The Best Probiotic for Gut Health, Bloating, Occasional Constipation & More
You’ve heard probiotics are good for your gut, but what exactly are they and what do they do? Probiotics are supplements that deliver helpful bacteria to your digestive system to improve your gut health, support your immune system, and
provide other wholebody health benefits. There are a ton of them on the market, so we’ve brought you the best options for men, women, bloating, occasional constipation, and more (plus valuable info on how to choose the right probiotic for you and the benefits you can expect to experience). Read on to learn more!
Best Probiotic Strains for Your Gut Health
- For the average personNo two people are the same or have the same probiotic needs, but for most, it’s hard to go wrong with Lactobacillus acidophilus. This helpful bacteria is the most commonly used probiotic strain and can be found in the intestines, the vagina, and saliva, as well as in many foods like yogurt, cottage cheese, and sauerkraut.[1]
Benefits of Lactobacillus acidophilus include balancing the vaginal microbiome, promoting relief from occasional digestive discomforts including bloating, intermittent constipation, gas, and irregularity, strengthening your immune system, and more.
- For womenThere’s no one-size-fits-all probiotic solution for women, but there are several strains that can support vaginal health and combat occasional digestive discomforts, which tend to occur more frequently in women than in men (especially before their menstrual cycles).
For vaginal health support, look for probiotics with the Lactobacillus strain (including the species crispatus, jensenii, gasseri, hamnosus, or reuteri). You may see these with descriptors like “feminine” or “women’s blend.”
For occasional constipation, look for products containing Bifidobacterium breve, Bifidobacterium longum, or Lactobacillus plantarum.
For digestive health, choose Bifidobacterium longum, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus acidophilus, or Lactococcus lactis.
- For menIf you’ve seen probiotics marked “for men” or “men’s formula,” you might think men have a special need for a specific probiotic formula. However, this isn’t the case—what’s good for your gut is good for your gut, regardless of gender! However, that doesn’t mean some men won’t get special benefits from tending to their gut health.
Generally, probiotic strains in the Lactobacillus genus are most effective for supporting GI symptoms. Specifically, Lactobacillus plantarum has shown the strongest results, although other strains like
Bifidobacterium longum, Lactobacillus acidophilus, and Lactococcus lactis are effective as well.
- Best subscription probioticCross your daily probiotic off your shopping list and have Seed ship you their DS01® Daily Synbiotic instead! Their proprietary formula includes both probiotics and prebiotics to support your immune system and overall health. With a whopping 53.6 Billion AFU (active fluorescent units) and a capsule designed to withstand
- the acid and stress of your digestive system, DS01® Daily Synbiotic is guaranteed to make it all the way to your colon.
Seed’s popular subscription probiotic is ecofriendly too! The packaging is fully recyclable or commercially compostable and the formula is vegan, so you can help your microbiome without harming the world’s biome.
Plus, you can store the DS01® Daily Synbiotic at room temperature (no need for the fridge like most probiotics). This makes it great for travel!
- For bloatingBloating can be caused by a wide range of things (like occasional constipation, gut sensitivity, gas, and more), so it’s hard to say which probiotic is best since addressing the underlying cause is likely more effective. However, there are a few strains that have shown promise in promoting bloat ease due to various causes:
Bacillus coagulans has recently been shown to help soothe bloating as well as excess gas and distension.
Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium lactis have also been shown to improve bloating, but may not have as big of an impact on other bowel disorders like IBS.
- For constipationIf you occasionally experience constipation, probiotics can definitely help! White studies in humans are limited, animal studies show that the Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium genera are generally the most effective.
- Specifically, Bifidobacterium lactis and Lactobacillus casei Shirota were shown to increase defecation frequency (with L. casei Shirota being best for improving stool consistency and easing other constipation symptoms).
In general, it seems that probiotics with a single strain work better for occasional constipation than other products that combine strains, although a mix of Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium breve may be effective.
Choosing the Right Probiotic for You
- Consider your specific probiotic needs.Ask yourself what you want a probiotic for. Is it to help with bloating? Immune support? Dermatologicalhealth? General gut health? Once you know what you want to achieve, you can narrow your search tospecific strains of probiotics that are proven to help with your symptoms.
