The best probiotic for men is the supplement that is going to promote a healthy gut microbiome in men over the long-term. In this article, we explain what the best porbiotic for men would look like. We’ll also explain how a probiotic supplement works, why good gut bacteria are so important, and natural ways to enhance digestive health.
The gut microbiome interacts with the body as a whole, and the health of the microbiome directly influences almost every aspect of health and performance.
Studies have now shown beyond doubt that improving the health of your gut microbiome boosts the immune system, guards the health of the digestive system, improves heart health, and even promotes mental health and cognitive function. The bacteria in your gut are responsible for not only breaking down food, but also for controlling blood sugar and cholesterol, protecting the body from infection by fighting harmful bacteria in the gut (also by regulating immune system function). New research suggests good bacteria in the gut even provide constant feedback to the brain via the synthesis of key neurotransmitters.
In other words, probiotics can help with many different aspects of your life. It’s therefore no wonder that probiotic supplements have become so popular in the United States in recent years!
Probiotic supplements are now among the most sought-after products in the health market. But so much demand has meant the market has become saturated with cheap, low quality probiotics. In particular, a lot of probiotic supplements are out there claiming to be perfect for men, when in fact they are over-priced scams!
But don’t worry – we’re here to help!
Below you’ll find a detailed explanation of how probiotics work, what it means for a probiotic to be a “probiotic for men”, and some tips of optimizing gut microbiome health. but before we get into that, let’s talk about the best supplement for gut microbiome health.
Best Supplement For Gut Health
The best supplement for overall digestive health and promoting beneficial bacteria in the gut is not actually a probiotic. If you’re interested in enhancing immune system function, preventing digestive issues, and boosting cognitive performance over the long-term, then you need a much more long-term approach than probiotics.
For lasting benefits, we recommend using a high quality prebiotic rather than a probiotic.
This is because of the fundamental difference between prebiotics and probiotics.
Probiotics work by introducing exogenous (i.e. external to the body) bacteria strains to the gut. The idea is that these beneficial bacteria promote healthy digestion by outcompeting harmful bacteria for food – more on this later.
Prebiotics, on the other hand, work by feeding your existing gut bacteria. The best prebiotics work by preferntially feeding your good gut bacteria strains, helping them grow and spread, while leaving unhealthy gut flora to starve. This helps rebalance your gut flora ot be more on the side of good bacteria strains, which is more conducive to good health and performance.
Not all fiber is prebiotic fiber; prebiotic fiber is relatively rare in your typical Western diet, so prebiotic supplements are often advised for optimal gut health (and to get the most out of any men’s probiotics).
The best prebiotic supplement for men on the market right now is Performance Lab Prebiotic.
Performance Lab Prebiotic
Performance Lab Prebiotic is easily the best prebiotic on the market, and it is the best option for men looking to improve overall gut health (and all of the benefits that come with enhance gut flora).
This is the only prebiotic on sale today which uses Orafti Synergy1 Inulin-FOS and delivers it in prebiotic plant caps.
Orafti Synergy1 is a patented combination of Oligofructose-enriched inulin, which studies have shown is the ideal fiber for exclusively promoting beneficial gut flora and promoting its growth. Clinical trials have found that use of high quality inulin-FOS can raise bifidobacterium strains from 20% of microflora to 70% while completely eliminating bad bacteria strains like clostridia.
The inulin-FOS in Performance Lab Prebiotic is derived from chicory root. There are no GMOs, no preservatives, no added sugar, and nothing synthetic added to this supplements. It is vegan-friendly, soy free, and gluten free. Compared to other prebiotics on the market right now, it really does stand out in terms of ingredient quality and purity. We advise you take this supplement both alone and if you plan to take a probiotic, as the two will work excellently together.
While many of you have come to this page looking for the top rated probiotic, or the best rated probiotics for men on sale right now, we think a great prebiotic will do far more for a man’s health and performance than even the top rated probiotics for men in the world.
Learn more from the website:
See our detailed review: Performance Lab Prebiotic
How Do Probiotics Work?
