Outlook Spotlight

Best Probiotics For Women, Probiotic Supplements For Female Gut Health, Vaginal Flora And Weight Loss

Searching for the best probiotics for women can be a challenge with so many brands available. Too many times the claims that are made on the bottles do not relate to what actually happens in the female gut. Getting it wrong once can be frustrating. Keep getting it wrong and the expense soon mounts up.

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Best Probiotics For Women
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Top 3 Probiotics for Women 2023 (Introducing the Supplements that Work Best)

These are the three probiotic brands that work best for women:

  1. YourBiology Gut + (best probiotic blend for women)

We aren't going to try and explain why so many supplement manufacturers are distributing low-grade probiotics alongside claims that are unrealistic. We'll let you make up your own mind about that. Suffice it to say that these things do happen in every industry. If they didn't there would be no need for probiotics buyer's guides and articles such as this.

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The fact that you are reading this female probiotic guide for 2023 suggests you are a woman looking for a good probiotic supplement. If so, like many other women, you may be unsure whether it's best to use probiotics that are designed to improve female gut health or choose a supplement that allegedly works equally well for both sexes.

The truth is, as with supplements of all types, the main thing to look at is the ingredients and their abilities, not the marketing claims.

Then instead of making a choice based on your sex, choose a supplement that provides support in the areas that you will find most beneficial.

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Ask yourself why you want to use probiotics. Is it only through a desire to have a healthier gut, or are you looking for probiotic supplements that offer the best level of weight loss support, reduce fatigue, and/or may help improve other specific aspects of your life?

It's not about finding the best probiotics that work. It's about finding the probiotics that work best for you.

Best Probiotic for Women's Health (Healthy Gut, Vaginal Health and Weight Loss)

YourBiology Gut + is the only one that was developed especially for women. For most women, it will also be the best option. Not because of the marketing claims, though. YourBiology Gut + is the top option due to the manufacturer's choice of probiotic bacteria.

However, depending on the benefits you require, you may find one of the other two options may be a better fit for your needs.

#1. YourBiology Gut +

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YourBiology Gut + is a high-quality probiotic supplement that's tailored to improving female gut health and provide additional benefits women will appreciate. The manufacturer offers free worldwide shipping, excellent customer service, and a 60-day money-back guarantee.

YourBiology Gut + is suitable for women of all ages and each two-capsule dose provides 40 billion colony forming units (CFU). That's a very generous serving of good bacteria. A lot of alternative options offer much less.

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One of the best things about this probiotic is it's shelf-stable. That means you don't need to store the bottle inside your refrigerator. The other nice thing about shelf-stable options is you don't have to worry about any of the bacteria dying on the way to your home if the delivery company does not have refrigerated transport.

As is the case with all the top probiotics, YourBiology Gut + is produced in the form of a pill. In addition to good bacteria, each pill also provided prebiotic fiber. This type of fiber nourishes probiotics helping them to multiply inside the gut.

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Research shows that, even when taken alone, prebiotic fiber can have a remarkable influence on human health. [1]

The capsule casing is pretty special too. It's made from a proprietary ingredient called Maktrek that's derived from botanical compounds in seaweed.

Maktrek is capable of resisting the digestive enzymes inside the stomach. It does not break down and release the probiotics until they are safely inside the gut. Without this special coating, some of the probiotics would die inside the stomach, reducing the supplement's potency.

The combination of prebiotic fiber and Maktrek ensures the probiotics in YourBiology Gut + have a survival rate that is 250 times greater than the bacteria in standard probiotic products.

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YourBiology Benefits at a Glance

  • Superior probiotics absorption and gut benefits

  • Stress reduction

  • Improved digestion

  • Boosted energy and focus

    • Stronger immune function

  • Feeling lighter and slimmer

  • Healthier-looking skin

  • Although the manufacturer focuses on the benefits listed above, the probiotics in YourBiology Gut + offer women support in other areas as well. We'll take a look at some of them in the next section.

    What Makes YourBiology Gut + One of the Best Probiotics for Women?

