There are plenty of reasons women should take probiotics – but you may feel cautious about which probiotic is for you, particularly if you’re pregnant or suffer from digestive ailments. Here, we list the very best probiotics for women in the market today, and how they will help you, your gut health, and much more…
Did you know that a balanced gut can have a significant impact to your overall wellbeing? Unfortunately though, there are various factors that can disrupt the communities of bacteria (your microbiome), viruses and fungi in your body.
This can lead to an imbalance between harmful and beneficial bacteria, which in turn can lead to some severe consequences for your health and wellbeing.
The good news is that probiotic supplements offer a solution. They can help to restore and maintain a healthy gut microbiome, promoting gut health by counteracting harmful bacteria and promoting the growth of beneficial ones.
With over 500 types of probiotics available, it can be daunting to find the right combination of strains for optimal gut health. Unfortunately, many probiotic supplements on the market fall short, offering a mix of weak and low-quality strains that do not provide adequate support.
Don’t worry, though – we’ve taken a look at some of the best probiotics for women on the market and rounded them all up for you, so that you know you’re getting the quality and utility you deserve.
Quick Verdict: Best Women’s Probiotic
Biotics 8 is a fantastic probiotic formula. It boasts a meticulously selected combination of live bacterial strains, which all come together to offer a wide range of benefits that can transform overall wellbeing. It delivers a substantial 20 billion CFUs across 8 potent strains of good gut bacteria, ensuring optimal gut support.
In addition to the powerful probiotic blend, Biotics 8 also includes added Vitamin D and digestive enzymes, which should both lead to improved mood and gut health. The use of HPMC capsules ensures maximum absorption and benefits for the gut, as these capsules are designed to survive the journey to the small intestines.
Overall, Biotics 8 is a well-crafted and effective probiotic formula that I highly, highly recommend.
Our top probiotics for women
Biotics 8
Biotics 8 stands out as one of the best probiotics going. We have seen how plenty of manufacturers give you only a mix of weak and low-quality strains that do not provide adequate support.
Fortunately, Biotics 8 takes a different approach. It is a high-performance probiotic formula designed specifically to offer a wide range of benefits that can significantly improve overall wellbeing. By incorporating Biotics 8 into your daily routine, you can experience all the results you would want from any top-notch probiotic supplement, really.
So, how does Biotics 8 achieve this? The formula includes eight carefully selected live bacterial strains that have been extensively researched and scientifically backed for their effectiveness in re-colonizing and restoring the gut microbiome.
With an incredibly generous 20 billion CFUs (colony forming units), Biotics 8 provides a substantial dose of potent gut bacteria which all but ensures optimal gut support for a healthy digestive system and overall wellbeing.
Biotics 8 offers unique health benefits from each strain included in its formula. Saccharomyces boulardii aids in colon inflammation and preventing diarrhea, for example, whilst Lactobacillus casei and Lactobacillus rhamnosus support healthy bowel movements and aid with stress reduction.
The latter also potentially reduces symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus paracasei, Lactobacillus fermentum, Bifidobacterium longum, and Bifidobacterium bifidum offer additional advantages that range from reducing colon inflammation to treating digestive disorders and aiding in body composition.
Biotics 8 also stands out from the crowd by including healthy doses of Vitamin D and digestive enzymes in each serving. Vitamin D helps to regulate several bodily functions, including the immune system and mood – thus it pairs nicely with probiotics, reinforcing their benefits.
Digestive enzymes like amylase and protease break down food and enable fuller nutrient absorption. This powerful combination supports overall wellbeing and promotes gut health.
The HPMC capsules (vegetarian friendly, incidentally) are designed to survive stomach acid, ensuring that the probiotics reach their intended destination for maximum absorption and benefits. This is a big deal. Probiotics often see their downfall in the stomach, which destroys all the goodness before it can actually get to work.
It doesn’t matter the quality of your probiotic strains – if they don’t make it to the gut, they are useless. The innovative capsule design we see with Biotics 8 allows the probiotics to overcome this – they can actually get to the gut instead of being destroyed by gastric acid.
