October 09, 2018

Gut Health

Best Probiotic for Men: 21 Probiotic Strains Men Must Consider

You may or may not have heard of probiotics before, but they're becoming more and more popular with everyday men for helping maintain their health. Probiotics are living bacteria that work to strengthen your immune system and maintain the "good" bacteria levels in your gut. But, have you ever stopped to consider just how these good bacteria accomplish this goal? If you're not sure how supplements and probiotics help your health, this guide on the best probiotic for men is for you. We'll give you an in-depth view into which probiotic strains and supplements work best to improve and maintain a man's health. Since some probiotic strains have different benefits and work differently, it's important that you select the best strains so you get the most benefits.

Best Probiotic for Men: Lactobacillus Strains

Did you know that the largest probiotic genera is called Lactobacillus biota? This genus claims more than 12 different strains of probiotics, and we're going to go over each one below.

1. Lactobacillus Acidophilus

Best For: Improving prostate health, combating visceral fat levels, promoting digestive health, and improving muscle growth Scientific Research Level: Heavily researched Rating for Men: 10/10 Foods that Contain this Strain: Yoghurt, sauerkraut, probiotic supplements, and pickles Many men worry about their prostate health, especially since 1 out of every 41 men will die of prostate cancer. Studies show that this strain of probiotics is effective at suppressing cancer cells, particularly cancer cells linked to prostate cancer in men. Since over 1.9 billion adults are obese, the World Health Organization considers it an epidemic. Research shows that a high-fat diet can unbalance the levels of bacteria in your digestive system, and eating L. Acidophilus can help rebalance them. In turn, your digestive system will work more effectively, and this can help you lose weight. Research has also proven that this probiotic strain can actually help your muscles absorb more nutrients. This can help them grow, and it can also help how quickly your muscles recover after a hard workout.

2. Lactobacillus Plantarum

Best For: Improving digestion, increasing immunity, and reducing the risk of kidney stones Scientific Research Level: Heavily researched Rating for Men: 10/10 Foods that Contain this Strain: Yoghurt, sourdough bread, olive brine, and cheese A 2001 study showed that L. plantarum is effective at fighting IBS symptoms and improving your overall digestive health. During this study, 95 per cent of the participants reported a higher quality of life and a decrease in their digestive issues. Another crossover trial showed promising results concerning L. plantarum and overall immunity levels. It helps to improve your body's ability to absorb key vitamins and minerals, and this can boost your immune health. Finally, L. plantarum can also reduce kidney stone risks, and this is important because men are at a higher risk for developing kidney stones than women. It breaks down the compound Oxalate, and over 75 per cent of kidney stones are classified as calcium oxalate stones.

3. Lactobacillus Rhamnosus

Best For: Improving glucose control, decreasing bacterial infections, and reducing the risk of colon cancer Scientific Research Level: Heavily researched Rating for Men: 10/10 Foods that Contain this Strain: Probiotic supplements, cultured cottage cheese, yoghurt, and miso For those men who have trouble controlling their blood glucose levels, this can lead to health issues like diabetes, kidney damage, and nerve damage. Taking L. rhamnosus orally can help control your blood glucose levels. It also has powerful antibacterial properties, and this can help to improve your overall immune health. You can find levels of L. rhamnosus in antibacterial soaps because it works topically as well as internally. Colon cancer is one of the leading cancers that affect men more than women, and taking this probiotic has had promising results in preventing the cancer from developing in the first place. It also showed that it's effective at calming cell inflammation.

4. Lactobacillus Brevis

Best For: Reducing periodontal disease and improving cardiovascular health Scientific Research Level: Moderate — growing Rating for Men: 7/10 Foods that Contain this Strain: Sourdough bread, probiotic supplements, pickles, and sauerkraut Men are at a higher risk for developing periodontal disease at 56.4 per cent, compared to women at 38.4%per cent. This can lead to other health problems including impotence, heart disease, and cancer. Luckily, L. brevis is effective both in fighting the development of and assisting in the healing of periodontal disease. Growing research also shows promising results concerning L. brevis and how it can improve your cardiovascular health. It helps to lower your cholesterol levels, and this decreases your risk of heart attack or stroke.

