is also finding that there are microbial differences between the sexes – meaning that men and women will benefit from taking slightly different probiotic supplements in some cases.
Here’s a primer on how probiotics can be leveraged to boost women’s well-being and the best probiotics for everything from vaginal health (yes that’s right, we gotta keep her healthy too) to gut health and more.
Should Women Take Probiotics?
Your entire body from your mouth, down to the skin on your toes is teeming with bacteria, fungi, archaea, and eukaryotes, but the lower digestive tract of the gut is where they’re most connected. (FYI.. Your gut microbiome alone weighs about 5 pounds!)
Think of the microbes in your body as a cascade of specialized helpers, working diligently to keep a certain aspect of your health in check. The more robust and diverse, your workforce, the more vibrant your health will be (we all like that)
Not getting enough sleep, stressing too much, passing through over-sanitized environments, eating a poor diet and using antibiotics are just a few ways to deplete your microbial diversity and lead to suboptimal health. (which we don’t like)
You can recolonize your system with “good bacteria” by making lifestyle changes, consuming foods, and drinks that contain probiotics, and a good ol’fashioned getting your hands dirty in the dirt every now and then.
Taking a probiotic supplement is a more targeted way to infuse your microbiome with beneficial bacteria. Women, in particular, may benefit from taking a daily probiotic since they’re more likely to deal with certain digestive issues than men. Surveys show that women are twice as likely to experience bloating and struggle with regularity (aka pooing 💩) – things that a high-quality probiotic can help with.
Probiotic Benefits For Women
The relatively new world of microbiome science is finding that women may have a slightly different microbial makeup than men, in part due to sex hormones. Meaning they can reap some distinct benefits from taking probiotics, including:
- Vaginal Health: Certain bacterium, like Lactobacillus acidophilus, have been shown to help promote a balanced vaginal flora and vaginal pH.
- Pregnancy and postpartum support: Pregnancy has been shown to cause microbial changes in the gut and beyond, and some probiotics have been shown to be useful for repopulating the vaginal microbiome with healthy bacteria during pregnancy.
- Assistance through perimenopause: The gut microbiome changes again around the menopause transition (what a joy!) and research shows that probiotics can help with factors like bone strength and density, weight management, and metabolic health during this time.
A few signs that you might benefit from taking a probiotic include bloat, gas, and issues with regularity, immunity, and urogenital tract health. While it depends on the person and the product, many people see a noticeable improvement after three weeks of taking a probiotic daily (and it’s important to supplement daily since the beneficial bacteria in probiotics don’t stick around in the body for long)
There’s still plenty to learn about how different strains of probiotics can bolster women’s health. In the meantime, I’ve wrapped up a few of the top probiotics that a making an impact on women’s health this year. Let’s get to it…
How I Picked
✔ For Women:
These formulas boast the good bugs (probiotics!) targeted for women’s needs and wants, from supporting vaginal health and urogenital tract health to targeted strains for gut health, and more.
✔ Probiotic Specificity:
Since each probiotic strain has unique characteristics and health benefits, I prefer to elevate products that share genus, species, and strain info per probiotic, as well as CFU dose info per strain.
✔ Quality Testing:
I’ve evaluated reputable brands that prioritize quality testing to ensure the potency of the probiotic and prebiotic ingredients, while also emphasizing purity (limiting heavy metals, microbials, etc.)
✔ Sustainability:
From ingredient sourcing to packaging decisions, I prefer products created with sustainability in mind. As such, I highlight key certifications, as well as recyclable and eco-friendly containers.
My Top Picks For The Best Probiotics For Women’s Vaginal Health, and More Of 2023.
Best For pH Balance (aka, Vaginal Health):
Lactobacillus is the bacterial genus that dominates most of your vaginal microbiome. Ora’s probiotic contains six research-backed strains of Lactobacillus that naturally settle along the vaginal canal and urinary tract and promote vaginal health. The strains in this blend can also contribute to a healthy inflammatory response and microbial makeup in the nether regions. Resistant to stomach acid, these strains can help tip the scales toward a healthy pH down there—which is essential for overall women’s health.
