Probiotics for women appear to have an ever-expanding list of benefits. These helpful bacteria can boost gut health, digestion, and even emotional well-being.
Probiotics, in particular, have several advantages for women. For instance, there is some research that suggests that women are more likely than men to suffer from digestive disorders. Therefore, maintaining a healthy balance of bacteria is critical. Not to mention, probiotics can affect vaginal health, among many other beneficial effects on vaginal microbiome.
What Are Probiotics?
Probiotics are living, healthy bacteria that can help your body in a variety of ways. They can be found in dietary supplements and fermented foods, as well as inside the natural microbiome of your body.
A healthy microbiome has been related to the avoidance of a multitude of health disorders that commonly affect women, including urinary tract infections, Candida overgrowth, SIBO, ulcerative colitis, IBS, and adult acne.
Probiotics also help with food digestion, absorption of critical vitamins including thiamine and riboflavin, and fighting off harmful bacteria that might disturb your gut microbiome.
Why Should Women Take Probiotics?
A healthy microbiome benefits general health in a variety of ways, but numerous factors can upset the balance within this little ecosystem.
Chronic stress can disrupt the microbiome. Consumption of processed foods and sugar can also have an impact on your gut health. Bacterial infections, parasites, and yeast can all cause problems.
Antibiotics play a huge factor in microbiome balance. When antibiotics are required to correct health concerns, they eliminate unwanted bacteria. However, they also diminish your healthy bacteria.
While everyone is prone to gut dysbiosis, there are several reasons why women should be concerned. Women can experience higher levels of stress, are more regularly put on antibiotics, and can have increased gastrointestinal problems. In addition, the vaginal microbiome must be maintained.
Benefits of Probiotics for Women
What are the benefits of probiotics for women? When your microbiome is out of balance, it can cause GI pain, allergies, autoimmune difficulties, skin conditions, hormone imbalances, weight gain, repeated vaginal infections, and additional problems. Probiotics can also be beneficial for a woman’s pH balance.
If you have any of these symptoms, you should consult with your healthcare provider about taking a probiotic supplement.
Beneficial for Your Gut
According to research, women's GI systems may be more sluggish than men's, increasing the likelihood of digestive disorders. Taking a probiotic pill can help to maintain healthy gut bacteria and aid digestion.
Consider probiotics to be your small helpers who help restore order and preserve harmony in your gut microbiome. They combat with pathogens such as harmful bacteria, yeast, and parasites.
Probiotics can also aid with digestive disorders such as bloating. Taking probiotics can also help prevent traveler's diarrhea.
Support The Vaginal Microbiome
Infections such as bacterial vaginosis (BV) and urinary tract infections (UTI) can arise when bad bacteria in the vagina overwhelm beneficial bacteria. The vaginal microbiome, like the microbiome in our digestive system, sinuses, and skin, is the very first line of protection against infections.
Certain probiotic strains can help the vaginal microbiome by inhibiting the growth of harmful bacteria that can cause these diseases. According to certain studies, there is a link between Lactobacilli presence in the vagina and women who have never had a UTI.
While there may be other routes of enhancing probiotics in the body, research has shown that oral probiotic supplements can help boost the vaginal flora.
Assist With Weight Management
Probiotics and weight management have also been linked in studies, particularly in women. In one study, researchers discovered that overweight women who followed a 12-week weight reduction diet while taking a specific strain of probiotics lost more weight than a group of overweight women who followed the same 12-week weight loss diet, without using probiotics.
The women who took the probiotic also continued to lose weight following the 12-week maintenance period, but the weight of the other group remained unchanged. Surprisingly, men did not experience the same weight changes as women.
One possible way probiotics can help with weight loss is through influencing the hormone leptin, which regulates appetite. Obesity can be closely related with high circulating leptin levels. Alteration to the gut microbiome can directly affect leptin by decreasing levels and resulting in anti-obesogenic effects.
Skin Benefits
The stomach and vagina aren't the only places where microbiomes can be found in the body. Trillions of bacteria live on the skin. The skin microbiome is just as important and balance is required here as well. Supplemental probiotic assistance may help control conditions such as eczema, acne, allergic inflammation, and hypersensitivity, as well as enhance wound healing and battle skin damage.
Women's probiotics may be especially useful for those who have eczema or allergies during pregnancy since they minimize the risk of transmitting the ailment to their child.
