Looking for the best probiotic for women? What's the difference between probiotics for women and men, anyway?
In this article, we will discuss health-promoting probiotics and how certain probiotic strains may deliver special benefits for various aspects of women's health, specifically - including help for vaginal health, pregnancy, yeast infections, urinary tract infections and more.
In addition to covering the best probiotics for women, we will reveal how prebiotics - a type of soluble fiber that feeds and boosts gut probiotics - may be an even better choice for women who want to improve their probiotic status. Let's get to it!
What Are Probiotics?
Whether it's a wellness publication or food magazine, you'll probably find something floating around about the importance of maintaining a healthy gut and microbiome.
More often than not, people think about the gut as the stomach—but it's so much more. Your gut is actually composed of both your stomach and your intestinal tract, and is involved in keeping your entire body healthy, not just your digestive tract.
The microbiome is the colony of beneficial bacteria - also called probiotics - that inhabits your gut.
A probiotic supplement is one of the best ways to help your gut health. Probiotics are some of the most common gut health boosting supplements on the market, as well as some of the most widely consumed dietary supplements overall.
By definition, probiotics are “live microorganisms that, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host.”
These benefits, though, differ between strains. We most commonly hear about Lactobacillus acidophilus (and other lactobacillus species) and Bifidobacterium strains, but there are other strains as well.
Some formulated probiotics supplements will contain a mix of these (broad-spectrum), while others will contain only a single strain and are generally intended for use with a specific condition.
But the purpose of them is to help repopulate your gut with probiotic bacteria that may be missing or imbalanced, thus improving health outcomes.
The best probiotics for women go beyond the digestive system and include strains that also inhabit the vagina.
As with gut health, maintaining balance between good bacteria and harmful bacteria in the vagina plays several important roles in supporting a woman's overall health.
That's where the best probiotics for women come in. But we'll cover that in more detail a little further down in this article.
Why A Healthy Gut Is Important
Maintaining gastrointestinal health may be one of the most important things a woman can do for her entire body.
The human digestive tract is colonized by all sorts of microorganisms, including bacteria, archaea, viruses, fungi, and protozoa, collectively known as the gut microbiota.
And while the human gut microbiome comprises more than 100 trillion microbes, what's even more fascinating is that it has at least 100 times more genes than are present in the entire human genome!
Maintaining a healthy digestive system with a combination of good bacteria and prebiotic soluble fiber can promote a wide range of digestive health benefits.
A robust, well-balanced microbiome provides natural support to:
- Ease symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
- Soothe some aspects of inflammatory bowel disease
- Promote digestive health overall
- Prevent antibiotic associated diarrhea
When the gut is happy and healthy, it makes everything run a lot smoother. Not an exhaustive list, but the gut is involved in:
- Vitamin synthesis (B vitamins, vitamin K)
- Immune function
- Hormonal balance
- Cognitive function
- Heart health
- Better mood
- Proper sleep
Simply put, the composition of your gut microbiome does more than just affect your digestion; it influences your physical, emotional, and mental health.
Probiotics for Women's Health Concerns
Probiotics are beneficial for gut health in everyone who has a gastrointestinal tract.
But some probiotic strains also appear to hold special benefits for women's health concerns, specifically, by altering microbiomes that regulate both digestive and vaginal health.
Let's take a closer look at these gender-specific concerns, the probiotics for women that can help, and the prebiotics that help nourish a healthy microbiome for even greater women's health support.
Vaginal health benefits
Just as there is a gut microbiome comprised of probiotics, the vagina is host to about 50 strains of probiotics that play key roles in maintaining vaginal health and blocking vaginal infections.
Lactobacillus is the probiotic strain that is most prevalent in the vagina, and most important for maintaining vaginal health.
As with the gut, maintaining a healthy vaginal microbiome with lactobacillus acidophilus and other key probiotic strains, including Bifidobacterium strains, is important for vaginal health, urinary tract health, balanced vaginal pH and other aspects of women's wellness.