Biotics 8 also contains prebiotic fiber, sourced from chicory root. This nourishes the probiotic bacteria it delivers, helping them grow and thrive in the small intestine. By providing essential nourishment, Biotics 8 ensures the colonizing and flourishing of probiotics, allowing them to effectively work their magic.
The combination of probiotics and prebiotic fiber creates an optimal environment for beneficial bacteria to thrive, supporting the overall balance of the gut microbiome.
Biotics 8 is a highly effective probiotic formula with generous helpings of a wide variety of powerful strains, alongside added Vitamin D, digestive enzymes, and prebiotic fiber, all wrapped up in some incredibly clever, advanced capsule technology.
Its carefully selected strains of beneficial bacteria, additional nutrients, and this unique capsule design make Biotics 8 a top choice for women seeking to optimize gut health and enjoy all the benefits that this implies.
YourBiology Gut+
Then we come to another favorite of mine, YourBiology Gut+. It’s an impressive contender in the probiotic market, designed to restore and optimize your gut microbiome and give you all the benefits that this means – improved digestion, enhanced immune function, improved mood, overall wellbeing, and so on.
YourBiology Gut+ enjoys an advanced formula completely underpinned by a robust body of scientific data. It combines a precise blend of premium ingredients that work synergistically to promote a healthy gut environment, incorporating powerful probiotics, prebiotics, and digestive enzymes. In so doing, Gut+ gives you a comprehensive approach to maintaining optimal gut health.
I could go on singing its praises like this all day, but what does any of this actually mean?
Well, YourBiology Gut+ gives you a blend of five scientifically justified probiotics in each serving.
While it may not have as many strains as Biotics 8, these carefully chosen live bacteria strains are still nothing to sniff at – they should do a good job of enhancing your gut flora diversity and improving your overall digestive health.
As we know, by introducing beneficial bacteria into your gut, Gut+ will help to restore balance and improve the absorption of nutrients from your diet. This results in better digestion, reduced bloating, and regular bowel movements, alongside all the other benefits we’ve seen so far.
YourBiology Gut+ also makes good use of prebiotics. These essential fibers act as nourishment for the probiotics, promoting the growth of beneficial bacteria in your gut. This combination of probiotics and prebiotics creates an optimal environment for a thriving gut microbiome, similar to the effects we’ve seen with Biotics 8.
As well as all of this, YourBiology Gut+ is enriched with digestive enzymes. These enzymes play a vital role in breaking down food and aiding nutrient absorption.
By supplementing your diet with these enzymes, Gut+ supports efficient breakdown of macronutrients, reducing the strain placed on your digestive system. This can result in improved digestion, decreased discomfort, and an increase in nutrient availability.
YourBiology Gut+ is pretty transparent in everything they do, which is always nice to see. It is all made in a GMP-certified facility, ensuring that each batch meets the highest standards of quality and purity. Each batch also goes through rigorous testing to ensure efficacy and safety, giving you a reliable product that you can completely trust.
YourBiology Gut+ is a bit of a unicorn in today’s supplement market – it’s a very impressive-looking product that actually lives up to its promises. With its premium ingredients, precise formulation, commitment to quality (and customer satisfaction guarantee), it’s one of the best products available on the probiotic market.
Now Probiotic-10
With a balanced spectrum of live organisms, including acid-resistant bacterial strains that naturally colonize the human gastrointestinal tract NOW Probiotic-10 is a great choice. Its formula is potent, smart, and high-quality.
And generous. We can’t forget that – it’s very generous. In fact, you get an impressive 100 billion CFUs per dose – NOW Probiotic-10 gives you a large and robust blend of carefully selected bacteria strains.
They are resistant to the harsh conditions of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, meaning that they will actually get to where they are needed. The inclusion of ascorbyl palmitate and silicon dioxide preserves the integrity and effectiveness of the probiotic strains, giving you this reliability.
As above, this is a dealbreaker – it marks out the theoretically good from the, actually, practically good.