    So, why is this option so good? Let's start with the basics. It's a high-quality probiotic supplement that's produced using good manufacturing practices (GMP) in facilities located in the USA.

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    In addition to the product features, we mentioned earlier, YourBiology Gut + is designed to be suitable for all women. It's non-GMO, has no preservatives, and is free from common allergens, such as gluten, dairy, and soy.

    However, the best thing about YourBiology Gut + is the choice of probiotics locked inside and, of course, the things they can do. The choices are an excellent match for a probiotic formulation intended for women.

    Although benefits like better immune health obviously have universal appeal, women are more likely to seek probiotic supplements that offer benefits such as weight loss and better skin.

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    It's good that the YourBiology Gut + provides stress-reducing probiotics, though. There is no denying men feel stress too but research shows women have a greater susceptibility to it. [2]

    YourBiology Gut + contains Lactobacillus plantarum. This probiotic species has a clinically-proven ability to reduce stress and anxiety. [3]

    Most of the probiotic strains in YourBiology Gut + are species of lactobacillus bacteria. That's another point in its favor because research shows probiotics from this family are the best for improving vaginal microflora and preventing vaginal infections. [4]

    Lactobacillus acidophilus is another notable inclusion and it's very versatile. Research shows that, among its many virtues, L. acidophilus is one of the best probiotics for supporting weight loss and reducing the risk of osteoporosis in menopausal women.

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    Some research suggests, L. acidophilus supports weight loss by activating brown adipose tissue (BAT). [5]

    However, this probiotics value to menopausal women is even more impressive. The authors of a study published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine note its ability to reduce menopausal symptoms without side effects and suggest using it as an alternative to hormone replacement therapy (HRT). [6]

    #2. 1MD Complete Probiotics Platinum

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    1MD Complete Probiotics Platinum is a popular probiotic product that's primarily sold on its ability to boost immune function by improving gut health. Although the supplement is not made for women, it's still one of the best probiotics for women to buy.

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    With a CFU of 51 billion, it's a high-potency option. However, although a couple of the probiotics provide 30 billion of the CFU, many of the other probiotics are included in much lower amounts. Several are only 1 billion CFU.

    Due to its greater diversity of probiotic strains, 1MD Complete Probiotics Platinum also has the potential to deliver more benefits than YourBiology Gut +. However, it's not a specialized product and many of the benefits it provides are more appropriate for men.

    As with YourBiology Gut +, the capsules provide prebiotic fiber and have a special coating to protect the probiotic bacteria from harm. It's not Maktrek but it works in a similar way,

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    In common with all the best probiotics, 1MD Complete Probiotics Platinum is shelf-stable. No refrigeration is necessary, you can store your bottle of probiotics in any cool, dry place.

    Although some of the benefits the supplement provides may become apparent within hours of taking your first dose, many more will not. The benefits build up over time, with some of them requiring a few months to appear.

    However, there is no need to worry. 1MD is a reputable company that backs its probiotic supplement with a 90-day money-back guarantee.

    1MD Complete Platinum Benefits at a Glance

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    With this option, you only need to take one capsule per day instead of two, and 1MD promises the following benefits:

    • Improvements in digestive health

  • Better digestion and nutrient absorption

    • Stronger immune function

  • Relief from occasional bloating, gas, and indigestion

  • None of the claims above suggest this probiotic supplement is likely to be especially beneficial to women, do they? Don't worry, it didn't make this list of best probiotics for women for any of those reasons. We chose it based on the female-friendly benefits of the probiotics it provides.

    What Makes 1MD Complete Probiotics Platinum a Good Probiotic Supplement for Women?

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    Although some of the probiotics in this supplement are only 1 billion CFU, most of them are Lactobacillus bacteria. You may remember species from this family have the most to offer when it comes to supporting good vaginal health. [4]

    1MD Complete Probiotics Platinum also contains L. acidophilus. This is another probiotic you will be familiar with from our overview of YourBiology Gut +. Its value as a probiotic treatment for menopausal is so good that it's been suggested as an alternative to HRT. [6]

    First and foremost, 1MD Complete Probiotics Platinum is marketed on its ability to improve gut health and boost immunity. It has good credentials in both these areas and may be the best probiotic supplement for women who have regular issues with constipation, diarrhea, or other symptoms of irritable bowel disease (IBS).

