You’ve probably already heard some of the benefits of probiotics, including improved digestive health, and decreased bloating and constipation. But these good bacteria can provide a host of other benefits. They not only improve the gut microbiome, or ecosystem in the digestive system, but they’ve also been shown to improve the immune system, reduce urinary tract infections, promote MS.V health and more.
In this guide, we’re covering what probiotics are, what health benefits they provide for women, how to use them and a few of our picks for the best probiotics for women.
This content is meant to be informative, but should not be taken as medical advice. It is not intended for use as diagnosis, prevention or treatment of health problems. Always speak with your doctor before starting any new supplement or exercise regimen.
What Are Probiotics? Probiotics are living microorganisms used to increase the good bacteria stored in our bodies. Your digestive tract is essentially its own ecosystem. With a plentiful variety of microorganism species, there’s no one bacteria that can grow out of hand. By taking in various probiotic strains, the bad bacteria are kept at bay.
Probiotics are often taken by mouth in the form of a capsule or tablet. Sometimes probiotics come in a powdered form that can be mixed into a beverage regardless of the delivery method. Probiotics, when taken consistently, have been shown to provide numerous health benefits with very few side effects.
Related: The Best Multivitamins for Women Over 50
Benefits of Probiotics for Women It’s easy for supplement companies to make claims regarding the benefits of their products for women’s health. However, what’s more important is what the research says. Here are some real benefits of probiotics using evidence-based information.
Reduced bloating If you’ve ever experienced bloating, you know how uncomfortable it can be. Also known as abdominal distention, bloating can be irritating and downright painful. Taking probiotics can help reduce bloating in some people. These supplements are not always a cure-all, but some studies have found a reduction in symptoms.
The variation in who probiotics work for depends on the individual and the cause of the bloating. More research has shown that probiotics can improve many symptoms caused by irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Additionally, the effectiveness of probiotics for bloating varies based on the bacterial strain as well. Some gut bacteria may improve bloating for certain people better than others. For this reason, it is a good idea to have a well-balanced probiotic supplement with a variety of bacteria strains.
Improved gut health Gut health is a term used to describe the overall wellness of an individual’s gastrointestinal tract. There are a variety of definitions for gut health, but in general, we can think of a healthy gut as lacking any disease or discomfort. When a probiotic supplement can survive the treacherous environment of the stomach and make it into the intestines, it’s like a military vessel, dropping off an army of troops fighting for the greater good.
With these friendly microbes at work, bad bacteria cannot reproduce and grow out of control because the good bacteria are keeping them in check. Probiotics have been shown to aid in many functions that improve gut health, such as strengthening the intestinal barrier, decreasing the growth of dangerous pathogens, alleviating unwanted gastrointestinal symptoms and more.
Possibly increased weight loss Weight loss is another potential benefit of probiotic use. There is a strong correlation between the gut environment and weight. We know that the environment of the digestive tract changes in those with obesity. It’s thought that these changes can affect the entirety of how the body responds to meals, from fat storage to how nutrients are metabolized.
Probiotics have been shown to assist in weight loss, especially in those modifying their diet and lifestyle in attempts to lose weight. Both Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium strains were shown to be most effective in weight loss. Probiotics likely cannot be used as a weight loss pill, but they probably won’t hurt your weight loss efforts either.
Prevention of urinary tract infections Natural bacteria also exist in the urethra, or the tube that urine exits the body through. When unwanted bacteria enter this area, urinary tract infections can occur.
However, research suggests that by taking probiotics, more good bacteria are introduced, which can fight off the bad bacteria that cause UTIs. This is especially true for the bacterial strain Lactobacillus. When taking probiotics with Lactobacillus, women found a reduction in urinary tract infections.
Improved mental health The research gets a bit murky here. Some studies show the beneficial effects of probiotics in certain areas of mental health, like depression. In this case, positive results were seen in both individuals taking anti-depressant medication and those not taking medication. Study participants reported improvements in symptoms of anxiety, autism, and even Alzheimer’s disease.
Other studies, on the other hand, are a bit less optimistic, reporting little improvement in mental health symptoms. Regardless, probiotics do not appear to have negative effects on mental health.
Boosted immune system Because 70 to 80 percent of our immune cells are in the gut, it is probably no surprise that probiotics can play a role in improving immune function and overall well-being. Research has demonstrated that probiotic strains can actually interact with immune cells in the gut, which will increase the production of immune substances, called cytokines, that signal the immune system to do its job.
Additionally, probiotics have been linked to decreasing the growth of dangerous pathogens. Because many probiotics don’t survive stomach acids, it is important to choose a probiotic that offers some mechanism to survive that environment and make it into the intestines.
Related: The Best Vitamins and Supplements to Boost Your Immune System
Improved MS.V health Probiotics can improve MS.V health in certain circumstances. Just as harmless bacteria line the urethra, these bacteria are also present in the MS.V. This is referred to as the MS.V microbiome. Women suffering from chronic yeast infections may benefit from improving their MS.V microbiome by taking probiotics. Studies are demonstrating that probiotics, specifically the Lactobacillus strains, can play a role in reducing the occurrence of yeast infections and other MS.V infections in women.
Bacterial vaginosis is another common infection caused by bacterial overgrowth in the MS.V. Again, research shows that introducing the beneficial bacteria of probiotics can decrease bacterial vaginosis symptoms. This is particularly true for probiotics with the Lactobacillus rhamnosus strain included.
Relief from constipation Because of the safety of probiotics, they are commonly studied in humans for their effectiveness on various digestive issues. Chronic constipation can be extremely uncomfortable and can affect people’s quality of life. There is solid research that supports the use of probiotics in those with constipation. How these live microorganisms work exactly is still unknown.
There is a theory that probiotics may affect gut motility, or downward movement in the intestines, because of an interaction with the healthy bacteria and the central nervous system. As with many other health conditions, results vary by individual and strains of probiotics.