Most often, probiotic containers or packaging will indicate what issues they help with.
- Buy from name brands with clinical research to back up their products.Since probiotics are sold as supplements, they aren’t approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). So, you’ll want to avoid store brands and pay a few extra dollars for a reputable name-brand probiotic that’s proven to be effective. This might require a little bit of research on your part:
Seed’s products undergo more than 50 quality assurance checks and are compliant with US and European safety protocols, including the FDA’s Current Good Manufacturing Practices (CGMP) and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) standards.
When shopping for a probiotic, first check to make sure the product is meant to treat your symptoms. Not all probiotics are the same you wouldn’t want to take a constipation probiotic if you’re dealing
with IBS, for example.
Then, read the bacteria strains included in the probiotic and look up studies that prove their efficacy. A quick Google search will give you plenty of information about whether that strain is safe and does what the brand claims it does.
Choose probiotics that have been third-party certified by the groups like U.S. Pharmacopeia, ConsumerLab.com, or NSF International.
Also consider looking at customer reviews of the product. If other consumers report feeling benefits and not having adverse side effects, the probiotic is more likely to be safe and helpful.
- Buy products with thoroughly studied strains.Don’t gloss over the long, Latin-looking words on the packaging—these are the names of the bacteria strains in the probiotic that you’re hoping to put to work inside your body. Research is ongoing in the probiotic world, so you’ll want to stick to well-studied strains that have been tested and proven to work for your ailment. The main probiotic strains include:
Lactobacillus
Bifidobacterium
Saccharomyces (a yeast/fungi)
Streptococcus
Enterococcus
Escherichia
Bacillus
Of these, Lactobacillus (including the species acidophilus, casei, fermentum, gasseri, johnsonii, paracasei, plantarum, rhamnosus, and salivarius), Bifidobacterium (including the species adolescentis, animalis, bifidum, breve, and longum), and some Bacillus strains are among the most researched.
- Choose a product with at least 1 billion colony-forming units (CFUs).CFU stands for Colony Forming Units, and is reflected in plating, a classical microbiology technique that has been used since the 1800s. This technique shows the number of “colonies” that are formed on a plate through a series of dilutions. The CFU is the number of bacterial cells you’ll get in each dose of your probiotic. You need a large quantity because some of the bacteria will not survive the journey through your stomach acid and digestive system. If you have at least 1 billion, though, enough of them will make it through so that you can enjoy their health benefits.
However, CFU can vary up to 50% between batch lots, requires different plating ingredients for each species (and sometimes strain), and is best used for single strain, rather than multi-strain probiotics, or synbiotics.
Seed's DS01® measures viable cell count in AFU, or Active Fluorescent Units. AFU is measured with flow cytometry, a process where probiotic cells are tagged with fluorescent “markers” and counted by a laser as they pass through a tube. Through AFU, precise measurements of all viable cells are calculated, including ones that are efficacious, but not necessarily culturable (and therefore would not be counted in a traditional plated CFU measurement).
- Check the expiration date and how the product should be stored.CFUs usually decline as time goes on, so if the bottle you’re eyeing at the pharmacy is nearing expiration, it may not be as effective as a fresher batch. Since heat can kill bacteria, you’ll also want to make sure you’re able to refrigerate your probiotic.For example, if you know you’ll be traveling soon and won’t have regular access to a fridge, you may want to look for a product that can be stored at room temperature without losing CFUs.
What are probiotics?
- Probiotics are live microorganisms that, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host.Probiotics may be foods or supplements with beneficial bacteria for your digestive system. These bacteria are alive and resemble the naturally occurring bacteria in your gut (part of your microbiome). There are trillions of microorganisms in your digestive system and each plays a role in supporting your health and body function. Some aid digestion, some help produce vitamins, and others can even improve your immune system.
When these bacteria break down the food you eat, they produce byproducts like fatty acids that provide a number of health benefits, like killing other “bad” bacteria in your gut and helping your body absorb minerals more easily.
Which foods contain probiotics?