Probiotic is a name we give to bacteria species deemed “friendly” or “good for health”. Probiotic supplements are therefore products made up of these so-called “friendly bacteria” strains which, when introduced to the body, help bring about positive changes in the gut microbiome.
Let’s unpack that a little.
The human gut is home to billions of bacteria. This is not a bad thing; in fact, without your gut bacteria your health would quickly deteriorate. The microorganisms in the human gut are integral to the digestion process. They also play a huge role in the immune system, both in fighting infection in the gut itself and in stimulating healthy systemic immunity.
Now the human microbiota has an optimal composition for health. By that we mean there is an ideal balance between different bacteria species. The healthy human gut should be dominated by bifidobacterium strains; these are the archetypal probiotic “good bacteria” strain, which is why it is used in most probiotic supplements.
When there are imbalances in the gut microbiota, your health and performance can quickly suffer. Harmful bacteria strains can overrun your gut and effectivelty starve bifidobacterium strains by eating all their food!
So, probiotics typically introduce strains of bacteria known to actively redress imbalances in the gut microbiome; so called probiotic strains of gut bacteria.
Some of the most commonly used probiotic strains of bacteria are:
- Bifidobacterium bifidum
- Bacillus coagulans
- Lactobacillus rhamnosus
- Lactobacillus acidophilus
- Lactobacillus plantarum
- Lactobacillus casei
Different probiotic species are responsible for different activities in the gut.
For example, as you might have guessed from the name, the lactobacillus probiotic species of bacteria are involved in the production of the enzyme lactase, which is what breaks down the sugar lactose into lactic acid. If you struggle with lactose, then introducing more lactobacillus strains of bacteria is a good idea.
In summary: How do probiotics work?
Probiotics work by introducing new bacteria strains to the gut. Speficially, probiotics introduce probiotic bacteria strains which helps keep your body healthy and working well. Probiotic bacteria are good bacteria which work in many different ways, such as fighting off bad bacteria when you have too much of it, or helping the immune system to work properly. Probiotics are part of a larger picture concerning bacteria and your body — your microbiome.
What Is A Probiotic For Men?
What does it mean for a supplement to be a probiotic for men? What makes a probiotic particularly beneficial to a man? What is the best probiotic for men on sale today?
Whenever you see a product sold as a probiotic for men, there is usually nothing about that probiotic supplement which makes it especially good for men. Probiotics are probiotics; they help rebalance gut micrbiota to be more beneficial to health and performance.
Probiotics provide good bacteria that helps with digestive health and the peripheral beenfits that follow from having a healthy gut.
That’s it.
The best probiotic for men will enhance a man’s gut bacteria to be optimal for health and performance. Men and women have identical gut microflora makeups, so any probiotics that are ideal for men are also ideal for women. Your average man will have worse digestive health than your average woman as men tend to eat more red meat and consume more alcohol. But there is nothing about a particular probiotic that makes it particularly good for men but not women.
That is assuming that the probiotic in question is just a probiotic supplement and not a men’s health stack.
There may be a probiotic supplement out there which couples effective probiotic strains of bacteria with other ingredients designed to promote male health and vitality; testosterone boosters for example. Thios is not unreasonable as your gut controls hormone synthesis to a great degree, and having a very unhealthy gut microbiome can cause low testosterone.
So when we’re asking “what is the best probiotic for men on sale right now?”, we’re really asking “what is the best probiotic today?”
In summary: What is a men’s probiotic?
There really is no such thing as the best probiotic for men. The best men’s probiotic will also be a top probiotic for women; anything that beenfits a man’s gut microflora will do the same for a woman. The designation “probiotic for men” is a marketing gimmick, assuming it is just a probiotic supplement and not also a testosterone stack. The best probiotic for men is the best probiotic for everybody.
10 Benefits of Probiotics For Men
How can the best probiotics for men benefit your health and performance?
There are many ways a top probiotic can help a man. Since the gut is such an integral part of the body, with deep connections ot everything else, improving gut microbiome health has carryover effects to lots of other aspects of men’s health and performance.
