The best probiotics for women over 50

If you're searching for the best probiotics for women over 50, you've likely come across a whole range of different brands - all promising good gut health. Probiotics, often considered one of the best supplements for overall health, can help you balance your gut microbiome - if you find the right one for you. Whether you are aiming to heal your gut or looking to keep your digestive system in tip-top shape, probiotics are a valuable asset to your wellness arsenal. We've put together a guide to all things probiotics - from capsules to water-based to help you make the right choice for your health. Before we begin, it's important to consult a healthcare professional before starting any new supplement regimen to ensure it's appropriate for you or any medication you may be on.

Probiotics have countless benefits, but can we get them from food? Symprove's Registered Dietician, Dr Sammie Gill, explains, "Probiotics and fermented foods are often grouped together, but they are, in fact, distinctly different. It's not a case of one being 'better' than the other. They both have their place and for different reasons." Fermented food such as sauerkraut, kimchi, and kefir are excellent for your gut - but if you are struggling with food intolerances, digestive issues or bowel problems, the right probiotic strain could be just what you need to regain equilibrium in the gut and help you achieve your health goals.

Best probiotics for women over 50 at a glance:

• Best overall: Symprove Probiotic - view on Symprove
• Best probiotic with digestive enzymes: ARTAH Enhanced Synbiotic - view on ARTAH
• Best probiotic specifically for women over 50: Renew Life Ultimate Flora Probiotic Adult 50+ - view on iHerb
• Best probiotic powder: Biomel Complete Gut Probiotic + Prebiotic - view on Amazon UK

Food diversity is key when it comes to maintaining a healthy gut microbiome. However, if you are looking for the best supplements for gut health, we have rounded up the most-loved ones on the market. But remember, your gut microbiome is unique to you, and it's influenced by various factors, including diet. It's also worth noting that alongside probiotics, supplements such as the best multivitamins can also contribute to overall health, supporting bone health and immune function. Also, looking to support menopause supplements can bring balance and boost your wellness.

As we move towards a more personalised approach to nutrition, it's essential to seek expert advice when choosing probiotics. So, we've consulted with a health expert and Symprove's Registered Dietician, Dr Sammie Gill, to gain a clearer picture of gut health and to help us complete a list of the best probiotics for women over 50. Be sure to check under the list below to read Sammie's advice. So without further ado, let's take a look at the best probiotics.

Disclaimer: Always talk to your GP before starting a new supplement regime.

The best probiotics for women over 50

Buyer's guide: The best probiotics for women over 50

What to consider when choosing probiotics

A general recommendation is to select probiotic products with at least one billion colony-forming units and containing the genus Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium or Saccharomyces boulardii, some of the most researched probiotics.

• Not all probiotics will work for you: It may take some trial and error to find the probiotic that will work for you and show results. If after a few weeks you notice no benefits, try a different probiotic with a different strain of bacteria.

• Probiotics may cause bloating and gas - that means it's working: At first, you may notice some changes in your stool patterns or have some gas and occasional bloating — these are all indications that the product is working, says Gail Cresci, PhD, RD, an intestinal microbe specialist with Cleveland Clinic’s Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition.

• How many CFUs (Colony-forming units) do you need?: There are two ways of approaching probiotics. If you think your gut and overall health are good and you are looking to regulate your good gut health, then a low number may be all you need. If you have IBS or require a gut health detox, then a higher number would be beneficial. Additionally, as our immune systems weaken as we age, a higher number may be necessary for women over 50 to stay healthy and see significant results. A probiotic with a CFU ranging from 25 to 50 billion is a great place to start out.

• Prebiotic foods: Eating prebiotic foods will help your good bacteria flourish. These include beans, asparagus, onions, green bananas, and other fermentable fibre sources in your diet.

Probiotics are generally recognized as safe, but they’re typically not recommended if you have a compromised immune system. Ask your physician if probiotics are right for you.

With that in mind, if you are ready to invest in your gut health and are looking for the right probiotic for you, then here are our top picks of the best probiotics for women over 50 and what each supplement targets.

What are probiotics?

According to New York-certified dietitian nutritionist Alissa Rumsey, “Probiotics are beneficial bacteria that replenish our body’s micro-biome with healthy cultures while helping to control the growth of harmful bacteria in our gut.”

When the word ‘bacteria’ comes to mind, your first thought isn’t usually positive. However, these bacteria are extremely beneficial for our bodies in many ways. They produce vitamins B and K, and stimulate enzymes that break down certain food components, which help the immune system by encouraging the development of antibodies.

Probiotics are not only founded in capsules but in many fermented foods such as yoghurt, some aged cheeses such as Gouda, mozzarella, cheddar, cottage cheese, sauerkraut, kimchi, tempeh, and kombucha. Fermentation is a metabolic process where sugar is converted to acids, gases, or alcohol.

The benefits of probiotics include reducing diarrhoea, especially antibiotic-associated diarrhoea; it may enhance your immune responses, helps with irritable bowel syndrome, promotes good gut health, and can help your overall digestive function.

Probiotics are not also only related to your digestion but are also known to lower blood pressure. It can also be beneficial to dental health, support some skin conditions, improve vaginal health, and it may be beneficial for brain function such as helping ease anxiety and depression.

What do probiotics do?

