Probiotics Benefits for Women - Reasons Women Need Probiotics

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Probiotics Benefits for Women - Reasons Women Need Probiotics

Probiotics are one of the most widely researched natural products for gut health. But what does science say about the benefits of probiotics for women in particular?

Probiotics are the good bacteria in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract designed to support your body’s immune system, absorb nutrients, and provide protection against digestive disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

Whether they’re reaching for yogurt or kombucha or taking a probiotic supplement, it’s common knowledge that probiotics offer huge health benefits. Not only are probiotics helpful for promoting healthy digestion, but research shows these beneficial microbes offer specific health benefits for women.

if you’re a woman, research has shown that the beneficial microbes in probiotics may also support immunity, mood, and vaginal and urinary health.

 

What Are Probiotics and How Are They Used?

Probiotics are microbes, usually bacteria but sometimes fungi, that have a beneficial effect on the body and human health. Louis Pasteur, the father of germ theory, found that different bacteria species compete with one another to create “ecosystems” within the human body and the balance of various good and bad microbiota affects many aspects of your health. Probiotics work in the gut by increasing the number of healthy microbes and keeping the number of harmful bacteria in check. Since these early discoveries, medical research has focused more on developing antibiotics to kill bad bacteria than how to promote the growth of good bacteria.

But, in recent decades, research has found that beneficial probiotic bacteria may ease digestive upset, support a healthy immune system and better mood, improve absorption of nutrients, and help symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and constipation. Probiotics are even being studied as an alternative to antibiotics which, in medical circles, is called microbial interference treatment (MIT).

 

Here are some of the benefits of probiotics for women:

 

Pregnancy-related obesity: Research showed that one year after giving birth, women were less likely to have the dangerous type of obesity, central obesity, when probiotics had been given from the first trimester of pregnancy. Central obesity was found in 25% of the women who received probiotics with dietary counseling, compared to 43% of women who received diet advice alone.

Premature birth and pre-eclampsia: A study published in the journal BMJ Open in January 2018 suggested that women taking probiotics during early pregnancy might also have a lower risk of premature birth and pre-eclampsia—a pregnancy complication characterized by high blood pressure and damage to other organs like the kidneys and liver. Premature births occur before 37 weeks and may lead to disability and illness in the infants.

Listeria bacteria: More research published in The Journal of Experimental Medicine in 2017 suggested that probiotics could protect individuals who are particularly susceptible to listeria, such as pregnant women. Listeria is a bacterium found in food such as uncooked meat, vegetables, fruit, and processed food.

Heavy metal exposure: Another study from 2014 showed that probiotic yogurt with L. rhamnosus bacteria successfully protected pregnant women against heavy metal exposure, and specifically against arsenic and mercury.

Childhood allergies and eczema: A study published in PLOS Medicine in February 2018 found that women who take probiotics during late pregnancy may reduce their infant’s risk of eczema and food allergies.

Gestational diabetes: In a 2015 study, researchers reported that daily probiotic supplementation with the strain Lactobacillus salivarius affects metabolic parameters and pregnancy outcomes in women with gestational diabetes—a type of diabetes that affects pregnant women.

 

Can You Take Probiotics During Pregnancy?
Yes, women who are pregnant can safely take probiotics. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has concluded that probiotics have a good safety record, and adverse effects from probiotics are rare. A systematic review of scientific studies found that taking probiotics during pregnancy neither increased nor decreased the risk of preterm birth; in other words, probiotic supplementation was safe and did not negatively affect the birth outcome. However, pregnant women and anyone with a serious medical condition should consult their healthcare provider for specific advice.

In addition to improving overall health, studies have found that probiotics may even have benefits for pregnant women. One study found that pregnant women with gestational diabetes had better cholesterol readings when they took probiotics.

 

What Are the Best Probiotics for Women?
Some specific probiotic strains support women’s health by promoting a healthy balance of bacteria in the vagina and promoting normal digestive health. Hydrogen-peroxide producing Lactobacillus species are ideal since they have been found to protect against harmful organisms and have many other benefits for women.

These probiotics have the best scientific documentation as effective probiotics

Fermented Vegetables
Fermented vegetables include kimchi and sauerkraut. Sauerkraut is high in organic acids, which support the growth of good bacteria. Kimchi, on the other hand, is a fermented probiotic food that includes cabbage and other veggies such as kale, radishes, and carrots.