- Fermented or cultured foods like yogurt or kimchi contain natural probiotics.Since heat kills bacteria, consume probioticrich foods and drinks cold or warm (not hot). Pasteurized dairy products like yogurt use heat to kill bacteria, so look for products where probiotics have been added back in after pasteurization to get their benefits (look for a label saying “live active cultures” or similar). Eat a variety of probiotic foods, since each may contain different helpful strains. Some popular probiotic-rich foods include:
Acidophilus milk
Aged cheese
Cultured buttermilk
Cottage cheese
Kefir
Kimchi
Kombucha
Miso
Pickles
Sauerkraut
Sour cream
Tamari
Tempeh
Yogurt
Benefits of Probiotics
- Probiotics have positive effects on both your digestive and immune systems.These supplements can increase or replace the beneficial bacteria in your digestive system after gastrointestinal stressors such as travel, certain medications, or poor diet depletes them. This has a range of benefits for your overall health, including:
Strengthening your immune system and the lining of your intestines.
Outcompeting undesirable bacteria by creating a slightly more acidic environment.
Supporting healthy gut-barrier function.
Protecting you against seasonal challenges.
Improving your bowel movements by adding bulk and increasing frequency.
Possible Side Effects of Probiotics
- Probiotic side effects are rare and involve mild digestive symptoms like gas or bloating.In most cases, healthy people won’t experience many (if any) side effects from probiotics. If you already have some stomach and bowel irritability, you may notice more gas, bloating, or cramping than usual. In this case, start with a small dose and gradually increase it until you’re comfortable with regular probiotic servings.
There is also a slight risk that additional microbes besides the intended probiotic strains can make
their way into your product if it is not rigorously tested. This is rare, though, and typically not an issue for people with healthy immune systems.
Warning: Probiotics may cause infection or other severe side effects in those with compromised immune systems, critical illnesses, or premature infants.
While probiotics have become more popular in recent years, more specific research on their safety
is needed to fully understand their potential risks.
Probiotic FAQs
- Who should avoid probiotics?Consult a doctor before trying probiotics if you have a weakened immune system or autoimmune disorder,or if you have a known allergy to a probiotic strain or probiotic rich food (like dairy). While probiotics aretypically safe for generally healthy people, those with suppressed immune systems may experienceinfections and other side effects.
Infants (especially those born prematurely) should not take probiotics without the supervision of a medical professional.
- What are prebiotics?Prebiotics are food sources that stay relatively intact through the digestive system and make it all the way to the colon, where probiotic bacteria and other gut microorganisms metabolize and ferment them to produce helpful byproducts for your body. Prebiotics include resistant starches (like rice, beans, legumes, or barely), foods with inulin (like asparagus, garlic, onions, and soybeans), and foods with pectin (like apples, carrots, tomatoes, and potatoes).
Generally, eating a fiber-rich diet is an easy way to ensure you’re getting enough prebiotics.
- When is the best time to take a probiotic?There’s no medical consensus on the “best” time to take a probiotic, or even whether it’s best to take one before, during, or after a meal; more research needs to be done, and recommendations can vary based on strain and your specific needs. Start by following the instructions for your probiotic product (if there are any regarding when to take it). If you experience side effects like gas or bloating, then you can experiment with taking it at a different time (just talk to your doctor first).
For example, if you find you have side effects from taking your probiotic before or during a meal, try taking it after to see if your symptoms improve.
If you get gassy or cramped after a probiotic, consider taking it earlier in the day so the symptoms don’t interfere with your sleep.
Ultimately, consistency is more important than the exact timing. As long as you take your probiotic every day, you’ll see benefits!
- How can you tell if a probiotic is working?If you’re taking probiotics to fix a specific issue (like bloating or occasional constipation), you can tell if they’re working just by seeing if your symptoms are improving. If you’re taking them for general health, it’s harder to tell, but you may experience some of the following:
Your overall digestion is better and your bowel movements are regular.
Your immunity seems stronger (for example, you stay healthy during cold and flu season).
You experience less bloating.
Your overall quality of life may improve.
- When are probiotics recommended?If you regularly eat a healthy, balanced diet including probiotic-rich foods, chances are you have a balanced digestive system and may not need a probiotic supplement. However, probiotics may be recommended by your doctor for some GI symptoms.
Talk to your doctor if you suspect one of these conditions and are considering trying a probiotic supplement.