Probiotics are beneficial for everyone – but will be especially helpful for those that struggle with digestive issues or need a gut reset. If you have food intolerances, suffer from diarrhoea or constipation, trapped wind, or gastric reflux, then you will greatly benefit from using probiotics.

“Probiotics are thought to play a role in preventing and treating certain conditions, such as diarrhoea, irritable bowel syndrome, ulcerative colitis, and Crohn’s disease,” says Rumsey.

FAQs with Dr Sammie Gill

How do you know if a probiotic strain is compatible with you?

Finding the right probiotic that works for you isn't always a straightforward process. We asked Dr. Gill for her suggestions on finding an effective probiotic that fits your needs.

"We know more about the gut microbiome than we ever have done, but we’ve still got a long way to go. We haven’t yet cracked the gut microbiome code and there is still a lot we don’t know. It’s an incredibly complex and dynamic ecosystem that has the power to influence all aspects of health," she says.

"As we transition towards a more personalised nutrition approach, assessing which particular strains are beneficial for an individual in terms of prevention or management of health will come to light.

"At the moment, we don’t know what a ‘healthy’ gut microbiome looks like, although diversity is thought to be key. There are certain microbes that have been linked with the development of disease, but again, it’s early in our understanding. The microbiome is made up of around 40 trillion microbes!

"One of the key challenges is that your gut microbiome is unique to you (a bit like a fingerprint). What’s more, the gut microbiome isn’t static – it has a high level of plasticity and will change depending on what it is exposed to. It’s mouldable - for example, nutrition studies have shown that switching from a meat-based to a plant-based diet can shift gut microbiome composition within 48 hours."

Dr Gill suggests checking out ISAPP's (International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics) handy probiotic checklist that provides guidance on how to choose a probiotic. She says to make sure it’s backed by science, it’s labelled properly, and it has the health benefits you’re seeking.

Do you need to take a prebiotic and a probiotic?

While both prebiotics and probiotics support gut health, they work in different ways when they reach the gut.

"Prebiotics are mainly types of fermentable fibre that act as ‘food’ for your resident gut microbes to feast on. On the other hand, probiotics are live microbes that you’re ‘adding in’ and that prompt favourable health effects as they move through your gut. Prebiotics naturally occur in many plant-based foods including onion, garlic and bananas.

"You can consume live microbes through foods such as natural yoghurt and some fermented foods but they are not necessarily probiotic microbes with established or known health benefits.

"What’s most important is choosing the correct gut microbiome targeted therapy depending on your individual circumstances. Generally, there has been more research exploring the health effects of probiotics than prebiotics in specific health scenarios such as IBS and antibiotic-associated diarrhoea.

"The overwhelming amount of evidence for probiotic use focuses on specific health conditions, though some people may simply choose to take as a type of ‘insurance policy’ to support their gut health."

Gut health and your immune system are extremely interlinked, and vitamin D is one of the many factors that helps keep the microbiome healthy and some of the best vitamin D supplements can contribute to that.

Do probiotics interfere with medication?

"In general, probiotics are not thought to interact with medications, though it’s an area that hasn’t been extensively researched – in fact, there are relatively few studies and mostly in animal models. There are still a lot of unknowns," states Dr Gill.

"Since probiotics are often taken long-term, co-administration with other medications is frequently unavoidable. In reality, any food supplement (including probiotics) has the potential to interact with medications.

"The general consensus is that probiotics have a good safety profile."

Are fermented foods better or less effective than probiotic supplements?

"Probiotics have a specific definition attached to them – they are live microbes that when consumed, support the gut microbiome and offer health benefits. The evidence for probiotic use is targeted to specific health scenarios. A good quality probiotic will state the specific microbes present to strain level and amount, so you know exactly what you’re getting.

"Fermented foods may or may not contain live microbes. If they are live, it doesn’t necessarily mean they function as probiotic microbes. The microbes in fermented foods are more generic - you often don’t know what you’re getting. Saying that, fermented foods are a healthy addition to any diet and they often contain other nutrients that support gut health. For example, fermented soya beans (miso or natto) are a good source of fibre, prebiotics and other plant chemicals, with or without the live microbes.

"If it’s for a specific health need (e.g. symptom management), trial a science-backed probiotic."

What is the most effective form of probiotic?

Dr Gill breaks down how we can tell if a probiotic is effective. "For probiotics to exert their beneficial effects, they must reach the gut in a live state. Unfortunately, many probiotics on the market are not evidence-based. It’s important to choose for a probiotic that has been shown to have a positive effect on the symptoms you are hoping to target. Contact the probiotic manufacturer and ask for links to their published research.

"There is good evidence for taking probiotics in certain scenarios, so it’s important to take a prescriptive approach. Importantly, not all probiotics are equal and different strains do different things. If you’re considering taking a probiotic, do your homework and choose one that is science-backed."

Meet the experts:

This article contains expert advice from Symprove's registered dietician, Dr Sammie Gill and registered dietitian, and certified intuitive eating counsellor, Alissa Rumsey. We've made sure to review and evaluate each supplement we have recommended with the help of expert professionals. Always speak with a healthcare professional before starting a new supplement regime. This will ensure that the supplement is appropriate to you, that you're taking the right dosage for your individual needs, and to ensure it doesn't interact with prescription or over-the-counter medications you may be taking.

Ellen Kinsey is a senior health and wellness product writer for Yours, specialising in natural health and beauty. She lives and breathes all things food, travel and wellness.

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