Lacto-fermented pickles are also a probiotic vegetable that benefits your health.

Dairy-Based Probiotics
Kefir, yogurt, and raw milk are among the probiotic dairy products. Similar to yogurt, kefir is a milk-based probiotic. Kefir is created from fermented milk, while yogurt is a good probiotic food when it comes from raw, grass-fed animals.

Soy-Based Probiotics
Natto is a Japanese dish that contains fermented soybeans, which are extremely high in the probiotic Bacillus subtilis. Miso is also made from fermented soybeans.

Fermented Drinks
Kvass is a fermented beverage used since ancient times in Eastern Europe. It is made from fermenting barley or rye, but in more recent years, it has been made from fruit, beets, or other root veggies like carrots.

Coconut kefir is another probiotic drink and dairy-free kefir option made from the juice of young coconuts with kefir grains. Kombucha is a fermented black tea that is produced by using SCOBY (symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast).

Probiotic Supplements
Women’s probiotic supplements are available in capsule and tablet form. Consult with a natural health practitioner for a probiotic recommendation, dosage, and potency to treat your particular health problem.

 

Reasons Women Need Probiotics

 

You’re Already at a Disadvantage
Anyone living in our modern, fast-paced, “work long, sleep less” culture could benefit from taking a daily probiotic supplement. Our busy schedules coupled with our western diets, filled with sugar, artificial colors, fatty meat and GMO’s, along with our use of antibiotics, give bad flora the advantage in the fight for your health.

You might not even realize what it is that you’re missing, but you know that something just isn’t right. If you’ve been sick or prescribed antibiotics recently, it’s important to repopulate your system with good bacteria to maintain a healthy balance. Any of the following conditions could be an indication that you need to include a probiotic supplement in your daily regimen:

Not Getting Your Vitamins? Better Get Your Probiotics
Giving your body vitamins and minerals isn’t just like doing an extra credit assignment in your biology class – it’s essential for life. Micronutrients help your body carry out the chemical reactions you need for mental and physical health.

Your body hosts organisms that can produce vitamins– more specifically the bacteria that live in your gut. Among the trillions of bacteria that live in your GI tract, there are some that produce B vitamins. To go a little more in-depth, bacteria in your gut produce three B vitamins: Biotin, Folate and vitamin B12. This trio is closely involved in energy metabolism, and nerve function.  Vegetarians and vegans are at especially high risk for B12 deficiency because this vitamin is naturally found in animal products and generally not present in plant foods.

Probiotic gut bacteria are also capable of making vitamin K, a vitamin your body needs for clotting. Without enough vitamin K, you run the risk of bleeding to death when you get a cut or have a menstrual cycle. Vitamin K comes in two forms: vitamin K1 and vitamin K2. Vitamin K2 is important for bone health and for prevention of coronary artery disease, but it has limited availability in foods. The best sources include cheese, egg yolks, and fermented foods. Gut-friendly, probiotic bacteria help out here also by making some of the vitamin K2 you may not be getting through diet. This is one more important reason to make a daily probiotic, such as NuCulture part of your regular diet.

Additionally, probiotics also increase the digestibility, and processing of a number of nutrients, including:

​Vaginal Health and Hormonal Balance

Very similar to the intestinal tract, the vagina is a finely balanced microbiome. Beneficial microbes such as probiotics can help keep the vaginal area somewhat acidic, making it difficult for potentially harmful bacteria to survive. Healthy vaginal flora can get thrown out of whack by a number of factors, including antibiotics, spermicides, and birth control pills. Probiotics also help with microflora balance to support vaginal health.

Beneficial flora metabolize and recycle hormones, including estrogen, thyroid hormones, and phytoestrogens from food sources, which can help offset symptoms of Menopause, PMS, and Perimenopause. In this way, they help maintain proper hormonal balance, and may protect bone and breast health as well.

So many factors can disrupt the balance of bacteria in your gut including stress and diet. Keeping your gut microbiome in balance is important for many reasons, one of which is to nurture good bacteria you need to help with the production of vitamin K and B vitamins. This is one more great reason to make a daily probiotic, such as NuCulture part of your regular diet. ​