We’ve all been there - urinary tract infections, candida overgrowth, excessive bloating, diarrhea, weight gain, and a host of other women's issues that flare up when bad bacteria takes over. While you probably want a quick fix, it’s better to start at the root of the problem: your gut.
When your gut is healthy, the rest of your body will feel the positive effects like regular bowel movements, clearer skin, weight loss, better mental health, and a stronger immune system. A great way to get your gut health on track is to start taking a daily probiotic pill.
Probiotics are essentially live microorganisms that can help you in different ways by balancing out the good and bad bacteria in your gut. A lot of times, this very fragile balance can get thrown out of whack due to unusual sleep or eating habits and various other factors. The benefits of probiotics for women especially are plentiful, such as improving vaginal health when it becomes unbalanced.
While not always taken in pill form, probiotics have been around since the beginning of human history using fermented foods that contain live bacteria. While they’re an old holistic health solution, their pill form recently started gaining popularity in the last few decades thanks to their superior benefits.
The majority of probiotics for women come with hefty price tags and questionable additives. Let alone, they don’t have the necessary ingredients to make it fit for women’s bodies. The best probiotic for women should contain useful bacteria that help prevent yeast infections, UTIs, bacterial vaginosis, and more.[1] Nothing keeps a woman happy like a healthy body.
Scientific research suggests that you can treat and even prevent some illnesses with supplements containing certain kinds of live bacteria. High-quality probiotics contain those live and active microorganisms needed to achieve immune and digestive health benefits.[3]
It can be difficult to know which are the best probiotics on the market. That's why Great Life Tips has compiled months of research about this emerging category. We’ll show you what to look for and what to avoid when searching for the best probiotics for women, and how a healthy gut can improve your overall health.
Benefits of a Daily Probiotic
Helps Digestive System Run Smoothly[2]
- Balances good and bad bacteria in the gut
- Can reduce symptoms of certain digestive disorders
Aids Weight Loss[3]
- Helps you feel fuller for longer
- Increases calorie-burning potential
Improves Mental Health[4]
- Gut health is linked to mood and mental health
- Benefits depression, anxiety, and stress
Strengthens Immune System[2]
- Bolsters Immune System
- Helps to fight off illness & infection
What to Look for in a Women’s Probiotic
Taking all of the healthful attributes listed above into consideration, we've boiled down a list of four key characteristics you should always look for in a quality probiotic. Try to seek out all of these qualities:
Effective Dosing
CIn the world of probiotics, more is not always better. You’ll want to buy a probiotic with at least 5 colony-forming units or CFUs[6]—this is the number of living bacteria per dose. A probiotic with CFUs anywhere from 5 to 50 is ideal because anything more than that tends to get pricier and not at all more effective.
Look for probiotics that are Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) Certified. This means that the product was adequately tested and dosed for optimal effectiveness.
Different Strains
Studies have shown that probiotics with more than one bacterial strain are the most effective and offer more benefits overall.[6,7] For example, the strain Lactobacillus rhamnosus is excellent for maintaining vaginal health and pH.[7] The trick is to find a probiotic with strains that already exist in the human body so you’re not taking risks by introducing new bacteria.
Delayed-Release Formula
Delayed-release capsules help ensure the supplement is protected from harsh stomach acid and releases in the intestines for maximum nutrient absorption. Supplements that don’t have this won’t have as strong of effects.[5]
Find a probiotic with naturally sourced strains, that are certified vegan, non-GMO, and are free of gluten, dairy, and soy.
GMO-free & Allergen-free
A lot of probiotics on the market can contain common allergens and genetically modified ingredients that aren’t all that healthy for you. Make sure you choose supplements that are certified GMO-free and also free of allergens like wheat, gluten, dairy, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, sesame, sulfites, or shellfish.
What To Avoid when buying Probiotics
Unnecessary Additives
Labels on supplements are sometimes created with the intention of being deceiving or confusing to the consumer. Many food products today contain potentially harmful chemicals like coloring, preservatives, or sweeteners. A lot of times, these are added to increase a product’s shelf life and provide no medical benefit.
When it comes to choosing your probiotics, be picky. Check the ingredients and don’t settle for less than healthy. Disregarding these additives may potentially cause allergic reactions or sensitivity. Look for a probiotic that doesn’t have any of these dangerous additives—only the probiotic bacteria inside, and the capsule that holds it.
Sacrificing Quality for Price
Probiotics are one of the most important supplements to make sure you’re getting from a reputable source because they have to stay at a certain temperature when they’re stored to make sure the bacteria stay alive.
When you buy a probiotic that was manufactured overseas and imported to the U.S., it likely withstood a number of different temperature levels. On top of that, U.S. supplements are held to a higher standard than a lot of other countries, which means that your imported supplements may have other ingredients that aren’t listed.
While it may be cheaper to buy a foreign-made probiotic, it likely won’t be as effective and will cost you more money in the long run trying to find one that works.
Top 5 Probiotics for Women
Based on our own extensive research, the metrics provided by our Great Life Tips Ranking System, and consideration of thousands of reviews by Shoppers just like you, we've compiled a list of what we've found to be the top five products in this category, on the market today.