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    1MD Complete Probiotics Platinum provides Bifidobacterium longum and Lactobacillus rhamnosus. Research shows strains from these species offer much value in this area. However, to get the maximum benefits, you may have to combine 1MD Complete Probiotics Platinum with a supplement that provides Vitamin B6. [7]

    Several of the good bacteria species in 1MD Complete Probiotics Platinum have the potential to improve immunity. L. rhamnosus is one of them, making it a doubly valuable inclusion. Research shows strains from this species may be particularly useful for treating respiratory virus infections. [8]

    #3 Health Nutrition Probiotic 40 Billion

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    As the name suggests, Probiotic 40 Billion is a supplement that provides 40 billion CFU per 2-capsule serving. It's not marketed as a probiotic supplement for women but some of the bacteria species it provides allow it to be one of the best options.

    Like the previous products, Probiotic 40 Billion provides a combination of probiotics and prebiotic fiber. In common with YourBiology Gut +, the supplement uses Maktrek to prevent the good bacteria from being released too early.

    If we were ranking the best probiotics for women on the length of their guarantees, with a 100-day duration, Probiotic 40 Billion would be #1.

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    However, as we already explained earlier, our evaluation focuses on the benefits the probiotics offer to women. Guarantees are just a bonus that provides customers with extra peace of mind.

    Probiotic 40 Billion Health Benefits at a Glance

    • Naturally promotes digestive health

  • Replenishes good bacteria

    • Helps strengthen your defenses

  • Provides natural ingredients that boost digestive health

  • As with 1MD Complete Probiotics Platinum, Probiotic 40 Billion is mainly marketed as a gut health product and immunity booster. When you dig a little deeper though, you learn it has hidden depths.

    Why Is Probiotic 40 Billion One of the Best Probiotics for a Woman?

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    Like the other top probiotic supplements, Probiotic 40 Billion is a high-quality supplement produced by a reputable company that offers its customers a money-back guarantee. The product is also free from all the main allergens and has no known side effects.

    The formulation predominantly consists of Lactobacillus bacteria. So, again, we are looking at another probiotic supplement that promotes good vaginal health. [4]

    L. acidophilus is included in the line-up, making Probiotic 40 Billion another supplement that may offer value to menopausal women seeking a natural alternative to HRT. [6]

    The formulation also contains Bifidobacterium bifidum. Research shows this probiotic species can improve the quality of life of people who are prone to constipation. [9]

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    It's unclear why this is so, but women appear to be more prone to constipation than men are. [10]

    Regardless of the reasons, for women who have ongoing problems with constipation, Probiotic 40 Billion is one of the best probiotics to pick.

    What are Probiotics?

    Probiotics are beneficial bacteria that live inside the human gut. They are also present in other areas of the human body. In the case of women, most notably the vagina and, as you may be aware, the benefits you get from consuming this type of bacteria do not end in the gut.

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    Not all intestinal bacteria are as helpful as probiotics. The human gut is also home to pathogenic bacteria, along with viruses and yeast. This combination of microbes is known as the gut microbiome.

    The gut microbiome is so important that researchers class it as a virtual organ. [11]

    One of the most important things probiotics do is fight gut pathogens, helping to keep the numbers down. They also reinforce the gut lining making it harder for pathogens from food to leave the confines of the intestines and enter the blood.

    In many ways, you could see probiotics as one of the immune system's first lines of defense. However, there are many more. Human biology is a wonderful thing.

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    Although all probiotics provide these types of gut benefits, certain species offer help in other areas too such as improving cognitive function, reducing fatigue, and providing weight management support.

    By providing daily top-ups of these good bacteria, probiotic supplements help maintain a harmonious balance within the gut microbiome.