Reasons Probiotics Are Good for You
They may reduce the number of harmful bacteria in your gut, which can lead to disease or inflammation. They can also replace harmful bacteria with beneficial bacteria.
Probiotics are being studied to see when and how they can be most beneficial. Some diseases have received more attention than others. They may be able to assist people with:
- Diarrhea, particularly when associated with specific antibiotics. Probiotics may also aid with infectious diarrhea, particularly in kids.
- Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are examples of inflammatory bowel disorders (IBD). Certain probiotics may keep ulcerative colitis in remission and Crohn's disease from recurring and worsening.
- Irritable bowel syndrome is a condition in which the bowels become irritable. Probiotics can help relieve symptoms such as stomach pain, bloating, gas, diarrhea, and constipation.
Probiotics are also being researched for a variety of other illnesses. There hasn't been as much research as there should be, but there is evidence that probiotics can help with:
- Probiotics help yeast infections
- The prevention and treatment of urinary tract infections
- Lactose intolerance
- Some skin ailments, such as eczema
- The treatment of certain stomach and respiratory illnesses, particularly in young children
- The treatment of allergies and asthma
- Reducing inflammation, including inflammation caused by rheumatoid arthritis
Do Probiotics Have any Risks?
Due to these beneficial bacteria already being present in the body, they are deemed safe for a majority of the population. However, there are some things to think about.
They may produce modest stomach troubles, especially in the initial few days of use. You may experience stomach discomfort, gas, diarrhea, or bloating. Those effects normally subside as your body adjusts to the probiotic.
If you have a problem with your immune system or another major health condition, you may be more susceptible to problems.
Anyone with immune system issues, recent surgical procedures, and severely ill individuals are the most vulnerable. If you have any of these conditions, always consult with your doctor before taking probiotics.
Adding Probiotics to Your Diet
The best way to add probiotics to your diet include the following:
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Pro-women probiotics are specifically formulated with women's health in
mind. The six probiotic strains in this product target digestive, urinary, and immune support. Probiotics, in particular, have several advantages for women. For instance, women are more likely than males to suffer from digestive disorders, so maintaining a healthy balance of bacteria is critical. Not to mention, probiotics can affect vaginal health, among many other beneficial effects of probiotics for women.
- Probiotic yogurt is a fermented dairy product produced with bacterial cultures. Some individuals prefer a non-dairy choice because dairy can promote inflammation. Yogurt prepared from sheep or goat's milk may be a better choice for some. However, yogurt may not be as effective as a specially formulated probiotic supplement.
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Kombucha, sauerkraut, kefir, and pickles are examples of fermented foods containing probiotics.
These are foods that can be included in a healthy diet. Be cautious if you have a gut infection, such as Candida overgrowth or small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO). While there are good probiotics for Candida, we recommend consulting with your healthcare provider and sticking to the strains that are specifically designed for this.
Prebiotics created throughout the fermentation process feed the healthy bacteria and help them grow. Prebiotics are a form of fiber for the body. Fermented foods may also not be suitable for everyone. That being said, a prebiotic supplement may be beneficial for some individuals.
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Prebiotic foods with the most health advantages include garlic, leeks, apples, asparagus, bananas, and oats.
Prebiotics are undigested fiber that pass through your digestive system unbroken by digestion enzymes and stomach acids. They become a key fuel and nutrient source for bacteria in your gut. As a result, they can assist support vital physical systems, reduce inflammation in the body, and lessen overall risk of chronic health conditions.
Prebiotic supplements can be used in conjunction with probiotics to increase benefits.
Did you find our blog helpful? Then consider checking:
- Support Your Breasts with Probiotics
- 4 Must-Have Supplements for a Healthy Pregnancy
- Why Prenatal Vitamins and Probiotics Go Hand in Hand
- How Pregnancy Alters a Woman’s Gut Microbes
- Tips for Supporting Your Body Through Menopause
- Optimize Your Breast Milk by Focusing on Your Gut Health
- The 9 Most Common Myths About Probiotics
- Fertility and the Microbiome: How Probiotics Can Help You Conceive
- Why It's So Important to Have a Healthy Immune System During Your Pregnancy
- Expecting Moms: Here's Everything You Need to Know About Pregnancy, Breastfeeding, and Gut Health
**This blog is for information and education purposes only. This information is not intended to substitute professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please consult with your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions in regards to a medical condition. A qualified healthcare professional can best assist you in deciding whether a dietary supplement is suitable based on your individual needs.