The 10 aspects of men’s health and performance you can enhance by taking the best probiotics:
- Digestive system health
- Prostate health
- Immune system function
- Bone density and strength
- Sperm count
- Nutrient absorption
- Blood pressure
- Testosterone levels
- Cognitive function, mental health and mood
- Weight loss
We’ll now go through these main benefits of men’s probiotics in more detail. Remember that these are benefits associated with improved gut health, not just probiotics. So a man will experience these benefits whether they’re eating more fiber, using a prebiotic, or a probiotic supplement.
Digestive system health
Obviously, the main benefit of using probiotics is improved digestion. Probiotics introduce various species of good bacteria to the gut. These are microorganisms which are beneficial to overall digestive health; they break down key nutrients, protect the gut from infection, and more. Sometimes, the gut can become overwhelmed with bad bacteria, causing indigestion, diarrhea, and symptoms of iritable bowel syndrome (IBS, sometimes called inflammatory bowel disease).
Studies have found that probiotics can help improve digestive health in patients suffering with serious digestive issues, such as infectious diarrhea [1].
Prostate health
Taking probiotics may promote prostate health. This is potentially one of the main probiotics benefits for men aged 50 and up, when prostate health tends to deteriorate.
Of course, this is not to say that any supplement is intended to diagnose, treat or cure any illness. No natural supplements can cure or prevent any disease. Probiotics can support immune health but this alone cannot prevent any disease, particularly one as complicated and resilient as cancer. If anyone tells you a probiotic can help reverse something like cancer, they’re lying.
Immune system function
The bacteria in your gut play a central role in protecting you from disease, illness and infection. The gut is often the first line of defence when we’re talking about immune function. By killing harmful bacteria in the gut and controlling what does and doesn’t get absorbed by the gut wall, your gut bacteria act as a first line of defence against illness.
But the microflora in the gut have a much more interesting role to play in immunity. Studies have found that people who consume a probiotic drink for 12 weeks have a statistically significant reduction in respiratory infections compared to control [2]. Other studies have found that serious infection actively changes the composition of bacteria in the gut. This suggests that the immune system as a whole is constantly interacting with your gut microbiota.
Bone density and strength
The gut microbiome is a new locus of investigation in the search for a treatment for osteoporosis. It is now thought that the bacteria in your gut can directly influence bone density and strength.
According to a 2020 study published in Aging and Disease, “Gut microbes can increase bone mass and improve osteoporosis by inhibiting osteoclast proliferation and differentiation, inducing apoptosis, reducing bone resorption, or promoting osteoblast proliferation and maturation.” [3] However, the therapeutic effects of probiotic use in the context of bone degradation have not yet been studied.
Increased sperm count
Taking probiotics may increase sperm count, sperm mobility, and seminal fluid volume. One rodent study found that Lactobacillusrhamnosus was able to dramatically improve sperm mobility in obese mice [4]. other clinical trials, carried out on humans, have found similar beneficial effects from probiotics on sperm count, sperm mobility, and seminal fluid volume.
The underlying mechanims of action to this effect is not understood. However, it is likely that the elevation in free testosterone, better nutrient absorption and ultimately better weight management that all come from probiotic use are part of the explanation.
Nutrient absorption
Improved nutrient absorption is porbbaly the main benefit that men look for from a probiotic. This is actually the main reason everybody gives for using probiotics. The flora in your digestive tract play an integral role in nutrient breakdown and absorption.
Specific bacteria strains produce enzymes which then break down key nutrients, such as proteins, sugars, and fats. The best known of these is the lactobacillus strain of bacteria. These bacteria produce lactase, the enzyme which breaks down lactose. Other bacteria species produce other enzymes which help you to process and utilize protein, carbohydrates, and fats effectively.
Blood pressure
One surprising benefit of probiotic use is its link with blood pressure. Clinical studies have found that consuming probiotics can help lower and even completely fix high blood pressure. One meta-analysis found that the use of probiotic supplements, either as capsules or as a probiotic drink, was able to bring about a statistically significant reduction in either systolic or diastolic blood pressure [5]. The authors concluded that “probiotics is a potential for the dietary treatment of hypertension”.
