It's the start of 2023, and unless you've been living under a rock for a long time, you'll know that taking care of yourself, especially for men, is the new cool.
And no, we're not talking about mental health (though that's quite important, too); we're talking about probiotics for men and improving men's health.
In a nutshell, probiotics are the good bacteria and yeast that live in the gut and promote a long list of health benefits that we'll get into later.
We know you're in a hurry, so here's an excerpt of the best probiotics for men, handpicked by us:
- IBSupport by Gistive
- Restore Probiotic by Gistive
- HUM Gut Instinct
- Gut Health Probiotic By Transparent Labs
- Men’s Care Probiotic By RenewLife
- UltraFlora Spectrum By MetaGenics
- ProbioMood By Pure Encapsulation
- Gut Health Synbiotic+ By Ritual
- Total Gut Health By Onnit
Make sure you read this guide till the end as we dive deeper into how these probiotics have specific health benefits, add valuable insight on the probiotic benefits for men, and how you can choose the best probiotic for yourself.
See you at the end!
Table of Contents
- The Best Probiotics For Men
- 1. IBSupport by Gistive
- 2. Restore Probiotic by Gistive
- 3. HUM Gut Instinct
- 4. Gut Health Probiotic By Transparent Labs
- 5. Men's Care Probiotic By RenewLife
- 6. UltraFlora Spectrum By MetaGenics
- 7. ProbioMood By Pure Encapsulation
- 8. Gut Health Synbiotic+ By Ritual
- 9. Total Gut Health
- Choosing The Best Probiotics For Men - Essential Tips To Keep In Mind
- Look For Bacterial Strain Diversity
- Skip The Filler Ingredients
- Billions, Not Millions
- Check Those Dates
- Take Your Health In Perspective
- Benefits Of Probiotics For Men - This Is Why You Need Them
The Best Probiotics For Men
If you're a little late to the "taking probiotics for men" party and don't know what probiotic supplements you should take to take care of your gut health, we've made it much easier for you.
Following is a scratch off the surface, listing 9 of the best probiotics for you to choose from, enabling you to improve gut health, support digestion, and a boatload of other things.
1. IBSupport by Gistive
Best For Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
Irritable Bowel Syndrome has become an ever-increasing problem, inducing constant abdominal pain and irregular bowel movements that become persistent and painful over time. The strain chosen for this probiotic is Lactobacillus acidophilus, a probiotic strain that has been researched to work against IBS.
Pair this strain with seven superfoods in its secret mix of ingredients; it’s a perfect probiotic for men (or any gender, for that matter) struggling with this problem.
Its quick action and relief are the gel-forming vitamins this probiotic supplement is formulated with. Inside the intestines, it forms a gel-like substance, softening the stool.
Additionally, its well-built delivery system will have you restore better bowel movements, flush the harmful waste, and get back on track instantly.
2. Restore Probiotic by Gistive
Best For Improving Overall Gut Health
Gistive, unlike a lot of other probiotic companies out there, goes out of its way to provide the public with clarity on the probiotic strains used. While we're not throwing shade, we think it's best to know what you're putting in your body.
In terms of Restore Probiotic by Gistive, a total of 7 different probiotic strains are used, a complex synthesis that complements each other to support gut health gut and improved prostate health.
This probiotic supplement is blended with more than 5.75 billion colony forming units, or as the cool kids like to call it, CFUs.
These “good bacteria”, taken as a single pill daily, put you on a path to a healthy gut flora due to its unique mix of probiotic strains like Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, and Bifidobacterium longum.
3. HUM Gut Instinct
Best For Vegans
We couldn’t leave out probiotic supplements that don't cater to the plant-loving vegans out there, and HUM Gut Instinct is a probiotic for men with an attractive price label.
This probiotic supplement is filled to the brim with a complex stream of plant-based ingredients and probiotic strains, the most important of which is Lactobacillus acidophilus.
The main targeted areas of the HUM Gut Instinct are preventing digestive disorders and enabling microbiome diversity, which helps in skin hydration and immune health.
HUM Nutrition is a big name in the probiotics for men game, and since 85% of their consumers seem well-satisfied with this vegan-based formula, we were more than inclined to add this to our list.
4. Gut Health Probiotic By Transparent Labs
Best For Digestion and Nutrient Breakdown
Gut Health Probiotic by Transparent Lab is currently the only probiotic for men that's crossed the 100-billion mark regarding the colony-forming units, aka CFUs.