Bonus: Ora’s blend contains an added dose of 725mg of prebiotics (from Jerusalem artichoke inulin) to feed the beneficial bacteria you’re consuming. Take two capsules within 30 minutes of mealtime to reap the benefits of this targeted probiotic.
Best For Women Over 50:
This estrogen-free synbiotic sets out to lend support during menopausal—and if the reviews are any indication, it really works. Fans of the product note that it’s helped them with temperature regulation, stress management, sleep, and more. Some noticed a difference within a few days, while others needed to take the product for 1-2 months before seeing improvement.
This supplement is also more than a probiotic—and it also contains prebiotics, herbs, vitamins, and minerals that are science-backed to carry women through menopause more comfortably.
Best For Gut Health:
Mindbodygreen Probiotic+ (also my personal fave)
The four probiotic strains in probiotic+ are all geared towards gut health.* Let’s briefly roll through the research highlights of each: B. lactis Bi-07 eases bloating and promotes comfort, B. lactis B420 helps with healthy weight management, B. lactis HN019 supports digestion and regularity (while reducing gas), and L. acidophilus NCFM encourages healthy bowel movements. Together, this powerful combination elevates your gut microbiome in a way that you can really feel.
Reviewers note less gas, bloating, and enhanced abdominal comfort when taking this targeted product—more than other probiotics they’ve tried in the past. Women (and everyone else!) can take one capsule of the vegan formula daily in the morning, with or without food, and prepare for a gut reset in as little as two weeks.
Best For Vaginal Health:
Nordic Flora Probiotic Women’s Balance
Designed specifically with women’s needs in mind, this formula is packed with 60 billion CFUs of 12 probiotic strains. These strains have been researched for gut integrity and comfort, vaginal flora balance, and regularity. Some have more research behind them than others, but standouts include B. lactis BI-04 for improved gut barrier function and L. hamnosus GG for a healthy inflammatory response. This all-around solid formula also contains prebiotics.*. This all-around solid formula also contains prebiotics.
Best For Weight Management:
This single-strain probiotic delivers clinically relevant amounts of Bifidobacterium lactis B420: a strain that supports a healthy weight through reductions in caloric intake, abdominal fat mass, and waist circumference. B420 is the most-studied strain for weight management, making this a solid option for those who are taking a probiotic for healthy body composition goals.
Reviewers report results almost immediately, and note that UltraFlora Control helps promote regularity and ease bloat, too.
There are no extra bells and whistles here. But Metagenics is known for its rigorous purity, potency, and transparency standards, so you’ll get what you pay for with this simple but effective product.
Best Capsule:
Thorne Women’s Daily Probiotic
Thorne’s supplement combines two proprietary bacterial blends that support a healthy urinary and vaginal bacterial environment: ASTARTE and UREX. It’s designed to balance the growth of unwanted yeast and reinvigorate the microbiome with beneficial Lactobacillus strains. Thorne recommends taking it as an everyday supplement for gut and vaginal health.
While proprietary blends aren’t typically ideal, Thorne includes these strains at meaningful doses backed by science. Their blend is also an affordable way into the probiotics space, and you only need to take one capsule a day, with or without food.
Best Powder:
Designs For Health Probiotic Synergy
If you prefer your probiotic in powder form so you can more easily incorporate it into meals or drinks, this Designs For Health option is solid. A manageable serving of 1/2 teaspoon a day delivers 20 billion CFUs of five probiotic strains. Strains featured in the proprietary blend include Bifidobacterium lactis for healthy weight support and Lactobacillus plantarum for nutrient absorption support.
While it’s on the pricey side, you’ll get 60 daily servings in each container. Note that Designs for Health does recommend shipping the product in a cooler to protect its contents from heat, which will cost you extra.