When harmful bacteria outcompete healthy bacteria in the vaginal microbiome, women may become more susceptible to various infections and women's health concerns.
Bacterial vaginosis
Also known as BV, bacterial vaginosis is a vaginal infection. Women with BV infections have been shown to have reduced levels of Lactobacillus probiotics in their vaginas.
In addition to being unpleasant, researchers suggest that BV has been associated with increased risk of preterm delivery and postnatal complications.
Taking a probiotic supplement or a microbiome-boosting prebiotic supplement may help.
Pregnancy & post natal health
Pregnancy is associated with gastric distress. Some research suggests that probiotic dietary supplements may help to support digestive health and comfort in pregnant women.
In one study, researchers reported that pregnant women who took a probiotic supplement (primarily lactobacillus strain) experienced significantly reduced severity of nausea, vomiting and constipation, as well as an improved quality of life.
Urinary tract infections and yeast infections
In cases of urinary tract and yeast infections, pathogens outcompete the good bacteria that maintain a woman's healthy balance.
In addition, some vaginal infections are addressed with antibiotic treatments that, while effective, are also associated with a higher than desired rate of failure and recurrences. Antibiotic therapies can also destroy vaginal probiotics and skew the vaginal microbiome balance.
Researchers have suggested that taking a probiotic supplement helps to restore beneficial bacteria levels for vaginal health, which in turn may help to prevent urinary tract infections and yeast infections.
Formulated probiotics that target Lactobacillus acidophilus and other lactobacillus strains appear to be preferred for warding off vaginal infections. That's because lactobacillus is the most prevalent probiotic in the vagina.
Probiotics are great for women's health and overall wellness.
You can get microbiome-enhancing probiotics that restore gut and vaginal microbiomes in a few different ways.
Taking a high-quality probiotic supplement is an easy way to enhance your microbiome status. Consuming fermented foods is another way to raise your numbers of healthy gut bacteria.
But there's also a less popular cousin of probiotics that does an equally, if not more, effective job at keeping your body's helpful bacteria happy. They're called prebiotics.
What Are Prebiotics?
Although they sound the same, prebiotics are different from probiotics... but both work together closely to support overall health.
While probiotics are the actual organisms themselves, prebiotics are the food that feeds those organisms. Just like we need food to survive, so do the beneficial bacteria in your gut.
Prebiotics are selectively utilized by host microorganisms and are recognized for their ability to manipulate host microbiota.
Prebiotics nourish specific probiotic strains in the gut rather than contribute additional strains into the gut.
In general, prebiotics are various complex carbohydrates, and because human enzymes cannot digest most complex carbohydrates and plant polysaccharides, they are instead metabolized by microbes to generate short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) that contribute their own gastrointestinal health and overall wellness benefits.
Prebiotics naturally raise the numbers and health status of the best probiotics for wellness, including women's health.
As a result, prebiotics help to promote all the benefits of probiotics for women's health and beyond.
In addition to nourishing probiotics, prebiotics are a source of soluble fiber that come with their own broad-range benefits for overall health and well being.
For these (and other) reasons, prebiotics may be an even better supplement choice for women.
Health Benefits Of Prebiotics
#1 Enhance Your Microbiome
Probiotic supplements are one way to increase the numbers of good bacteria that inhabit the gut and vagina.
But prebiotic supplements can also boost your good bacteria by serving as a source of nourishment for your microbiomes.
The best probiotics for women can be targeted and enhanced with specific prebiotic fibers.
For example, the Inulin-FOS found in chicory root that is the main active ingredient in our best prebiotic supplement for women targets both Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium probiotic strains, assisting with both digestive and vaginal health.
#2 Weight Loss
Are you tired of struggling with excess weight that just doesn't seem to want to come off? Your gut balance could be to blame.
It may not be the most obvious link, but the composition of your gut may have something to do with your weight. It could determine whether or not you are predisposed to obesity.