Though there's still a lot of research to be done in terms of connecting the number of probiotic strains to the effectiveness of the product itself, Transparent Labs claims these strains, combined, create a comprehensively complex product that promotes a healthy gut and helps to support digestive health.
Though the price point of this probiotic for men is higher than most of the gut health products you'll see in the market and considering that it's claimed as the "most robust probiotic supplement in the market" and has a long list of happy customers, we're all for it.
5. Men's Care Probiotic By RenewLife
Best For Immunity and Colon Health
Men’s digestive system, which can be underlooked at, has many specific needs to function correctly, and that’s precisely what RenewLife targeted with these probiotic supplements.
The product contains a dual blend of up to 12 essential probiotic strains, with over 90 billion CFUs to lay the foundation for improved digestive and colon health. At least, that's what a lot of their happy customers vouch for.
A good aspect of this probiotic supplement is its delayed release, and we always put the importance of the delivery system of these supplements under the spotlight. It's good to see that it's also taken into account with this high-CFU count supplement.
6. UltraFlora Spectrum By MetaGenics
Best For Gastrointestinal Tract and Immune Health
Next up on our innovative list of the best probiotics for men is UltraFlora Spectrum, a well-known company called MetaGenics. This company has been a big part of the non-GMO product; the same is true with these probiotic supplements.
Completely unmodified, UltraFlora Spectrum holds more than 30 billion colony-forming units, mixed with a blend of 7 different strains.
Like most brands, MetaGenics puts a lot of focus on the strain Lactobacillus acidophilus, and rightfully so, as it's the most researched probiotic strain for improving gut, digestive, and overall immune health in men.
On a side note, this probiotic supplement contains many other filler ingredients, so make sure you’re reading the bottle carefully if you have food allergies.
7. ProbioMood By Pure Encapsulation
Best For Emotional Well-being
The gut-brain connection has been studied for countless years, and countless scientific studies have us more than convinced that something is going on that we don't know about.
Nevertheless, Pure Encapsulation formulated a clinically researched combination of probiotic strains that give you emotional support on those sobby days. Goodbye, sad days.
Additionally, these probiotic strains help prevent high gastric acidity and also help increase the integrity of the gastric lining, which, in the long run, prevents those occasional beams of stress in men. These are just of the many reasons ProBioMood is on our list of the best probiotics for men.
8. Gut Health Synbiotic+ By Ritual
Best For Improving Gut Microbiome
Ritual, especially with their recent launch of Synbiotic+, is the perfect example of what you see is what you get. Being a pretty transparent company, they’ve been pretty forward with their newest Gut Health Synbiotic+ probiotic supplement, with a lot of straightforward information on their website.
An interesting thing about this supplement is that it's a trio of prebiotics, probiotics, and postbiotics, all of which work harmoniously to support a healthy gut and improved immune system.
Though this probiotic supplement is priced at a pretty high point and considering it only has two bacterial strains, you might want to take a second look in your pocket.
9. Total Gut Health
Best For A Healthy Gut Flora
For a product made for men, it’s nice to see some downright war paint packaging that screams, “Yep, this is for you, king”. However, the important thing is what’s on the inside; frankly, Total Gut Health doesn’t disappoint.
This supplement is a uniquely simple blend of prebiotics, postbiotics, and carefully chosen digestive enzymes that help the body improve its digestive system and nutrient absorption.
In terms of customer reviews, Total Gut Health has managed to rack many of them in a pretty short time frame, with many people sharing their experiences on how this probiotic supplement is effective in GI tract disorders and other problems.
Choosing The Best Probiotics For Men - Essential Tips To Keep In Mind
At the end of every probiotic supplement promotion you come across on the internet, there's a guy with little medical knowledge who wrote every piece of that ad, and that isn't a hidden secret.
In the real world, we like to call it marketing. That's just what it is. And that's not going to change any sooner. That's the opposite of what's going to happen.
But choosing the best probiotic for men isn’t like mindlessly scrolling reels all day - After all, it’s your gut health we’re talking about. The more you diligently research the probiotic supplement that resonates with you, the better it is for you.
Though, we didn't say we can't do something to ease this process or at least try our best to give you a sense of direction.
That's why we've explained some of the key points you need to focus on below, allowing you to choose a high-quality probiotic supplement that benefits you.
