Probiotics seems to be the topic of attention recently due to its many proven health benefits. But let's be honest, there are a ton of probiotic supplements out there claiming to be the best, how can you be certain it will live up to the claim? If you're looking to use them to boost your own vaginal health, it's important to make sure you take the right probiotic supplements that are not only worth all the hype but will also bring great changes to your body.

Our team narrowed it down to the top 3 probiotic supplements for women based on key ingredients, customer satisfaction, and overall value. However, let's cover the basics and what to look for or avoid in order to help you gain a better understanding of what ingredients can really provide positive results.

Probiotics for Feminine Health, Why You Need Supplementation?

You have heard of the term before, but what exactly are probiotics? Probiotics are live microorganisms that naturally live in your body, mainly in the gut or vagina. Don’t mistake them for the harmful bacteria that causes food poisoning or infections. Probiotics are actually our friends and necessary for many health benefits.

They're believed to support our health in more than one way, says Jessica Marcus, M.S., a registered dietitian in Berkeley, California.¹ Certain strains of probiotics, like s. boulardii, have been linked with sought-after health benefits through scientific research. These benefits include improved digestion, a stronger immune system, and healthier skin. More research is still in progress for more thorough understanding of different probiotic strain’s properties.

Probiotics Benefits for Women Against BV and Yeast Infection

Aside from the widely known fact that probiotics help improve gut health and digestion, certain probiotic strains have also shown positive results in warding off vaginal yeast infections, UTl, and bacterial vaginosis. They do so by keeping the vaginal microbiome (microorganism population) in balance, making sure the bad bacteria do not overgrow and cause odor or allow for yeasts to grow, Fasig says.²

Bacterial vaginosis (BV) and vaginal yeast infection are the most common in women between 15 to 45 years old. Both are caused by an overgrowth of harmful microorganisms, such as G. vaginalis and Prevotella bacteria for BV or Candida fungus for yeast infection, which outnumber Lactobacillus, the good bacteria.

Inside your vagina, there are more than 50 different species of microorganisms. The majority of these microorganisms are a type of good bacteria called lactobacilli, which helps promote the vagina’s health. Imbalance of the number of lactobacilli versus some other bacteria can cause mild to serious health risks such as yeast infections, UTI, kidney failure, etc. This imbalance can occur for a number of reasons, including when you:

• Have unprotected sex with or receive oral sex from a male or female partner
• Experience changes in hormones (stress, birth control, etc)
• Have your period (such humid and moist environment creates the perfect chance for harmful bacteria to flourish)
• Do not maintain good hygiene habits

Supplement Strains, CFUs, and Survivability

Survivability

One of the critical elements of probiotics is survivability. Survivability is the ability for the probiotic bacteria to make it alive to your vagina after you took the supplement. They have to be able to survive the journey through the mouth and stomach and reach its final destination, your vagina.³ If not enough of the bacteria from the original dosage actually made it to the vagina, those supplements will be ineffective.

Most doctors and dieticians recommend taking probiotic supplements during or immediately after a meal. Carbs and proteins from the food will help neutralize the acidity in your stomach and also provide glucose to the probiotics. Thus, more probiotics will be able to make it to your vagina.

Strains

Microorganism diversity plays an important role in your body’s ability to maintain overall health because each strain has its own property in how it can aid the immune system. Different probiotic strains excel at different mechanisms, therefore, a diverse formula containing many strains is much better for overall health. A lack of diversity in probiotic strain is linked to obesity, digestive issues, skin problems, and declined vaginal health.⁴

Natural supplements typically contain a significantly high percentage of various constituents such as essential minerals, nutrients and vitamins. For instance, Saw Palmetto has been shown to constitute 70 to 95 percent fatty acids (predominantly lauric, caprylic, and caproic), long-chain

Scientists have asserted that the type of microbe strain, health condition, formula balance, dose, and the quality of the product all play an important role for effectiveness of probiotic supplements.⁵ Pharmaceutical companies usually formulate their probiotic supplements to contain a combination of many strains.

CFUs

Colony-forming units (CFU) are the most commonly used measurement of probiotics to estimate the number of viable bacteria cells in a sample.⁶ Viable bacteria cells are those that have the ability to grow and multiply in the environment (gut, vagina, etc.) after it was first introduced. Pertaining to vaginal health, supplement doses of 40 - 50 billion CFUs have been found to produce the best results in most studies.

However, some probiotics may be most effective at dosages of only 1–2 billion CFU per day, while others may require at least 20 billion CFU to achieve the desired effects. This is all due to the formulation of the supplement and treatment of each strain prior to mixing the ingredients.