This comes to us as a formula of 10 key strains of beneficial bacteria, including:
- Lactobacillus acidophilus (La-14)
- Bifidobacterium lactis (Bl-04)
- Lactobacillus plantarum (Lp-115)
- Lactobacillus casei (Lc-11)
- Lactobacillus rhamnosus (Lr-32)
- Lactobacillus paracasei (Lpc-37)
- Bifidobacterium breve (Bb-03)
- Streptococcus thermophilus (St-21)
- Lactobacillus salivarius (Ls-33)
- Bifidobacterium longum (BI-05)
These strains work synergistically to provide comprehensive support for gut health, making NOW Probiotic-10 one of the best blanket probiotics out there.
One of the standout features of NOW Probiotic-10 is its clever delivery system. Aside from simply giving you robust probiotic strains, you also get NOW’s vegetarian friendly Hypromellose capsules. These lead to optimal absorption and effectiveness, in large part by protecting the live organisms from the stomach’s acidic environment. Again, this is a big deal.
NOW Probiotic-10 also gives you a good helping of fructooligosaccharides (FOS), one of the better prebiotic fibers going. As we have seen, prebiotic fibers like these act as nourishment for the probiotic bacteria, promoting their growth and colonization in the GI tract.
This helps no end with the creation of a healthy gut ecosystem, supporting a balanced gut microbiome and optimizing digestion and nutrient absorption.
NOW Probiotic-10 is manufactured with a strong commitment to quality and purity. The strict production practices in a GMP-certified facility ensure that every batch of Probiotic-10 is free from contaminants and meets the highest standards of quality.
This provides peace of mind and reassurance that you are using a safe and reliable product that does what it promises to do, no more, no less.
NOW Probiotic-10 is a remarkable probiotic supplement that stands out for its generous and potent formula, high-quality ingredients, and commitment to quality and purity.
With its strong blend of acid-resistant bacterial strains, intelligent delivery system, and added prebiotic fibers, Probiotic-10 is a reliable choice for anyone looking to improve their gut health and, with it, bolster their overall wellbeing.
Culturelle Pro Strength Daily Probiotic
Next up, I want to look at Culturelle Pro Strength Daily Probiotic. With a powerful formula containing 30 billion colony-forming units (CFUs) of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG), one of the most extensively studied probiotics in the world, this supplement delivers a potent dose of incredibly beneficial bacteria – even if it is a little mono-cultural.
The high potency of Culturelle Pro Strength means you can be confident that you’re receiving a substantial amount of LGG with each capsule. The efficacy of a probiotic largely depends on the quantity of live bacteria delivered to the gut. With 30 billion CFUs, you can trust that you’re at least taking in an effective dose of probiotics to support your digestive health.
But, as we have seen, what you take in and what arrives at your gut are two different things. Delivery systems are everything as we seek to protect that precious cargo from our digestive juices. Happily, Culturelle Pro Strength has a fantastic, targeted delivery system.
Each capsule is specifically designed to safely and efficiently transport the probiotics to your intestines, bypassing the harsh acidic environment of the stomach. This is crucial because, as we have seen, stomach acid can potentially destroy the live bacteria before they reach the gut, rendering the supplement ineffective.
By ensuring the probiotics reach the intestines fully intact and active, Culturelle Pro Strength maximizes their potential to support gut health.
LGG, the star probiotic strain in Culturelle Pro Strength, has undergone extensive research for its efficacy in promoting gut health. It is known for its ability to survive gastric acidity and adhere to the intestinal lining, aiding in the restoration and maintenance of a healthy balance of gut flora.
By colonizing the gut, LGG provides all the benefits you would expect of an improved microbiome, including improved digestion, enhanced nutrient absorption, and better overall gut function.
In addition to its impact on gut health, LGG has been shown in particular to support a strong immune system. It achieves this by enhancing the production of natural antibodies and modulating immune responses in the gut. A healthy gut immune system is vital for overall wellness and plays a crucial role in defending the body against harmful pathogens.