Look For Bacterial Strain Diversity
As we've mentioned before, there's a lot that goes into the connection between strain diversity and the overall effectiveness of the probiotic, but based on experience, take it from us when we say that you should always look for probiotics for men that have a high number of bacterial strains.
However, that doesn’t mean you start hunting out products with an insane amount of strains with zero research. To effectively support gut health, ensure you’re using a product that includes a well-researched genre of probiotic strains.
A common array of these strains include, but isn't limited to, Lactobacillus, Streptococcus, and Bifidobacterium. So the next time you're hunting for the best probiotics for men, look for these magic words and make sure it says multi-strain.
Skip The Filler Ingredients
We've seen a lot of probiotic supplements riddled with ingredients like dairy products and cornstarch, which can not only tamper with nutrient absorption but make the whole point of taking probiotics counterproductive.
We mean, how are you going to improve your digestive system if your "cure" gives you stomach problems?
Additionally, various experts recommend shifting to a vegan-based formula, mainly because vegan formulas are free of most filler ingredients that can trigger food allergies or any other side problems you don’t want on your plate.
Billions, Not Millions
We’re pretty sure the gaping reality of how big a billion is vs. a million isn’t strange to you. Still, fortunately, we’re not talking about money but the CFUs of probiotic supplements.
In a market filled to the brim with various probiotics for men, you want to be looking for supplements with a CFU count in the multi-billion arena. That's where most of the high-quality probiotics lie and where you ideally want to be.
We'll easily explain if you don't understand why you need a high CFU count. Weighing in factors like the delivery system of a probiotic supplement and the number of strains, a large portion of these colony forming units is lost in transit before they reach the core part of your gut.
That's why the higher the count, the more likely it is that more CFUs will hit the part of your body that needs some fixing, and the better the supplement's action will be.
Check Those Dates
If you’re thinking of taking probiotics, one of the most important things you can do is check its manufacturing date. Keep in mind we’re talking about the manufacturing date and not the best-before or expiration date.
We say this because most probiotic supplements are only good for two years after they’re manufactured, after which probiotic bacteria become dead and useless.
It's also an important distinction to make, but the manufacturing date has a lot to do with whether or not your supplement needs to be refrigerated and has nothing to do with its quality.
Both types are equally as effective, as long as you’re storing them right, according to the manufacturer's instructions on the bottle.
Take Your Health In Perspective
Currently, the scientific evidence strongly suggests that probiotics can do anyone a lot of good when it comes to a healthy gut microbiome, gastrointestinal health, and the overall production of digestive enzymes.
However, suppose you have a weakened immune system or any chronic disease. In that case, it’s best to either not take them or contact your local physician to get a better idea of the supplementations you should be taking.
Benefits Of Probiotics For Men - This Is Why You Need Them
Men and women need probiotics for various needs. On the same note, different probiotics benefit their targeted clients. Some probiotics help during pregnancy and improve vaginal health, and they're great at it, but they're not gonna work for men.
We want probiotics to improve digestive health, establish a healthy immune system, and overall intestinal health.
But we’ve already covered that before. Despite that, there's a lot on the internet if you’re still lacking convincing reasons why you need to start on a daily probiotic journey. If you’ve already started your probiotic journey, here’s how you can check if they’re working...
But the following are some key benefits that the above-mentioned probiotics help men achieve, so keep on reading and come out convinced and satisfied.
Effectively Replenish Beneficial Bacteria
This is, perhaps, the most common yet critical benefit of probiotics, especially when we talk about probiotics for men. We’ll call them good bacteria to make it easier to understand.
Good bacteria in your gut have a lot of different responsibilities. They help fight off the not-so-good bacteria and work tirelessly around the clock to ensure your body's immune function is balanced.
Some of these beneficial bacteria's other responsibilities include controlling inflammation, digesting food, and so on.
Probiotic supplements help replenish the gut bacteria that do all of these things, though you must take the ones that resonate the same with your health concerns.
Good For Bowel Inflammation
In addition to many chronic illnesses, IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) originate in the gut and can cause havoc in your everyday life, mainly because they're associated with the root of it all: diarrhea.
These problems often originate from bad eating habits of highly processed foods and sugary ones, and that’s where probiotic supplements come in.
These supplements help strengthen the gut barrier function, which works well against problems like inflammation.
Boost Your Immune System
Our immune system is one of the most critical systems of our body, which allows us to fight effectively against a list of diseases that enter our body daily.