What You Should Avoid in Probiotic Supplements

• Incorrect Dosage (Too Few CFUs) - CFU is one of the most important factors in achieving results from your probiotic supplements. Typically, the recommended dosage is 50 billion CFUs for traditional formulas but variations (2 - 20 billion CFUs) do occur in newer formulas depending on the ingredients. If the supplement contains too little CFUs to begin with, there won’t be enough that survived the entire journey by the time the probiotics reach the vagina.
• Not The Right Strain For Your Need - There are over 50 different strains of probiotics found to be beneficial in improving vaginal health, treating UTI, eliminate odor, etc¹⁰. Every strain has its own mechanism to enable these properties. Thus different strains will be used to address each symptom. Find the right match in the ingredient list based on proven studies.
• Poor Product Quality (Live Cultures) - One of the biggest challenges with probiotics is their fragileness and the different obstacles they must overcome before reaching the final destination. They have to survive the process of manufacturing, storage, and your stomach acid in order to deliver results in your vagina. Products with low quality will lose their potency over time or not survive the whole process.
• Improper Storage - TImproper storage might be one of the most prominent reasons why your probiotic supplements don't work. Humidity, heat, oxygen, and light exposure every time the bottle is opened can also put a negative effect on probiotics. We suggest storing your supplements in a dry, shaded area and keep them refrigerated if the formula doesn’t promise its original quality without¹⁰.

What You Should Look For in Probiotic Supplements

• Multiple Strains vs Single Strand - Different strains of bacteria provide different benefits to the body regarding gut, vaginal, or overall health. Thus, probiotics with multiple strains are more effective than those with only one or two strains.
• Potency, CFU and Guarantee - It is important for the pharmaceutical company to be able to guarantee CFU at expiry for their probiotic supplements. This means that the supplement’s potency will remain at least the amount of bacteria promised on the label. Every supplement formula is different and varies in ingredient amounts, however generally, you should look for a product that has a higher number of probiotics, ideally at least 50 billion per serving.⁷
• Prebiotics That Will Help Your Probiotics - To support the growth of probiotics once they get into your system, it is essential that prebiotics are also included in the formula. Prebiotics are compounds in food that help induce the growth of beneficial microorganisms like probiotics⁸.
• Capsules to Protect the Probiotics - There are various different ways to package probiotic supplements such as tablets, capsules, or gummies. However, it is recommended to look for formulas that are in delayed release capsules such as DRcaps. Supplements that are delivered in this form of capsule have a coating layer that protects the probiotics from stomach acid.
• Packaging and Shelf Stability - Most probiotic supplements, like any other drugs and supplements, are packaged in plastic bottles. But what you might not realize is that every time you open that bottle, the probiotics get exposed to humidity and oxygen in the air, which can degrade them over time. Thus you should look for products that will guarantee shelf stability and do not need to be refrigerated.

You’re Not Taking Your Probiotic with Polyphenols & Prebiotics

Probiotics are wonderful for our body, but they need help sometimes too. We need to create the right environment for them to thrive, by adding prebiotics to the diet (prebiotics are the food for your probiotics). Scientist have recently discovered a class of phytonutrients (plant-derived nutrients) called polyphenols that can provide a prebiotic benefit that doesn't cause bloating¹¹.

Prebiotics are fibers and natural sugars from certain foods that stimulate the good bacteria in the gut by providing them necessary nutrients. Many prebiotic foods are healthy and suitable for vegans and people on other diets to eat, making them a perfect addition in your meals. These foods include almonds, chicory, garlic, onion, and chickpeas.

A Word Before Taking Probiotics

We recommend consulting with your doctor before taking any type of supplements to ensure it is right and safe for your own unique health condition. More research is still needed for a better understanding of each probiotic strain’s properties and how they can help improve your vaginal health.

Probiotic supplements are a great source of probiotics for your body that allow you to know exactly how much you’re consuming and what ingredients are involved. Depending on your specific need, different formulas can help with fighting UTI, balancing the microorganism population, or even promoting healthier skin.

Our Ranking Methodology

This comprehensive list was created through extensive research and analysis, measuring the full value of each supplement by analyzing key ingredients, safety, efficacy, return policies, and overall expressed customer satisfaction. The research process is designed to present information in a clear, concise, and fact based manner. We also collect research from the latest studies and clinical trials to ensure that our assessment criteria take into account the latest findings.

2023 Top 3 Best Probiotic Supplements For Women

After extensive research, our team is proud to present the following top list of the most effective probiotic supplements for women on the market today. The research process includes precise scoring for important key ingredients, customer satisfaction, value, return policy, and product history along with the average scores of the overall probiotic supplements for women accessed in our research. To paint a holistic picture, we've included pros and cons for each of the supplements on our list.