This is of particular benefit to men, as men tend to suffer with high blood pressure at a much higher rate than women. A man’s probiotic would need to contain bacteria species known to help reduce blood pressure.
Testosterone levels
Probiotics may raise testosterone levels. Multiple studies have found that consuming probiotics on a regular basis, whether it is through fermented foods, probiotic yogurt drinks, or probiotic supplements (prebiotics will likely have the same effect as the end result is the same). Subsequent clinical trials have found that a specific strain of bacteria – L. reuteri – seems to be particularly effective for raising serum testosterone levels, reducing testicular atrophy, and improving various measures of sexual health [6].
Cognitive function, mental health and mood
One area that we know men’s probiotics can have a huge impact is cognition. The gut and the mind are intimately connected and in constant communication. There is actually a concentrationn of nerve cells so great ion the gut that it is its own nervous system: the enteric nervous system. This “second brain” (it has more neurons than a rat brain) controls the movement of food through the digestive system, contracting and relaxing muscles, monitoring temperature, pH, inflammation, microorganisms – everything!
What is interesting is that the gut is constantly sending signals to the brain via the Vagus Nerve to provide feedback on digestion. Even more interesting though is that this communication channel works two ways, and that it may relate to much more than digestion. A huge proportion of the body’s neurotransmitters are found in the gut (where they are used to control all the things listed above). For example, over 80% of the body’s total serotonin is in the gut. The synthesis of these neurotransmitters is modulated and in part carried out by gut bacteria. With the Vagus Nerve connecting the gut and the brain, and with the gut harboring so many neurotransmitters, it’s clear that the gut can directly affect brain function.
This is indeed what studies have found. So far, meta analyses have found that: “Through these varied mechanisms, gut microbes shape the architecture of sleep and stress reactivity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. They influence memory, mood, and cognition and are clinically and therapeutically relevant to a range of disorders, including alcoholism, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, and restless legs syndrome.” [7]
Weight loss
Perhaps the main reason people, men and women, use probiotics is their ability to help with weight loss. The truth of the matter is that using the best probiotics for men’s weight loss is a great strategy, probably a far more effective one than using fat burners or diet pills. Too often people try to find quick fixes for obesity, never addressing the underlying causes. In the case of many men, the underlying cause is terrible digestive health.
The bacteria in your gut control nutrient absorption, blood sugar levels, satiety, and as mentioned above, mood. All of these things together can help control over eating and bad food choices. If your microbiome is completely out of balance though, these things can become serious problems; blood sugar crashes lead to snacking, and poor nutrient absorption means your health will deteriorate despite you eating enough calories.
Probiotics may be one of the best tools to use when trying to lose weight, and the best men’s probiotic supplements can make a huge difference to your weight loss efforts.
Best Probiotic Supplements For Men
So what are the most effective probiotics for men to take? What is the best probiotic on the market right now? How do the top rated probiotics compare to the best prebiotic?
In our opinion, the best rated probiotics in the world right now are not going to provide the same long-term, lasting results as a good prebiotic. Rather than introducing foreigjn bacteria species to provide a ‘quick fix’ with probiotics, prebiotics help nurture and nourish healthy gut bacteria every day for months and years.
Generally speaking, most probiotic supplements are the same.
However, some are definitely better than others.
You will often see the potency of a probiotic measured in so many billion CFUs. This number refers to colony forming units per dose; in other words, how many viable bacteria cells are in the supplement to potentially breed and multiply.
While this is often used to promote potency, we don’t think this number really has any meaning. The dose of bacteria is important, but a product with 20 billion CFUs is going to help rebalance the microbiome just as well as a product with 50 billion.
So what makes a good probiotic for men?
Look for a product that contains Lactobacillus Reuteri, as this has the most scientific backing when it comes to promoting men’s secual health and testosterone levels.
Also, look for a good mix of bifidobacterium and lactobacillus strains, as a broad spectrum of 6-10 of these species will generally produce better outcomes than a probiotic which contains 3-5, for example.
