FIX MY BELLY

Which Type of Probiotics Should I Take?

While we have provided a step-by-step approach on how to identify the best probiotics for you, you may be looking for some high-level pointers and tips when deciding.

As such, below are some things to consider based on your situation. That said, you’ll want to always do your own research and seek the advice of a medical professional.

Probiotics for Constipation 

If you suffer mainly from constipation, you’d want to look into probiotics which are helpful for this specific condition. In this case, you’re looking to increase/improve your bowel movements, so you might not benefit from a probiotic which helps slow you down, such as those for diarrhea. 

In this case, you’d generally benefit from probiotics which include:

1. Bifidobacterium infantis
2. Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. Lactis

Probiotics for Diarrhea 

Similar to the Probiotics for Constipation section above, if you have diarrhea, you’d want to look for probiotics specifically targeting diarrhea and slowing you down. 

For some reason, it does seem that most probiotics today do mention targeting diarrhea more so than constipation. This may be due to the fact that diarrhea can be a consequence after taking antibiotics and/or infections. 

For antibiotics, you’d generally want to look into Saccharomyces boulardii and Lactobacillus casei. 

For infections, finding probiotics with the strain Lactobacillus rhamnosus has been shown to be helpful. 

Probiotics for Bloating and Abdominal Pain 

Bloating, cramps, and pain are an unfortunate part of dealing with digestive issues for many people. Some people don’t suffer from them as much and some suffer from them exclusively. 

Unfortunately, the truth is that diarrhea and constipation are generally viewed as more “troublesome” and “serious” than bloating, pain and cramps and as such, these symptoms don’t get as much attention as they should. On the positive side, chances are, if you do suffer from constipation or diarrhea and use probiotics, you may find improvements to your bloating and pain. 

In addition, for bloating and pain, you’d definitely want to pay close attention to your diet and rule out any intolerances first. 

That said, it should be noted that Bifidobacterium infantis and Bifidobacterium infantis 35624, specifically, have been shown to help with bloating and cramps.

Probiotics for Men

These days, many people are interested in probiotics for men or women. At first thought, it might seem that the difference might be minimal. After all, is constipation or diarrhea really different between men and women!? 

For men, it’s not that probiotics would make them feel differently for digestive issues than women as a general consensus. However, for some men, using probiotics was found to improve prostate health and sperm production. (Source) 

Specifically, Lactobacillus rhamnosus was said to be helpful for men. 

Probiotics for Women

Similar to the Probiotics for Men section above, it’s not that the use of probiotics had a better impact on womens’ digestive systems as opposed to men, it’s complementary effects. 

In some cases, women have reported improvements in fertility and reproductive health. (Source) 

In addition, the use of probiotics may be linked to improving vaginal health as well - particularly as it pertains to yeast infections and bacterial vaginosis (BV). In this case, it’s more about the balance of healthy bacteria in the vaginal microbiome. In this regard, the Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Lactobacillus fermentum may be helpful. (Source)

Probiotics for Weight Loss/Gain

Probiotics can impact weight loss/gain in a few ways. 

First, those who suffer from digestive issues tend to also experience hunger and fullness at irregular times. They say that this could be due to the cells that produce hormones around appetite being abnormal. (Source)

This, in turn, effects when and how often you might feel hunger. For instance, you might feel sudden “hunger” or almost an extreme craving for things like carbs, while not always the case, this can be a sign of an irregular appetite. Ultimately, this can lead to the two extremes (not eating enough or eating too much). 

Second, those who may be suffering from diarrhea-type illnesses, it’s possible that because they’re having more bowel movements, their bodies are “releasing’ more weight more often. This also takes an energy toll on the body. Here, an individual might find it more difficult to gain and maintain a healthy body-weight. 

On the other hand, those who suffer from constipation or struggle  to have regular bowel movements, may find themselves bloated more often, or simply heavier because they’re body is holding more weight inside. 

In each of these cases, the role that probiotics play is by promoting a healthy functioning body, helping you maintain a normal body-weight for you. Whether it's to speed things up, slow them down, or support other aspects of your health (such as mitigating negative impact of hormones as much as possible), including probiotics as part of your diet may be beneficial for you.

Can Probiotics Make Things Worse? 

While we have discussed probiotics and how they may have a positive impact on your overall health, they haven’t been immune to receiving criticism. Some people found that by using probiotics, their symptoms worsened. Others questioned the whole premise of probiotic supplementation altogether. Ultimately, this leads us to ask, can probiotics make things worse? 

Unfortunately, there’s no clear cut yes-or-no answer. 

Typically, when one starts to take probiotics, there is a period of symptoms (which can include gas, bloating, and constipation). Typically, these do subside in a few weeks. 

In addition, you want to make sure that whatever probiotic you’re using (even if it’s more “natural” such as a flavored yogurt), that you check all ingredients to ensure you don’t have any allergies. Moreover, irrespective of ingredients, you may have an adverse reaction to a specific type of probiotic, such as an increase in histamine levels. 

While these are factors which you can closely monitor and “control” to some degree, some in the medical field wonder about how probiotics actually work. The idea is that because they do alter gut bacteria and function, they can interfere with your immune system. (Source) 

So, what to do? 

Well, you need to start by controlling the controllables. As mentioned, probiotics can have short-term symptoms, however, if you’re finding that these persist, do not continue with the supplement. It’s prudent to test different types of probiotics. 

You can also “test” by incorporating more natural sources, such as fermented foods, to see how your body is reacting and if it’s consistent with supplements. 

From here, if you find something that works, it might make sense to continue with it. Ultimately, this is your own personal decision because it depends on the unique impact it’s having on your life. If you find that it’s not helping or symptoms aren’t improving, it’s best to cut out slowly. In this case, if you don’t want to eliminate probiotics completely, you can slightly increase your intake of fermented foods from time-to-time.