5 Probiotics For Women Over 50
As women age, their bodies undergo various changes that can affect their overall health and wellness with things like menopause.
Another of these changes is a decline in the number of beneficial probiotic bacteria in the body, which can lead to digestive issues like irritable bowel syndrome.
To support digestive and immune health, it is important for women over 50 to consider adding a probiotics to their daily routine.
In this blog post, I am going to share 5 of the best probiotics for women over 50 that I would give to my very own mother who would be mortified if I shared her age publicly on my blog.
1) Garden of Life RAW Probiotics Women 50 and Wiser
Garden of Life's Raw Probiotics Women 50 & Wiser is a high-potency, whole food probiotic specifically designed for women over 50. It contains 33 different probiotic strains, including L. reuteri and L. rhamnosus GG, which supports the immune system and help maintain healthy cholesterol levels. These are two of my favorite probiotic strains and I love the effect they have on the gut microbiome. I have tried other Garden Of Life probiotics in the past but as I am under the age of 50 I haven't tried this one. It is however something I would recommend to my own mom.
The formula also includes probiotic-created vitamins, minerals, and prebiotics, as well as dairy-digesting enzymes to aid in the digestion of lactose and casein. With over 2,600 positive ratings and a 4.6 out of 5 star rating on Amazon, this probiotic has proven to be a reliable choice for supporting digestive and immune health in women over 50. They also have a 30-day return policy you can use by emailing weborders@gardenoflife.com which is actually really fast & responsive from Monday to friday.
2) Culturelle Digestive Daily Probiotic
Culturelle® Digestive Daily Probiotic may be the right choice for you. This supplement also contains the #1 clinically studied probiotic strain, Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, which has been shown to reduce occasional digestive upset, including diarrhea, gas, and bloating. It's also formulated to minimize travel-associated digestive issues, making it a great choice for women over 50 who may be more prone to digestive issues as they age because of things like menopause.
With a 4.7 out of 5 star rating from over 23,000 verified customer reviews, Culturelle® Digestive Daily Probiotic is a trusted choice for supporting your digestion and immune defenses. Plus, with a 60 day refund policy, you can try it out knowing that it doesn't work for you personally you can just contact the customer support and get your money back. I haven't tested the refund policy out personally but I have tried Culturelle probiotics many times and found it too be helpful for vaginal health which is why I am putting it in the number 2 spot.
3) Renew Life Adult 50+ Probiotic
Renew Life Adult 50+ Probiotic (previously Ultimate Flora Women’s Care Probiotic) is a supplement specifically designed for adults over the age of 50 to promote digestive balance and regularity. It contains 30 billion live cultures and 12 different probiotic strains, including Bifidobacteria and Lactobacillus, which have been suggested to decrease with age.
The capsules are delayed-release and meant to be taken once daily. Renew Life guarantees the potency, quality, and purity of their probiotics through expiration. This supplement made for both men and women has received a 4.6 star rating out of 5 from 2,296+ real customer reviews with many of those reviews mentioning benefits for conditions like menopause & urinary health which I believe makes it a good choice for women over 50.
4) Physician's Choice Probiotics
Physician's Choice 60 Billion Probiotic is a dietary supplement that contains 10 proven strains of probiotics and an organic prebiotic blend. It is designed to support immune function and promote overall digestive health. Their probiotics are 3rd-party tested for purity and potency and is manufactured in the USA by Total Carolina Care, Inc using imported and domestic strains that include a gut healthy blend of Lactobacillus & Bifidobacterium probiotics.
It has a 4.5 out of 5 star rating based on 124,337 customer reviews which makes it by far the most reviewed probiotic supplement in existence. Customers have mentioned that the probiotic's helped with things like diarrhea, IBS, gas and in one strange review a customer shared that they even fed their dog some of Pysician's choice capsules to great effect but this is not recommended by the brand.
5) Seed Synbiotic
Seed's 2-in-1 probiotic and prebiotic formula is designed for adults ages 18+ and contains 24 clinically and scientifically studied probiotic strains, as well as a polyphenol-based prebiotic to support systemic health. This vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, nut-free, and shellfish-free supplement contains 53.6 billion AFU and comes with a 30-day refund policy. I have to be totally honest with you though and share that I haven't yet tried Seed Synbiotic probiotics.
Some customers have reported negative experiences with the company's customer service, including difficulty reaching them and receiving unresponsive emails. It is important to carefully research a company and their customer service policies before making a purchase and the fact that Seed also don't sell on amazon makes it difficult to see real customer reviews which is one thing I didn't like and I think the price is a bit too high for especially with the current cost of living.
Vaginal Health
After the age of 50, a woman's vaginal health can decline for several reasons. One of the main factors is the decrease in estrogen levels that occurs during menopause. Estrogen is important for maintaining the health and integrity of the vaginal tissue, and its decline can lead to thinning and drying of the vaginal lining, which can make the vagina more susceptible to irritation and infection.
Another factor that can contribute to declining vaginal health in women over 50 is changes in the vaginal pH. The vagina is naturally acidic, and this pH helps to keep harmful bacteria in check and prevent infections. However, as a woman ages, the pH of the vagina can become more alkaline, which can lead to an overgrowth of certain types of bacteria, including Candida, which can cause yeast infections.
Finally, the population of probiotic bacteria in the vagina can also decline with age, which can lead to an imbalance in the vaginal microbiome. This can make the vagina more vulnerable to infections and other health issues like bacterial vaginosis. To help maintain vaginal health, it is important for women over 50 to practice good hygiene and consider using probiotic supplements to help restore balance to the vaginal microbiome.
Menopause
This was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study from 2021 that looked at the effects of probiotic supplementation on hormone levels and body mass index (BMI) in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women. 48 women were given a multispecies probiotic called Sanprobi Barrier for five weeks, while following a standardized diet.
It found that probiotics significantly increased follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels, and there was a trend towards an increase in FSH in the placebo group. Both the probiotic and placebo groups saw a significant decrease in BMI. These findings suggest that probiotics may have an impact on hormonal homeostasis in perimenopausal women and may potentially affect cardiometabolic health. However, more research is needed to fully understand the effects of probiotics on hormone levels in menopausal women.
Constipation
This 2014 study showed that constipation was more common among adolescents who had insufficient exercise and non-exercise physical activity. The conclusion of this study found that the less active an adult was, the more likely they were to have constipation. If you have reached the age of 50 and become less active then this suggests that may contribute to your constipation. An interesting review published recently in 2022 seemed to suggest that Lactobacillus & Bifidobacteria could assist with IBS constipation in adults but it would also be wise to increase your daily movement first and more studies are still needed.
What Women Over 50 Should Look For
Closing Thoughts
Each of the probiotics I shared in this blog post have been highly rated and reviewed by customers that include older women. They all have probiotics that have been studied to to show potential benefits for digestive and immune health of women in this age group.
Don't forge to do your own due diligence by checking the brands customer service policies, as well as read reviews from other users, to ensure that you are making a well-informed decision for a healthy gut and body.
But, I have personally vetted all of these brands and believe they are all excellent choices for women over 50 looking to support their digestive and immune health. The content in this blog post is not medical advice and I am not a doctor.