While the blend in Culturelle Pro Strength primarily focuses on LGG, it also incorporates the prebiotic inulin. Inulin is a dietary fiber that serves as nourishment for probiotic bacteria, much as we have seen elsewhere in this list.
By providing a source of food for the probiotics, inulin sets up that all-important, favorable environment for their growth and colonization in the gut. This ensures the long-term presence and effectiveness of the probiotics in promoting a healthy and balanced gut microbiome.
Culturelle Pro Strength is manufactured in a state-of-the-art facility that adheres to strict Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP). These rigorous production standards guarantee that every batch of Culturelle Pro Strength is of the highest quality and potency.
Furthermore, the supplement undergoes thorough testing for safety and efficacy, giving us a reliable and trustworthy product.
Culturelle Pro Strength Daily Probiotic is an excellent choice for supporting your gut health. With its powerful blend of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG and inulin prebiotic, it provides the optimal conditions for a healthy and balanced gut microbiome.
Through its targeted delivery system, Culturelle Pro Strength ensures that the live bacteria reach the intestines intact and active, allowing them to exert their beneficial effects, including improved digestion, enhanced nutrient absorption, and strengthened immune function. It’s not the best, but it’s still very, very good.
Align Probiotic
Right then, we’ve had a fantastic run of it so far, with some of the best probiotic supplements going. With this in mind, I wanted to end on a high, and I think I’ve managed it with Align Probiotic, another top-tier probiotic supplement known for its unique formulation and targeted approach to improving digestive health.
The patented strain Bifidobacterium longum 35624 lies at the heart of Align Probiotic’s formula. This strain is carefully selected for its ability to specifically target the digestive tract. When consumed, it can survive the harsh environment of the stomach and reach the intestines, where it exerts its beneficial effects. We’ve seen before just how valuable this is when dealing with probiotics.
Bifidobacterium longum 35624 offers several health benefits. It has been shown to improve symptoms, reduce mortality, and suppress inflammation in the lower respiratory tract in mice infected with influenza. Additionally, Bifidobacterium longum 35624 has demonstrated the ability to inhibit rotavirus infection in mice and protect against gut-derived sepsis caused by P. aeruginosa.
Furthermore, Bifidobacterium longum in general plays a role in boosting overall immunity, reducing and treating gastrointestinal infections, and improving conditions such as diarrhea, constipation, and eczema irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
With IBS in particular, treatment with daily doses of Bifidobacterium longum 35624 has been found to significantly improve symptoms and patient quality of life whilst also diminishing disease severity.
Align Probiotic also boasts a highly effective delivery system known as B. longum subsp. longum 35624. This patented delivery system further ensures that the live bacteria in the supplement reach their intended destination – your intestines – fully intact and ready to work their magic.
Again, we know by now how important this is. By bypassing the harsh and acidic environment of the stomach, Align Probiotic ensures that its active ingredients can flourish and support your gut health. This targeted and intelligent delivery system is a key factor in the effectiveness and potency of Align Probiotic.
In addition to its effectiveness, Align Probiotic is really, really easy to incorporate into your daily routine. Each capsule is individually sealed in foil packaging, which ensures that the freshness and potency of the probiotic stay intact until the moment you take it.
This not only maintains the integrity of the supplement but also makes it extremely easy to consume on the go. With Align Probiotic, you can stay consistent with your gut health regimen, no matter where you are, making it a practical choice for anybody with a busy lifestyle.
Rounding out this list nicely then, we can see that Align Probiotic is a top-tier choice for anybody looking for relief and balance for their digestive health concerns, among other benefits. Its targeted formulation, patented delivery system, and clinically proven strain set it apart from other probiotic supplements on the market.
If you have been dealing with digestive issues and are in search of an effective probiotic to help in easing symptoms, Align Probiotic is a powerful option. It’s a brilliant high to finish on.
Verdict
I would go with Biotics 8, though it’s a hard call. This is, after all, an incredibly strong list. Anything on it would stand you in good stead.