Though we're not sure you know, 85% of your immune system is in the intestines. Sounds a bit weird, right?
But the main point is if you want to be able to withstand seasonal and not-so-seasonal diseases, it’s vital that you take care of your immune system, and that means taking care of your gut.
Probiotics, if you’ve missed the countless times we’ve said it, replenish the good bacteria in your gut, allowing you to boost your immunity, get rid of disorders in the digestive tract, and a lot more!
They Help With Weight Loss
While research on this topic is still in its early stages, the various experiences of people with probiotics and a firm understanding of how probiotics improve the gut microbiome have led many professionals to believe that there's a strong relationship between weight management and the gut microbiome.
In this study, Antoine Aoun accurately explains that despite our not-so-well understanding of this connection, the gut microbiome directly affects the metabolism rate and nutrient absorption, both of which have a big say in your weight.
In addition, other studies take a different take, explaining how skinny and obese people have distinct gut bacteria.
This means that the presence and absence of these can mean a lot for how much you weigh and how you can change the tide and embark on the path to a healthy weight.
Probiotics Improve Prostate Health
Here’s a chilling fact for you to try and digest, courtesy of PCF. Nearly 269,000 men in the US were diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2022; out of all these, more than 1/7th of the population died.
Prostate cancer is the second deadliest type of cancer growing in the US and is primarily the result of persistent negligence of prostate health.
Ever since the bloom of the probiotic industry, various research has taken place that discusses the relationship between the gut microbiome and ADT (Androgen Deprivation Therapy), which is used to treat cases of prostate cancer.
In a nutshell, these studies found a strong relationship between probiotics/gut microbiome and ADT. These probiotics can influence a response from the ADT and can better help the action against the removal of prostate cancer tumors.
Increasing Sperm Count
For a very long period, it's been theorized that when the bacterial cells in the sperm count become more and more dominant, males can become indefinitely fertile. While that claim is somewhat valid, here's what they were missing, as dictated by newer studies.
The most abundant bacteria in sperm were Lactobacillus, Gardnerella, and Prevotella. After extensive research on good and bad sperm samples, research showed that healthy sperm contained bacteria like Gardnerella and Lactobacillus, while the bad ones contained dominating numbers of Prevotella.
Bottom line? Probiotics can help you retain healthy sperm and prevent infertility, as it promotes bacteria that support your sperm health.
Restore Bone Health
Osteoporosis is quite a common disease, especially in older people with lower bone density. Though the connection between dietary supplements with probiotics and bone health is significant, this study extensively researched this connection and put convincing scientific facts on the table.
Conclusively, this study showed that Probiotic supplements were associated with a high amount of BMD(Bone Mineral Density) in the lumbar spine and did not affect the BMD in the hips.
Though, from this increase in spin density, professionals are more than convinced that a cautious probiotic supplementation with dietary foods can help restore bone health in both men and women.
Positively Support The Gut-Brain Axis
The gut-brain axis consists of two-way communication between the cognitive and emotional parts of the brain and the working of the intestines. Ever since probiotic supplements entered the market, recent research has highlighted how important the gut microbiome is in establishing a healthy gut-brain connection.
Certain probiotic bacteria support the production of various neurotransmitters that enable this communication and the production of various other hormones.
This means that they play a major role in ensuring that the brain and the gut communicate healthily, which is all the more reason you need to start probiotic supplementation.
Probiotics Can Raise Your Testosterone Levels
It's only natural that testosterone levels in men decrease as they age, leading to reduced sexual function, bad moods, and lower energy levels. Though, there are many ways to delay this decrease in testosterone levels and take control of your sexual life back from the whims of nature's cycle.
Clinical studies have shown that infertile men that had started probiotic supplementation had an increase in their sperm cells, with a noticeable increase in testosterone levels.
Though more profound studies are needed for clarity, it’s interesting that probiotics can help the body in many different areas, and they get more and more beneficial as the body ages.
Support Your Mental Health
There's a long debate among experts, many of whom believe that probiotic supplements play a significant role in supporting neurotransmitters that affect our moods and appetite. Both of these aspects play a significant role in our mental health, and so far, probiotics favor our mental health.
We’ve mentioned before that the gut and brain are connected, and that’s also one of the reasons for inflammation in the gut when the mind is under constant stress. Probiotics help strengthen communications with the gut-brain axis, protect the gut bacteria from dying out, and give way to additional diseases during stressful times.