Check out some probiotics we’ve reviewed:
Best Probiotic For Men Over 50?
If you’re an older man and you’re looking to optimize things like energy levels, vitality and sexual function going forward, then probiotics can definitely help.
Everyone always rushes to testosterone boosters and the like when trying to help older guys, but most men over 50 will benefit much more from the best probiotics and prebiotics than they will from a great testosterone booster.
This is because their low energy levels, poor weight management and low levels of vitality stem from a very unhealthy gut microbiome, not low testosterone itself. A probiotic supplement can drastically improve energy levels, mood, and stamina all while supporting the digestive system.
In Conclusion: Should You Use A Probiotic For Men?
Are probiotics good for men?
Yes, absolutely! Men will generally benefit enormously from taking a great probiotic supplement for a few weeks. Most men in the developed world have diets low in fiber and high in saturated fat, alcohol and other substances which kill good gut bacteria. So a probiotic will help reduce the side effects of this, such as diarrhea, constipation, bloating and gas.
But probiotics are a temporary cure. The best probiotic for men will only ever work for as long as you’re taking the supplement.
Prebiotics, on the other hand, help fix the fundamental problem by feeding your existing healthy gut bacteria and prompting them to thrive.
References
[1] CochraneLibraryCochrane Database of Systematic ReviewsProbiotics for treating acute infectious diarrhoea (Review)Allen SJ, Martinez EG, Gregorio GV, Dans LFAllen SJ, Martinez EG, Gregorio GV, Dans LF. Probiotics for treating acute infectious diarrhoea. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2010, Issue 11. Art. No.: CD003048. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD003048.pub3.
[2] Zhang H, Yeh C, Jin Z, Ding L, Liu BY, Zhang L, Dannelly HK. Prospective study of probiotic supplementation results in immune stimulation and improvement of upper respiratory infection rate. Synth Syst Biotechnol. 2018 Mar 12;3(2):113-120. doi: 10.1016/j.synbio.2018.03.001. PMID: 29900424; PMCID: PMC5995450.
[3] Ding K, Hua F, Ding W. Gut Microbiome and Osteoporosis. Aging Dis. 2020;11(2):438-447. Published 2020 Mar 9. doi:10.14336/AD.2019.0523
[4] DardmehF, AlipourH, GazeraniP, van derHorstG, BrandsborgE, NielsenHI (2017)LactobacillusrhamnosusPB01(DSM14870)supplementationaffectsmarkersof spermkinematicparameters in a diet-inducedobesitymicemodel.PLoSONE 12(10): e0185964.
[5] Qi, D., Nie, X. & Zhang, J. The effect of probiotics supplementation on blood pressure: a systemic review and meta-analysis. Lipids Health Dis19, 79 (2020).
[6] Poutahidis T, Springer A, Levkovich T, et al. Probiotic microbes sustain youthful serum testosterone levels and testicular size in aging mice. PLoS One. 2014;9(1):e84877. Published 2014 Jan 2. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0084877
[7] Galland L. The gut microbiome and the brain. J Med Food. 2014;17(12):1261-1272. doi:10.1089/jmf.2014.7000
See our #1 recommended supplement for total gut health:
Performance Lab Prebiotic
This is easily the best supplement on the market right now for optimizing your gut health over the long term. By selectively feeding your healthy gut bacteria with specially grown inulin-FOS prebiotic fiber, Performance Lab Prebiotic helps rebelance your gut microbiome and spur the growth of healthy bacteria species every signle day.
Visit the website ot learn more: PerformanceLab.com
I came to your website after seeing info about the Gundry “Total Restore” supplement.
The doctor behind that product delivers a very convincing video about the health results of his product. But I found your evaluation helpful. Thank you for your very informative presentation regarding the added benefits of Prebiotics in fixing the imbalance of gut bacteria. My wife has had good results treating her digestive disorder by taking probiotics. She has urged me to do the same to help with my unhealthy bowel movements.
After reading about your support for Prebiotics I plan to add a supplement to my diet and will post my results in a few months. Thanks again for your work!