Why Biology Matters When Selecting a Probiotic
Everyone lives with their own personal microbiome – a highly diverse ecosystem that we coexist with in and on our bodies! Best known is the intestinal flora, an “inner garden” of thousands of species of microorganisms so important to our health, that many scientists regard it as an organ unto itself!
Introducing the Microgenderome*
Our microbiome is so unique to us that it’s like our fingerprint and can be shaped by a variety of factors. Where we live, our age, how we were born, whether we were breastor bottle-fed, medications that we take, our lifestyle and stress levels, our diet, and our biological gender are all factors that influence our personal microbiome.
Studies have found that the microbiome becomes distinctly different in opposite-sex twins after puberty, compared to same-sex twins where it remains similar. This phenomenon is called the “microgenderome,” and it’s the interaction between microbiota, sex hormones and the immune system.
Women’s Probiotics
If you are biologically female, you’ll want to seek out a balanced, multi-strain probiotic formula that supports women’s gut, skin and vaginal health. Here are some specific strains that you’ll want to ensure are present:
- L. fermentum for decreasing vaginal pH
- L. acidophilus for anti-microbial support against uropathogens
- L. gasseri for vaginal microbiome support
- Lactococcus lactis for healthy skin support
Urinary Tract Infections: More Common in Women
Urinary tract infections are common in women: Half of all women will experience a UTI by age 35, and 20% of women aged 18-24 experience a UTI each year. Antibiotic treatment of UTIs, while often necessary, can result in long-term alteration of the normal vaginal and gastrointestinal microbiome, and development of multidrug-resistant microorganisms. The good news is there are now probiotics on the market that target women’s urinary tract health. The following strains are important for helping to prevent UTIs:
- L. jensenii, the most abundant strain in a woman’s vaginal ecosystem
- L. fermentum for decreasing vaginal pH
- L. gasseri for decreasing vaginal pH
- L. rhamnosus for anti-microbial support against uropathogens
- Lactococcus lactis for healthy skin support
Additionally, to accelerate healing from a UTI and for preventing a UTI from occurring in the first place, be sure to find a probiotic that includes cranberry, preferably organically sourced in its whole food form. The nutrients found in whole cranberries work synergistically to provide urinary tract health benefits.
Low Mood: Women Suffer More
Feeling “on edge,” work stress and insomnia are rampant in our modern lives. And many studies have found that women are twice more likely to experience these symptoms than men. These important probiotic strains help to support emotional health and mental outlook:
- L. gasseri for reducing anxiety, depressive mood and improving sleep quality
- L. salivarius for improved reaction to stressful stimuli
Genuine Health’s Advanced Gut Health Probiotics are the only probiotics crafted with 15 balanced strains chosen to mimic healthy human gut flora. The strains are encapsulated in a unique delayed-release capsule that can deliver up to 10x the bacteria to the gut. Plus, advanced gut health probiotics are shelf-stable, and potency is guaranteed right up to the expiration date to help your personal microbiome flourish.
*Genuine Health recognizes and supports that gender identity is not limited to the man/woman binary: in this particular instance, we are presenting the information on the “microgenderome” in reference to specific research presenting the microbiome differences examined among a group of cisgendered individuals assigned with the gender male or female at birth. For this particular piece, all references to “men” and “women” are in reference to cisgendered individuals based on the scope of anatomical research we reference, and for ease of reading, not with the intention of being exclusionary.