    Why Should Women Take Probiotics?

    There are so many health benefits that formulated probiotics can provide women. Here are just some examples or the overall health benefits to a woman

    • Beneficial to skin health

  • Digestive and vaginal health

  • Gastrointestinal health

  • Relieves irritable bowel syndrome

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  • Relieves inflammatory bowel disease

    • Treats urinary tract infections

  • Healthy immune system

  • What Research Says About Probiotics and Female Health

    Quality probiotic supplements that provide several species of good bacteria help improve female gut health. They can be a useful addition to most women's daily routines because women are naturally more prone to digestive issues and gut problems such as IBS.

    The female gut microbiome is linked to the vaginal microbiome so what happens in one affects the other.

    Women's gut microbiomes also affect many other aspects of female health. If the gut falls out of sync, it has the potential to cause hormonal issues that may affect mood and menstruation.

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    The Role of Probiotics and Vaginal Health

    Some estimates suggest the average human body contains 1000 trillion microbes, many of which live inside the gut. However, the vagina is a source of microbial life as well. As with the gut, it's a mix of good and bad that's collectively known as the vaginal microbiome.

    Many factors, including menopause, can disrupt the status quo in the vaginal microbiome. When this happens, women are more likely to experience yeast infections, such as candida, and/or other infections, such as bacterial vaginosis.

    Other factors that have the potential to change a healthy vaginal microbiome for the worse include:

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    • Hormonal changes due to menstruation

  • Having unprotected sex

  • Poor personal hygiene

  • Vaginal infections can be very unpleasant. In addition to causing discomfort, they may also produce vaginal discharge.

    Just as some women may be more prone to gut problems, others have a greater susceptibility to vaginal infections. Fortunately, all of the best probiotics for women provide bacteria that can help maintain harmony in the vaginal microbiome, helping to reduce the risk of further infections.

    How Do Probiotics Support Female Weight Loss?

    When the gut microbiome becomes out of balance, the condition is known as dysbiosis. It can cause a lot of problems. Weight gain is one of them.

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    Women suffering from dysbiosis also often find it extremely difficult to lose weight.

    Early indications of dysbiosis include rashes, hives, belching, constipation, and diarrhea. In time, it may also cause more serious issues such as depression, diabetes, leaky gut syndrome, and/or sugar cravings.

    Needless to say, women who experience sugar cravings and give in to them are likely to begin gaining weight.

    Cravings occur when dysbiosis causes fluctuations in blood sugar and insulin. If the interference is severe enough, dysbiosis can cause a blood sugar crash.

    When the brain becomes aware that blood sugar is low, it tries to rectify the situation by causing cravings for sugar and carbs, such as potato chips, cake, and candy.

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    Giving in to these cravings will bring blood sugar up again fast. However, the cravings dysbiosis causes are not due to genuine hunger and will only lead to overeating and weight gain.

    To make matters even worse, foods that are high in sugar and fat nourish harmful bacteria helping them to multiply.

    Dysbiosis also slows metabolism. That's one of the main reasons why women who are exercising and eating right, may still find it difficult to lose weight.

    When metabolism slows down, you burn fewer calories than normal. This is another factor that causes weight gain.

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    In addition to encouraging fat storage, dysbiosis can add extra pounds to your frame by causing inflammation and water retention.

    Fortunately, the best probiotic supplements can help women to avoid these issues, or rectify them if they are already present.

    Do Probiotics Support Estrogen and Hormone Balance?

    This is getting into more complicated ground, but we will try to keep things as simple as possible.

    "Estrobolome" refers to a specific colony of gut bacteria and associated microbes that share a unique ability - they break down estrogen, helping to prevent estrogen dominance and all the problems that entails.

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    By reinforcing the existing colonies of estrobolone probiotic bacteria, probiotic supplements can help prevent issues such as weight gain due to menstruation or menopause.

    Are Probiotic Supplements Suitable for All Women?