However, there are a few reasons for giving Biotics 8 the top spot. It has been very carefully curated with a very generous combination of different live bacterial strains, meaning that Biotics 8 offers a comprehensive range of benefits that can greatly improve overall wellbeing.
It provides a substantial dose of CFUs, containing eight potent strains of beneficial gut bacteria, ensuring optimal gut support without causing any stomach discomfort. There are few probiotics out there that manage to cover so many bases, so thoroughly.
The unique blend of beneficial strains that Biotics 8 contains means that it really does hold the potential to address a plethora of health concerns. From alleviating colon inflammation to promoting healthy bowel movements, reducing symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, and improving digestive disorders, the powerful probiotic blend in Biotics 8 has you covered.
In addition to its probiotic benefits, Biotics 8 goes a step further by including Vitamin D and digestive enzymes. This combination works together to boost mood support and enhance gut health. The use of vegetarian-friendly HPMC capsules ensures maximum absorption and efficacy, as these capsules are specifically designed to survive the journey to the small intestines where they can provide optimal benefits for the gut. (I won’t bang on any more about how important this is – you already know by now!)
Overall, then, with Biotics 8, we have a meticulously crafted and highly effective probiotic formula that I wholeheartedly recommend. Its unique blend of powerful strains, added nutrients, and advanced capsule technology make it a standout choice for any woman seeking to improve their gut health and overall wellness. It will work wonders for you.
Probiotics 101
Probiotics are beneficial bacteria or yeasts that we take in through food or supplements. They play a vital role in promoting balance in our gut microbiome, which in turn has a significant impact on overall health.
The gut microbiome is responsible for crucial functions like digestion, nutrient absorption, immune health, and even brain function – we are only now beginning to grasp the importance of the gut-brain axis.
When the balance of bacteria in the gut is disrupted, it can lead to various health issues such as digestive disorders, a weakened immune system, and mood disorders, among others. Hence, it’s a good idea to keep on top of it, ensuring a healthy, functioning microbiome.
You can replenish and diversify the beneficial bacteria in your gut microbiome by introducing probiotic supplements – like those we’re looking at today – into your system. This will help to restore balance and improve your overall health.
Different strains of probiotics have different effects on the body, so choosing the right probiotic for your specific needs is essential. Common types of probiotics used in supplements include Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, which can be found in yogurt and fermented foods.
These strains have been studied extensively and have shown positive effects on gut health. Another beneficial strain, Saccharomyces boulardii, is a yeast commonly used to prevent or treat diarrhea caused by antibiotics.
Incorporating probiotics into your daily routine can have significant benefits for your overall wellbeing. However, it is important to choose a probiotic with a broad range of strains to ensure you are getting the maximum benefits.
Probiotic supplements like Biotics 8 offer unique blends of multiple strains that can address different health concerns, from digestive health to immune system support, covering a lot of bases all in one.
Probiotics have been shown to improve gut health, enhance immune function, and provide various other health benefits. Choosing the right probiotic with diverse strains is crucial for achieving optimal results. Whether through food intake or supplementation, incorporating probiotics into your routine can promote a healthier gut microbiome and positively impact your overall wellbeing.
What can probiotic supplements do for women?
Probiotic supplements offer several potential health benefits for women. Although many of these benefits are not exclusive to women, a few are particularly relevant to female health and wellbeing.
One prominent benefit of probiotics is their positive effect on digestive health. By promoting a balanced gut microbiome, probiotics improve digestion and nutrient absorption, helping to alleviate common digestive issues like bloating, gas, and constipation. This can lead to overall improved gastrointestinal wellbeing.
In addition to digestive health, probiotics have the potential to reduce inflammation in the body. Chronic inflammation has been linked to various health conditions, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and autoimmune disorders.
Probiotics exhibit anti-inflammatory properties, suppressing inflammation and promoting a healthier immune response. By contributing to a healthy gut microbiome, probiotics strengthen the immune system’s ability to fight infections and diseases, benefiting overall health.
As well as this, probiotic supplements have been shown to be effective in managing specific health conditions. For instance, several strains of probiotics have been found to alleviate symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), such as abdominal pain and inconsistent bowel movements.
