What do yogurt, kombucha, and kimchi have in common? They’re great sources of probiotics!

Probiotics are most commonly associated with digestive support (an estimated 30 to 400 trillion microorganisms live in the gut!) but that’s not the only way probiotics positively impact your health. For women, probiotics can play an additional part in uplifting vaginal health, fertility, and mood-related issues.

Learn more about the relationship between women’s health and probiotics:

What’s the deal with probiotics?

In your body, trillions of microorganisms help break down food so you can absorb its nutrients, maintain a strong immune system, and much, much more. In a well-balanced and delicate ecosystem, these microorganisms keep you healthy. However, any disruption to this ecosystem can make you susceptible to illnesses and diseases.

Probiotics can help prevent these disruptions and supply certain microorganisms that maintain a balanced and diverse ecosystem. For women, probiotics can specifically supply and support the microbiome of the stomach, intestines, and vagina, making them a staple for digestive and vaginal health.

Why are probiotics important for women?

They boost proper digestive function.

Anyone can have digestive issues, but women may experience more interruptions to normal digestive function.

Studies show that women can experience some gastrointestinal problems more frequently than men, like:

• Constipation: This condition occurs when you have difficulty passing stool.

• Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS): This condition occurs when you experience symptoms like cramping, bloating and gas, constipation, and diarrhea.

• Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD): This is a group of diseases that include ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease. These diseases occur due to inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract and may lead to ulcers, cramping, diarrhea, bloody stool, or anemia.

Probiotics can support a normal digestive system by regulating the balance of microorganisms in your gut. A balanced gut boosts stool movement and softens stool, making it easier to pass in the event of constipation. In fact, probiotics can even positively impact symptoms like bloating. And finally, probiotics may benefit those concerned with gut inflammation by recalibrating gut microorganisms from pro- to anti-inflammatory.  

They may bump up your mood.

Your mood and gut are more intrinsically linked than you may realize. This connection is important for women to recognize since women are twice more likely to be diagnosed with anxiety and depression than men.

This is how the gut-brain connection works: microorganisms in your guts express neurotransmitters that can affect your mood, which affects brain function.

One such neurotransmitter is serotonin, also called the “feel good” chemical; approximately 95% of your serotonin comes from the digestive tract. But when serotonin levels are low, you can become depressed, anxious, and more. Because serotonin is so essential for your mood, ensuring a healthy gut may be one of the first steps in improving your mood.

The gut also produces other neurotransmitters that affect functions vital to positive moods, including appetite and sleep habits.

So, keeping your gut microbiome may keep your mood from dropping.

They provide support for your vaginal microbiome.

For those with female reproductive organs, it's crucial to be aware of the health of your vaginal microbiome.

Two common conditions caused by an imbalance of microorganisms in your vagina include:

• Bacterial vaginosis: a type of inflammation that occurs due to an overgrowth of certain bacteria. Also known as BV, this condition can cause discomfort in your genital regions, with symptoms like unusually colored vaginal discharge, foul odors, and/or itching.

• Yeast infection: a condition that occurs when yeast cells multiply in an imbalanced microbiome. Yeast infections are common but painful — many people may have symptoms like itching, swelling, soreness, and burning.

Suffice it to say, these aren’t conditions you want to experience. Luckily, probiotics can help — probiotics have been studied for their ability to help treat and prevent both bacterial vaginosis and yeast infections. Probiotics can support the balance of beneficial microorganisms and protect against the overgrowth of harmful bacteria or yeast.

The Perfect Probiotic: Try Women’s Care Probiotics

For the best experience with probiotics, try NatureWise Women’s Care Probiotic. This probiotic comes in patented delayed-release capsules that withstand stomach acids and provide maximum bioavailability.

Plus, NatureWise Women’s Care Probiotics contains 13 highly effective probiotic strains. Here's a snapshot of the key strains with a simple breakdown of what they can offer. The names may be a mouthful, but each can have a major impact on your health!

• Lactobacillus Sakei ProBio65: a patented and clinically tested superstar strain that supports healthy metabolic function, promotes weight management, improves skin condition, and encourages a healthy immune system.

• Lactobacillus Acidophilus: the most-researched probiotic strain for vaginal health, which can promote a healthy vaginal environment.

• Lactobacillus Rhamnosus: a commonly found strain in the vaginal microbiome. This strain can help you maintain a healthy pH level to prevent the unwanted multiplication of bacteria and yeast that cause infections.

• Lactobacillus Reuteri: also a commonly found strain in the vaginal microbiome, this strain works with other Lactobacillus strains to maintain a proper pH level in the vagina.

Most importantly, NatureWise Women’s Care Probiotics includes Pacran® Cranberry Extract and Chaste Tree Berry. These ingredients can provide even greater benefits for health conditions specific to women:

• Pacran® Cranberry Extract: a scientifically tested ingredient that helps maintain a healthy urinary tract. Increased protection against infection can be extremely beneficial in a probiotic supplement because UTIs are so common. (In fact, 40% of women who get a UTI will experience at least one more infection within six months.)

• Chaste Tree Berry: an extract that traditionally helps with hormones and mood balance. More specifically, Chaste Tree Berry may help maintain normal progesterone levels and keep mood conditions like depression at bay.

With rising and falling hormones, sensitive vaginal microbiomes, and increased risk for mood and digestive disorders, women can need additional support to stay healthy. Probiotics specifically made for vaginal, digestive, and mood health can be the best addition to the wellness routine that helps you thrive. Try NatureWise Women’s Care Probiotics, and say hello to a healthier and more comfortable lifestyle!