There's no shortage of research linking dysbiosis (imbalanced gut bacteria) to all sorts of chronic health issues, one of which is obesity.
Evidence suggests that obese people show a significantly reduced bacterial diversity compared with lean individuals.
Studies also find that low fecal bacterial diversity is linked to overall adiposity and dyslipidemia, impaired glucose regulation, and higher low-grade inflammation.
But what we want you to know is that a healthy and diverse probiotic blend in your microbiome is essential for maintaining a healthy metabolism, and thus gaining control over your weight.
There are several ways that probiotics -- and the prebiotics that nourish them -- may help with healthy weight management:
- Microbiota strongly affects the intestinal genes expression involved in energy balance
- Regulate intestinal barrier function
- Regulate intestinal hunger-satisfying hormone release (leptin, ghrelin)
- Modulate metabolic activity of bile acids
- Regulate digestion/absorption of nutrients by intestinal mucosa
- Generate short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) through non-digestible carbohydrate bacterial fermentation
With respect to the last function, the SCFAs, along with plant polysaccharides, are absorbed by the body and transported to the liver, where they are converted to more complex lipids that contribute to metabolic function.
Animal studies suggest prebiotics may help to enhance intestinal barrier function, glucose tolerance, and lipid metabolism modulation while reducing weight gain, fat mass, and inflammatory status.
With all of that said, when you're feeding your good bacteria what they need to flourish and thrive, you can help your body to reduce fat mass, normalize blood lipids, and regulate inflammation, all of which are linked to better health outcomes and weight loss.
Most dietary supplements for fat loss fail to address the microbiome.
The best probiotic supplements and prebiotic fiber sources can help to optimize the microbiome for healthy weight management.
Related Post: Inulin Weight Loss: Can It Really Help You Drop Those Pounds?
#3 Better Immunity
Your gut houses more than 70% of your immune system, which means keeping it healthy is important to keeping your immune system working properly.
Several components of the immune system are regulated by the microbiota populating the skin, oral cavity, gastrointestinal tract, genitals, and respiratory tract.
When they're in shy numbers, these immune cells aren't produced at a rapid enough rate to support the protection of your body.
As well, the SCFAs we talked about earlier also contribute to the production of significant inflammatory and immune cells like IL-8, TNF-α, IL-6, CXCL1, and CXCL10 through their role as energy substrates.
That's in addition to the role of SCFAs in regulating neutrophils, monocytes, and macrophages —all important components of immune health.
When the balance between the host immune system and the microbiota is thrown off, it creates a breeding ground for development of various states of ill-health.
Both probiotics and the prebiotics that nourish them can help to support better immune health.
#4 Improve Digestive Health
This one's a given. Of course, the microbiota in your gut plays a vital role in keeping your digestive health in tip-top shape.
While enzymes and other digestive aids help to improve your body's ability to digest food, they don't address the root problem like probiotics and prebiotics do.
Due to prebiotics' role in supporting the growth of specific bacterial colonies, research consistently demonstrates that prebiotics help to increase relative numbers of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium species, as well as alter bacterial metabolism.
These bacteria produce short-chain fatty acids that possess antimicrobial activity and enhance the integrity of epithelium lining the gastrointestinal tract.
By increasing numbers of certain bacterial strains, you can boost the body's natural resistance to pathogens and improve digestion and integrity of the gut lining, thereby helping nutrient metabolism and absorption.
#5 Better Brain Function
If you've heard about the gut-brain connection, you've likely heard about the importance of gut health for supporting brain function.
The gut is actually referred to as your “second brain” and it houses the enteric nervous system—a branch of the peripheral nervous system that controls gastrointestinal behavior independently of central nervous system (CNS) input.
Changes in the gut microbiome (dysbiosis) is an underlying factor involved in the development of several neurological disorders that involve inflammation, which can result in increased production of inflammatory cytokines.
High levels of cytokines are associated with several metabolic conditions, autoimmunity, and neuropsychiatric diseases.