1. Probiotic
Total Ranking
374 votes
9.7/10
A+
Overall GradePROS
- Supports Immune & Gut Health
- 51 Billion CFUs, 11 Probiotic Strains
- Contains Lactobacillus rhamnosus
- Gluten, Dairy, & Soy-Free
- Made in USA
- Excellent US-based customer service
CONS
- Only available online
The Bottom Line
The GMP Certified Pattern Wellness Probiotic is ideal for women’s health because it contains several different strains—one of them being Lactobacillus rhamnosus for vaginal health. The delayed-release capsules have 31 billion CFUs, which is ideal for optimal effectiveness.
It’s also made in a U.S. facility and is vegan, non-GMO, gluten-free, dairy-free, and soy-free. While it’s not specifically designed for women, it has all the necessary factors that make it ideal for women’s health.
With excellent U.S.-based customer service and a 30-day, risk-free, money-back guarantee, the Pattern Wellness Probiotic is our top pick
*Results are based on the Great Life Tips Ranking System and do not necessarily reflect typical results from the use of these products. Please visit product websites for more information.
Learn About Our Top Pick2. Women’s Probiotic
Total Ranking
247 votes
9.1/10
A-
Overall GradePROS
- 50 Billion CFUs
- Contains Lactobacillus rhamnosus
- GMP Certified
CONS
- Unnecessary Additives
- Some Customers Note Damaged Pills
The Bottom Line
Also containing Lactobacillus rhamnosus, the Doctor’s Recipe Women’s Probiotic is another great choice for women’s health. It’s made in a GMP Certified factory and contains 50 billion CFU’s and several different strains.
In efforts to make the product more geared toward women’s health, the manufacturer also added a fiber blend and cranberry extract; however, these typically aren’t necessary in a quality probiotic. Some customers have reported that, upon opening the product, they found the pills stuck together or crushed. This may indicate that the manufacturer didn’t put them in temperature-sensitive storage.
Regardless, it’s an affordable supplement that ticks off most of our boxes.
*Results are based on the Great Life Tips Ranking System and do not necessarily reflect typical results from the use of these products. Please visit product websites for more information.
Learn More3. Women’s Probiotic Solution
Total Ranking
263 votes
8.7/10
B+
Overall GradePROS
- 15 Strains
- Survivability
- Delayed-Release
- Naturally Sourced
- Vegetarian
CONS
- Only 5 Billion CFUs
- Hard to Swallow
- Some Stomach Issues
- Only 30-Day Return Policy
The Bottom Line
Hyperbiotics’ PRO-15 Probiotic features 15 strains, all of which are naturally sourced and already present in the human body. These non-GMO probiotics are vegetarian-friendly and are free of dairy, gluten, artificial additives, or preservatives.
These delayed-release capsules, which release over an 8-10 hour period, claim to have a 15x more survivability rate and do not require refrigeration.
These probiotics, however, have a lower amount of CFUs compared to the others on our list coming in at 5 billion CFUs. While you only need to take one capsule a day, some reviewers state that the capsule is a bit harder to swallow. Additionally, despite claims of being for those with sensitive stomachs, some reviewers stated that they experience some stomach discomfort, including bloating.
*Results are based on the Great Life Tips Ranking System and do not necessarily reflect typical results from the use of these products. Please visit product websites for more information.
Learn More4. Dr. Formulated Raw Probiotics for Women
Total Ranking
244 votes
8.1/10
B-
Overall GradePROS
- Contains Lactobacillus rhamnosus
- Delayed-Release Capsules
- Contains Several Strains
CONS
- May Have Bad Odor
- Excessive CFUs
- Unnecessary Additives
The Bottom Line
The Dr. Formulated Raw Probiotics for Women by Wholesome Wellness are a good option, but have more CFUs than necessary for optimal performance. The delayed-release capsules contain several helpful strains, including Lactobacillus rhamnosus, but some customers have stated that they have a garlic-like odor.
Regardless, the probiotic has organic ingredients that are ideal for women’s health.
*Results are based on the Great Life Tips Ranking System and do not necessarily reflect typical results from the use of these products. Please visit product websites for more information.
Learn More5. Multi-Strain Probiotic
Total Ranking
174 votes
7.9/10
C+
Overall GradePROS
- Contains Lactobacillus rhamnosus
- 30 Billion CFUs
- Contains Several Strains
CONS
- Expensive
- Not Transported in Temperature-Safe Storage
- Quality doesn't match price point
The Bottom Line
These probiotics are another solid choice for women’s health. With 30 billion CFUs and multiple strains, it’s just as effective as our other options.
On the other hand, it’s a little bit pricier without being noticeably higher quality. There have also been cases where customers have received the probiotics and they’ve been extremely warm from the summer heat. Although this is a rare case, this would result in dead bacteria and less effective capsules.
Nevertheless, when the probiotic is delivered correctly, this supplement seems to have good effects.
*Results are based on the Great Life Tips Ranking System and do not necessarily reflect typical results from the use of these products. Please visit product websites for more information.
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