The popularity of probiotic supplements has grown rapidly in recent years as the potential for these supplements continue to support digestive health as they become more widely understood. Women in particular stand to benefit from incorporating a probiotic supplement into their daily routine due to particular health concerns that women are more likely to face.
After all, twice as many women suffer from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) as men, and common female health issues such as urinary tract infections (UTIs) and yeast infections can be combated through the use of probiotics.
But once you've decided that a probiotic supplement could help you improve your whole-body wellness, how do you go about finding the best probiotic for you?
How Probiotic Supplements Work
There are many probiotic supplements on the market, but not all are created equal. The presence of certain characteristics can help make a particular supplement more effective than its competitors--particularly for women with their unique set of health concerns.
Effectiveness
Viability is one of the most important components of any effective probiotic. In other words, the beneficial bacterial strains contained in a probiotic supplement need to be delivered into the digestive tract live in order to be effective. Indeed, scientific research supports the principle that probiotics with a high number of viable organisms are more effective at conferring health benefits than non-viable probiotics.
Deliverability
The particular delivery system that a probiotic supplement uses is also key to its success. However many viable strains are contained in an undigested probiotic, protecting these beneficial microorganisms as they pass through the harsh environment of the digestive system is key to reaping their benefits. Indeed, studies have found that the effectiveness of a probiotic delivery system to protect its beneficial bacterial strains against intestinal bile and other physiological conditions in the gut is key to the supplement's success.
Strains
To be most effective, a probiotic supplement also needs to contain the right makeup of beneficial microbiotic strains. Scientific research confirms that a number of types of good bacteria used in probiotic supplements can provide health benefits for the user--but different strains have different effects.4 Indeed, the most effective probiotics should be formulated to address the individual's particular health issues.
Research confirms that certain probiotic strains are more effective at treating certain diseases than others.5 In short, an effective probiotic is one that is designed to address your specific health concerns--whether you are an expectant mother looking to boost your baby's immune system or a chronic yeast infection sufferer looking to alleviate your symptoms.
Best Probiotics for Women
Viability, an effective delivery system and the right mix of probiotic strains are key components of high quality probiotics for women. Finding the right probiotic for you begins with choosing a supplement that is intended to help tackle individual health concerns.
At LoveBug Probiotics, we understand that every woman is different and desires different results from their probiotic supplement. That's why we've created a variety of formulas aimed at addressing the wide range of women's health concerns.
It's no secret that expectant and nursing mothers have unique needs; after all, that's why women are encouraged to take a prenatal vitamin and increase the balance of healthy foods in their diet after finding out that they're pregnant.
Our Labor of Love probiotic is intended to nurture both mom and baby's health even further by helping improve nutrient absorption, boost digestive function and reduce constipation; the addition of 250 mcg of folate helps offer further protection against serious birth defects.
So many women battle chronic yeast and urinary tract infections--and as common as these infections are, they can seriously limit your ability to live your life. That's why we created our Yeast is a Beast supplement.
Its Lactobacillus bacteria strains can help lower vaginal pH, reducing the risk of yeast infection; the inclusion of our trademarked Cran-Gyn™ cranberry extract helps limit the growth of bad bacterial strains that lead to UTIs and yeast infections.
Many woman struggle with weight loss, and our Here's the Skinny probiotic can help support microbiome diversity, metabolic function and weight loss efforts. At the same time, this supplement can also help improve digestive function, energy levels and overall mood to support whole-body wellness.
Colds do indeed suck: days or weeks spent drained of energy, coughing and sneezing are tough for any woman who needs to get things done. We've designed our Colds Suck probiotic supplement works to support the immune system function while including a range of immune-boosting vitamins to complement our carefully-chosen probiotic strains.
LoveBug Advantage
Each LoveBug Probiotic products has one fundamental similarity: their formulation is deeply rooted in scientific research aimed at producing the most effective results possible. Whatever your specific health concerns as a woman, our probiotics are developed to deliver the best, most effective probiotic strains as possible.
Learn more about the LoveBug Probiotic advantage.
References
Lee SY, Kim JH, Park HS, Jin CJ, Choe WH, Kwon SY, Lee CH, Choi KW. Irritable Bowel Syndrome Is More Common in Women Regardless of the Menstrual Phase: A Rome II-based Survey. J Korean Med Sci. 22(5): 851–854. 2007.
Lahtinen S. Probiotic viability – does it matter? Microb Ecol Health Dis. 23: 10.3402/mehd.v23i0.18567. 2012.
Govender M, Choonara Y, Kumar P, Du Toit LC, Van Vuuren S, Pillay V. A Review of the Advancements in Probiotic Delivery: Conventional vs. Non-conventional Formulations for Intestinal Flora Supplementation. AAPS PharmSciTech. 15(1): 29–43. 2014.
Fijan S. Microorganisms with Claimed Probiotic Properties: An Overview of Recent Literature. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 11(5): 4745–4767. 2014.
Ciorba M. A Gastroenterologist’s Guide to Probiotics. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 10(9): 960–968. 2012.