By balancing out the gut microbiome, you may help to regulate inflammation and promote a more balanced inflammatory response.
Some evidence suggests prebiotics may also influence the central nervous system (CNS) by modulating inflammation in the brain, specifically, which may be important for treating cognitive impairment and mood disorders like anxiety and depression.
#6 Stronger Bones
For women who've reached menopause, hormonal control is a bit haywire, and it can mean that bone health suffers, along with your mood, weight, and more.
Estrogen is a major regulator of calcium absorption and bone strength, and because estrogen levels drop significantly at menopause, it leaves women susceptible to bone fractures and osteoporosis.
However, research shows that prebiotics may help to maintain bone strength by enhancing calcium absorption and bone mineral density, as well as reducing the rate of bone loss and reducing fracture risk in later stages of life.
What's Better for Women: Probiotics or Prebiotics?
Both probiotics and prebiotics are great for women's wellness. But prebiotic fiber offers benefits that give it the advantage over probiotics.
You can supplement all the probiotics you want and introduce new colonies after new colonies, but if they're not getting what they need to flourish and thrive in terms of fuel, those colonies are going to die.
Not to mention that a lot of probiotic supplements aren't actually that effective.
They may overload the gut with 20+ billion colony forming units (CFU). For some people, these megadoses of probiotics may lead to gastrointestinal discomfort and other side effects.
But there's also the issue that probiotics are fragile, and many of the conventional store-bought probiotics may actually be dead on arrival.
A probiotic for women supplement may start out with several billion viable colony forming units at time of manufacture. But heat, light, moisture and other factors may degrade that probiotic supplement over time.
You may think you're getting several billion colony forming units of live probiotics, but in reality you may be getting far fewer than that.
Taking probiotics that are dead on arrival cannot support gut health or any other aspect of health.
It may be more reliable to balance the gut and nourish the existing populations within it rather than introduce new strains.
And that's exactly what Performance Lab Prebiotic does. It nourishes your existing probiotic colony with Orafti® Synergy1 (Inulin-FOS from chicory root) for robust growth and health to deliver more reliable, natural, and comfortable microbiome support.
Plus, prebiotic fiber supports digestion, immune function, fat loss, and more that you don't get from most probiotic supplements.
How to get prebiotics from your diet: A healthy diet can provide prebiotic-rich foods for overall wellness. Some microbiome-boosting prebiotic foods to consider including in your diet include:
- Mushrooms
- Artichokes
- Asparagus
- Beans
- Chickpeas
- Grapefruit
- Dates
- Figs
- Apples
- Bananas
- Oats
- Flaxseed
Performance Lab Prebiotic - the top supplement for boosting probiotics for women's health - presents another means of getting prebiotic fiber from a natural dietary source: Chicory root.
Performance Lab Prebiotic may be taken in conjunction with prebiotic-rich foods. In addition, its capsules may be opened and added to foods, presenting a convenient way to add to various foods' fiber content.
Best Prebiotic for Women's Health
Perhaps the most important probiotic strain for women is Lactobacillus. This is the most prevalent probiotic that is found in the vagina and urogenital tract.
The best prebiotic fiber that boosts the lactobacillus acidophilus strain is Inulin-FOS (Orafti® Synergy1).
Inulin and fructooligosaccharides (FOS) are soluble prebiotic fibers found naturally in chicory root.
Together, in Orafti® Synergy1, inulin and FOS present a blend of both short-chain and long-chain fibers. This special structure is believed to better survive stomach acid, reaching the colon for maximum microbiome-nourishing effects.
Orafti® Synergy1 Inulin-FOS specifically targets Lactobacillus and bifidobacterium bacteria strains that contribute to women's health.
This prebiotic supplement supplies an advanced upgrade on standard probiotics, feeding our gut's existing bacterial colonies to promote healthy growth in harmony with your body.
