The 9 Biggest Benefits of Probiotics for Women

Wondering what all the fuss is about probiotics? We’ll tell you whether they're worth it—and which supplements we recommend for the best results.

Author:
Bryee Shepard, MS, RD
Updated:
Jan 19, 2024

Benefits of Probiotics for Women_hero — Owner of Nastasi Nutrition

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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 vaginal 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.

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.

Related Post: The Best Probiotics for Weight Loss

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.

Improved vaginal health

Probiotics can improve vaginal health in certain circumstances. Just as harmless bacteria line the urethra, these bacteria are also present in the vagina. This is referred to as the vaginal microbiome. Women suffering from chronic yeast infections may benefit from improving their vaginal 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 vaginal infections in women.

Bacterial vaginosis is another common infection caused by bacterial overgrowth in the vagina. 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.

Possibly improved eczema and other skin conditions

There is an emerging term used in science called the gut-skin axis, which refers to the relationship of the health of the gut to the health of the skin. Probiotics may help reduce or improve certain skin conditions, including eczema and acne. In terms of eczema, the evidence is not as strong as in other areas. Although some doctors do recommend probiotics for the prevention of eczema, probiotics don’t appear to help with severe itching and sleep loss, but they may decrease the severity of eczema in general.

There is greater evidence that probiotics may improve facial acne. This is likely due to their anti-inflammatory effect, which improves digestive health. There is even future potential for topical probiotics to be used in the treatment of acne.

Probiotics in Foods

Probiotics are found in a variety of food sources and are especially common in foods that have been fermented. Here are some probiotic foods that serve as natural probiotic sources:

Yogurt
Kefir
Fermented cheeses
Buttermilk
Kimchi
Fresh refrigerated sauerkraut
Kombucha
Miso
Apple cider vinegar with the mother

Our Favorite Probiotics for Women

Ritual Synbiotic+

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Ritual Synbiotic+ made our list for a few reasons. First, this probiotic underwent a clinical trial that demonstrated its potency and effectiveness. Ritual created a unique delayed-release capsule designed to keep the actual probiotics safe through the harsh environment of the stomach.

Another unique quality of this probiotic supplement is that Ritual has made its ingredients traceable. For example, each bacteria strain comes from different sources ranging from Denmark and Spain to Georgia, right here in the US. With no refrigeration required, these vegan capsules are gluten-free, non-GMO and third-party tested.

Transparent Labs Probiotic

Transparent Labs has cultivated a strong reputation in the health and wellness market for creating clean and reliable supplements—from multivitamins and protein powders to fat burners and pre-workouts. Its probiotic supplements are no different. This probiotic offers five different strains of Lactobacillus bacteria and includes Bifidobacteria and Streptococci in its formulation, as well. These are three well-known friendly gut bacteria species.

With 100 billion colony-forming units (CFU) in each dose, this probiotic supplement is potent. We like that, as its name suggests, Transparent Labs is transparent in its manufacturing and processing by providing certificates of third-party testing right on its website. With no artificial dyes, sweeteners or preservatives, this are a great probiotic option.

YourBiology Probiotic Gut+

YourBiology Probiotic Gut+ uses a patented MAKtrek® Bipass Technology to ensure the probiotic strains make it all the way to the gut microbiome, where they should be. Probiotics are generally taken orally and then digested in the stomach, which can kill the microbes and deem them ineffective.

YourBiology uses this technology, which is derived from brown seaweed, to protect the bacteria from stomach acid so that it can make its way to the small intestine. This ensures you get as much benefit as possible from the supplement. In addition to the Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium strains, prebiotic fiber is also encapsulated. This prebiotic fiber is used as food for good bacteria to thrive on.

Swolverine Probiotix

Next on our list of best probiotics is Swolverine’s Probiotix. You’ll find these probiotics to be another great supplement from this trusted brand. With a variety of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium strains, this is a well-rounded probiotic mix.

Most supplements contain just one Bifidobacterium strain, while this one has two. They’ve also added an additional friendly bacteria strain called Bacillus to boost the beneficial bacteria profile in the gut. Not only is Swolverine woman-owned, but this probiotic is also vegan, gluten-free and non-GMO.

Final Thoughts

Given all of these benefits, incorporating probiotics into your life consistently is a good choice for most people. Of course, you should always speak to your doctor before incorporating a new supplement into your diet.

Whether you choose one of the probiotics recommended here or try eating more foods rich in probiotics, these friendly bacteria just might be the missing piece to improving your gut health.

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