    Although formulated probiotics are suitable for most women, unless their doctor advises otherwise, probiotics are not a good option for women whose immune system is impaired by disease or due to medications or surgical procedures.

    It may also be a wise move to seek professional medical advice before using probiotics during pregnancy.

    Women who are taking medications, especially antibiotics, will need to check with their doctors before using probiotic supplements.

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    In many cases, it will be okay to mix the probiotics and medication but your doctor is the best one to decide and provide advice on the best dosing schedule.

    For instance, when it comes to taking probiotics and antibiotics together, your doctor may suggest a gap of at least 3-4 hours between taking the medication and the supplement. Although probiotics can be very useful for preventing antibiotic-associated diarrhea, if you take the supplement and medication too close together, they will work against each other, limiting the benefits all around.

    Do Probiotics Cause Side Effects?

    The majority of women using probiotics or dietary supplements do not experience side effects but they can never be ruled out.

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    However, when side effects such as intestinal gas, bloating and diarrhea do become an issue, they are generally short-lived. These minor problems generally disappear when the body becomes used to the changes that have taken place in the gut microbiome.

    When to See a Doctor

    If side effects are severe or continue for more than two weeks, it's best to seek medical advice.

    Latest Clinical Data and Research Sources on Probiotics for Women's Health (2022 - 2023)

    1. Prebiotics: Definition, Types, Sources, Mechanisms, and Clinical Applications: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6463098/#sec8-foods-08-00092title

    2. Perceived Stress in a Gender Perspective: A Survey in a Population of Unemployed Subjects of Southern Italy: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2021.640454/full

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    3. Lactobacillus Plantarum DR7 Alleviates Stress and Anxiety in Adults: A Randomised, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30882244/

    4. Probiotics in the Prevention and Treatment of Postmenopausal Vaginal Infections: https://e-jmm.org/DOIx.php?id=10.6118/jmm.2017.23.3.139

    5. Lactobacillus Acidophilus Ameliorates Obesity in Mice Through Modulation of Gut Microbiota Dysbiosis and Intestinal Permeability: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34896249/

    6. The Effect of Lactobacillus acidophilus YT1 (MENOLACTO) on Improving Menopausal Symptoms: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7408745/

    7. Effects of Bifidobacterium Longum BB536 and Lactobacillus Rhamnosus HN001 in Ibs Patients: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31960952/

    8. Orally Administered Lactobacillus Rhamnosus Modulates the Respiratory Immune Response Triggered by the Viral Pathogen-Associated Molecular Pattern Poly(I:C): https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3460727/

    9. Efficacy of Bifidobacterium Bifidum G9-1 in Improving Quality of Life in Women With Chronic Constipation: A Prospective Intervention Study: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33996367/

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    10. Gender Differences in Self-Reported Constipation Characteristics, Symptoms, and Bowel and Dietary Habits Among Patients Attending a Specialty Clinic for Constipation: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19467522/

    11. Role of the Female Gut Microbiota in Nutrition and Health: https://www.bmj.com/content/361/bmj.k2179

    Best Probiotic for Women Conclusion and Bottom Line

    The most effective probiotics for any woman will always be the one that contains the probiotic strains and species that provide support in the specific areas she needs.

    However, due to the choice of probiotics, for most women, YourBiology Gut + should be the supplement that works best of all. That's not surprising because the manufacturer looked at the areas where most women require support and then tailored the supplement to provide it.

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    As with any other dietary supplement, it would be unwise to use probiotics as a primary treatment for an existing medical condition without discussing your intentions with your doctor first.

    Regardless of the brand of probiotics you choose, you will enjoy greater benefits if you also adopt other healthy practices such as eating nutritious foods, getting sufficient sleep, and exercising at least three times per week.

    Needless to say, these things will be especially important if you are hoping your probiotics will help you to lose weight and support digestive health.

    Choosing the right probiotic for women is of vital importance as overall health starts with health gut bacteria.

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    The above is a sponsored post, the views expressed are those of the sponsor/author and do not represent the stand and views of Outlook Editorial.

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