Probiotics achieve this by restoring gut bacteria balance and modulating gut motility. Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), including the likes of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis – characterized by gut inflammation – may also benefit from probiotics’ anti-inflammatory properties and support in intestinal healing.
Women experiencing allergy-related eczema (atopic dermatitis) may find relief through probiotic supplementation. Emerging (though tentative) evidence suggests that probiotics can improve symptoms and reduce the severity of eczema flare-ups.
Probiotics’ ability to modulate immune responses and reduce systemic inflammation likely contributes to their efficacy here. Further research is needed to establish conclusive data, though – at the moment this is largely just theory.
These benefits are all pretty generalizable between genders. However, probiotics offer a range of benefits specifically for women that extend beyond all of this.
For example, probiotics are good for supporting vaginal health. The vagina is an intricately balanced ecosystem with its own unique combination of microflora. This balance can be quite delicate, and when this balance is disturbed, harmful bacteria can overrun the area. This in turn can lead to uncomfortable symptoms like itching, odor, and increased risk of infections.
Probiotics play a crucial role in restoring and maintaining this natural balance of microflora in the vaginal and urinary tracts. By introducing beneficial bacteria, including the likes of lactobacilli and bifidobacteria, probiotics can help to inhibit the growth of pathogens that cause urinary tract infections (UTIs) and other common vaginal infections.
These strains of probiotics produce substances that create an acidic environment, making it difficult for harmful bacteria to thrive. This, in turn, helps to prevent UTIs and the uncomfortable symptoms that accompany them.
Beyond the physical benefits, probiotics have also shown potential mood-boosting effects, which can be particularly valuable for women navigating the hormonal fluctuations of their menstrual cycle.
Hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle can often lead to mood swings, irritability, and feelings of anxiety or depression. Probiotics may help to alleviate these symptoms by influencing the gut-brain axis, which we briefly mentioned above.
The gut-brain axis is, in short, the communication network between the digestive system and the brain. As we have seen, the gut is home to a complex community of bacteria. Many of these play significant roles in neurotransmitter production and regulation.
Certain strains of probiotics can modulate this gut-brain communication, promoting the production of serotonin, a neurotransmitter commonly associated with mood stability, happiness, and a sense of overall wellbeing. By positively influencing the gut-brain axis, probiotics have the potential to improve mood and emotional balance.
Women can also enjoy some great benefits from probiotic use during pregnancy and postpartum care. As we know, the body goes through plenty of changes during pregnancy. This includes changes in hormone balance and immune function.
Taking probiotics during pregnancy and supporting a healthy gut microbiome will support overall immune health. This is especially important during pregnancy when the immune system naturally becomes more suppressed to allow for the developing fetus. A healthy gut microbiome can reduce the risk of infections and support optimal nutrient absorption for both maternal and fetal wellbeing.
Additionally, probiotics can play a role in managing or even preventing common pregnancy-related conditions, including the likes of gestational diabetes and preeclampsia. Although more research is needed in this area, some studies have shown promising results – probiotics can positively influence glucose metabolism and blood pressure regulation.
Probiotics can also be of great benefit both for the mother and the baby after childbirth. If the mother had to take antibiotics during delivery, probiotics can help restore the balance of microflora that may have been disrupted. This is essential for the baby’s developing immune system and can help prevent conditions such as colic, eczema, and allergic reactions.
So, then, probiotics are important for everybody. Plenty of the benefits they offer are generalizable across the whole population.
However, they also offer specific advantages for women’s health. They contribute to maintaining a healthy balance of microflora in the vaginal and urinary tracts, reducing the risk of infections. Probiotics also have the potential to improve mood and emotional balance, which is particularly relevant during hormonal fluctuations such as the menstrual cycle.
They can support pregnancy and postpartum health, aiding in immune function, preventing pregnancy-related conditions, and promoting a healthy microbiome for both the mother and the baby.
Incorporating probiotics into a daily routine can therefore provide valuable support for women’s overall wellbeing.