Best During Prenatal Period:
MegaFood Baby & Me 2 Prenatal Probiotic + Prebiotic
Designed with mom and baby in mind, this probiotic from MegaFood features 14 unique probiotic strains that can be taken at all points of the pregnancy journey and into early breastfeeding. Its strains have been shown to promote a diverse gut microbiome, which is even more essential during pregnancy. The blend is fortified with stomach-soothing ginger to promote a comfortable pregnancy, plus prebiotics from dandelion root and beetroot.
You’ll want to pop these in the fridge or freezer once they arrive, but they should be fine without refrigeration during transit. MegaFood, a certified sustainable B Corp, recommends taking two capsules daily with food.
Best For Skin:
Caveat: We still have a ton to learn about how probiotics can benefit skin health (you can learn more about this fascinating area of research here). But Skinesa’s probiotic is made with some of the most promising strains researchers have identified for clear, less stressed skin. Take L. rhamnosus CECT-8361, which was included in a double-blind, placebo-controlled study on 90 adults over 12 weeks. Participants reported clearer skin both at the end of the trial and in a six-month follow-up.*
This probiotic doesn’t work for everyone, and 7% of reviewers note no difference in their skin texture or appearance, but you can combine it with an antioxidant-rich diet for the best chance at positive results.
How To Choose.
With so many probiotics on the market, it pays to take the extra time to do a little research before deciding which one’s best for you. Here are some factors to keep in mind:
1. Consider your needs.
Just like you wouldn’t take your car to a mechanic and tell them to “fix it” without more information about the actual problem, you shouldn’t take a probiotic without a specific goal in mind—be it more regular digestion, improved vaginal health, or less bloating.
2. Look for strain-level specificity.
Once you’ve identified your “why” for taking a probiotic, you can look for strains that have been researched for that purpose. Here’s where it gets a little tricky: Not every company will share the exact strains that they use in their products. It’s important to know what strains you’re working with (hence why we listed out each strain, when available, in this article) because different strains, even from the same species, can have wildly different impacts on the body.
3. Go with research-backed strains.
A high-quality probiotic will contain strains that have been researched for the specific purpose listed on the bottle (i.e., a probiotic for weight management should have a strain that’s been studied for that, like Bifidobacterium lactis B420.)* There are thousands of probiotic strains in the world, with more being discovered with each passing year. To learn which ones have actual science behind them, head here.
4. Pay attention to dose: More isn’t always better.
Probiotic doses are often listed in colony-forming units (CFU), which list the number of live microbes in a product. When it comes to CFUs, more isn’t always better. The important thing is to look for clinically relevant doses or ones that have been shown to be effective in research studies for the benefit you’re seeking.
5. Buy from a transparent company.
There are countless ways to make a probiotic. You’ll want to invest in a company that’s doing it right with transparent sourcing and production, clear information about how to store their product (psst… shelf-stable probiotics are not lower-quality than refrigerated ones), respect for research, and a short list of added ingredients.
Frequently Asked Questions:
What happens when you take probiotics every day?
It depends on the product and the strains it uses. Depending on the type you’re taking, you can expect to experience less gas and bloating, clearer skin, or a more positive mood after taking probiotics daily for a few weeks.
What food is highest in probiotics?
Foods that are high in probiotics include fermented foods like yogurt, kefir, and sauerkraut. Be sure to consume foods with prebiotic fiber to feed and nourish these good bacteria too.
What are the best probiotics for gut health?
Strains that have been studied for gut health include B. lactis Bi-07, B. lactis B420, and L. acidophilus NCFM. Metagenics UltraFlora Control and mindbodygreen probiotic+ are two products that use these strains in clinically relevant doses, making them solid picks for gut health and comfort.
The Takeaway
Probiotics leverage the fascinating world of microbial science to deliver products that can help with many aspects of women’s health—from digestion to vaginal balance.* Be sure to check in with your doctor before taking a new probiotic, do your research to find one that’s right for you, and pair the product with other microbe-friendly habits like eating a nutrient-dense diet, managing stress, and spending plenty of time outside.
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