Overall Best Prebiotic For Women: Performance Lab Prebiotic
Performance Lab Prebiotic is a 2-in-1 probiotic + soluble fiber supplement designed to support your gut and whole body in its entirety.
This dietary supplement expands beyond the scope of traditional probiotic supplements to nourish existing probiotic colonies, support healthy digestion and so much more.
Performance Lab Prebiotic delivers more reliable, natural, safe, and comfortable microbiome support than typical probiotic supplements.
Performance Lab Prebiotic Probiotic Benefits
If you're a woman seeking probiotic benefits, you should know that Performance Lab Prebiotic can help.
Performance Lab® Prebiotic supplies a patented form of Inulin-FOS fiber that has been shown in human research to shift Bifidobacteria distribution in the gut from 20% to 71%.
Performance Lab Prebiotic Inulin-FOS fiber also nourishes Lactobacillus acidophilus probiotics that play a crucial role in women's vaginal health and overall well-being.
Because it is also a source of natural soluble fiber, Performance Lab Prebiotic provides additional support for healthy digestion, immune function, fat loss, and other benefits that you can't get from most store-bought probiotic supplements.
Performance Lab Prebiotic General Benefits
- Absorbs water and swells in the gut, adding bulk to stools that helps with regularity, hemorrhoids, and overall digestive comfort
- Helps the body to absorb some nutrients more efficiently
- Supports some aspects of cardiovascular health; helps bind cholesterol and facilitate its elimination from the body
- May help to maintain blood sugar within normal range by slowing food transit time in the gut
- Promotes healthy immune system performance in the GI tract
- Nourishes existing gut microbiome rather than introducing new probiotic strains
- Helps fat loss by controlling appetite, promoting efficient digestive system performance and reducing food caloric density
- Supports bone health by enhancing calcium absorption
- Helps support heart health by regulating bad cholesterol absorption
Performance Lab Prebiotic Women's Health Benefits
So why is Performance Lab Prebiotic also a great choice for women's health, specifically?
Performance Lab Prebiotic Inulin-FOS selectively nourishes Lactobacillus bacteria and Bifidobacterium probiotic strains.
In other words, Performance Lab Prebiotic helps to optimize two of the most important probiotic strains for supporting health in both a woman's digestive system and vagina.
By raising Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium strains in the vagina, Performance Lab Prebiotic helps to optimize probiotics that are associated with a wide range of women's health benefits. This includes wholesome and natural support for:
- Balanced vaginal pH
- Women's urinary tract function and comfort
- Reinforcing and supporting the vaginal microbiome associated with robust defenses against yeast infections and other women's wellness concerns
- Healthy pregnancy and post-natal health
Health conscious women should also know that Performance Lab Prebiotic is the highest-quality formula of its kind on the market. It is designed with safety and effectiveness in mind:
Performance Lab Prebiotic Key Features
- Orafti® Synergy1: Oligofructose-enriched inulin (Inulin-FOS) from chicory root
- Delivered in 100% natural, prebiotic-infused NutriCaps® made from pullulan (fermented tapioca)
- Provides more reliable, natural, and comfortable microbiome support than substandard probiotic supplements
- Completely free of genetically modified organisms
- Integrates perfectly with other Performance Lab formulas, including NutriGenesis Multi for Women
Final Thoughts
Whether you're looking for weight loss, better digestion, smoother and more radiant skin, or better brain function, prebiotics can do it all because they:
- Naturally help to raise levels of beneficial bacteria in the digestive tract and vagina;
- Serve as a source of high-quality soluble fiber for digestive health, heart health, and much more.
While you may be tempted to heed the “probiotic supplements for better gut health” approach, these type of supplements are not always the most reliable route for women to take.
Rather than sorting through the hundreds of probiotic supplements on shelves, opt for something better that nourishes the colonies that already exist.
Performance Lab Prebiotic is the purest and best prebiotic supplement on the market designed to improve full-body function - including boosting the probiotics women need to naturally support digestive and vaginal health.
Get the best price on Performance Lab Prebiotic here