5. Lactobacillus Casei

Best For: Helping with lactose intolerance, reducing allergies, and increasing liver function Rating For Men: 9/10 Foods that Contain this Strain: Probiotic supplements, kefir, and yoghurt-like fermented milk Do you get bloated or uncomfortable after you eat or drink dairy products? If so, you may have lactose intolerance, and L. casei can help. The University of Buenos Aires ran a study that showed adding L. casei to your diet can improve your lactose tolerance. Another study showed that L. casei can help reduce any allergy symptoms you may have. It's effective at calming any inflammation, itchy eyes, respiratory issues, and calming your immune system's response to your allergens. If you have reduced liver function, you can experience several health issues, including weight loss, cirrhosis, decreased cognitive function, and an increased risk for bleeding. L. casei can help to keep your liver functioning at optimal levels and it reduces the risk of developing cirrhosis of the liver.

6. Lactobacillus Fermentum

Best For: Reducing cholesterol and increasing muscle mass Scientific Research Level: Very limited Rating for Men: 7/10 Foods that Contain this Strain: Pickled vegetables, yoghurt, salami, probiotic supplements Although this is one of the more widely recognized probiotic strains, in-depth research is still very young and ongoing. However, early research is promising. One study showed that L. fermentum can increase your body's ability to absorb calcium, zinc, and phosphorous. This allows your muscles to get the most nutrients possible, and this leads to higher muscle mass. These nutrients can increase your bone density and keep them strong as you age, improve your immune function, and improve the health of your teeth. They also help with cell division and they can help your body break down carbohydrates. Having high cholesterol can lead to a variety of health problems including an increased risk for cardiovascular disease, increased risk for stroke, and increased risk for heart attack. Taking L. fermentum can lower your cholesterol levels and promote healthy cholesterol.

7. Lactobacillus Helveticus

Best For: Improving mental health, reducing colon cancer risks, and improving memory Scientific Research Level: Heavily researched Rating for Men: 8/10 Foods that Contain this Strain: Italian cheese, probiotic supplements, kimchi, and buttermilk Anxiety and depression are mental health problems that affect roughly 60 per cent of the population at one point or another during their lives. Studies show that taking L. helveticus can help reduce the severity of depression and anxiety symptoms you experience. Additionally, it's also a powerful natural aid when it comes to improving your memory. Since one study showed that men are more likely to experience memory loss as they age, this is huge. It's also proven to improve overall cognitive function. As we mentioned earlier, colon cancer is one of the leading cancers that affect men. Two different studies showed promising results that L. helveticus can slow the production of colon cancer cells in humans.

8. Lactobacillus Reuteri

Best For: Reducing inflammation, fighting streptococcus bacteria, and increasing testosterone levels Scientific Research Level: Heavily researched Rating for Men: 7/10 Foods that Contain this Strain: Probiotic supplements, milk, red meat L. reuteri is a very heavily researched probiotic, especially in the area of reducing inflammation and pain. In particular, this probiotic focuses on your digestive tract. Studies prove that it can help reduce any inflammation in your stomach and intestinal lining, and this can help alleviate any discomfort or pain you may have. The Streptococcus bacteria can live in your body without showing any symptoms. However, an untreated infection of this bacteria can lead to health issues including chronic urinary tract infections, kidney problems, pneumonia, and blood infections. Adding L. reuteri to your diet can help to increase the levels of testosterone your body naturally produces. This is huge because low testosterone levels are a problem as men age. Eating foods that contain L. reuteri can increase your libido, and lead to a more balanced system overall.

9. Lactobacillus Salivarius

Best For: Improving dental health, improving immune health, and boosting digestive health Scientific Research Level: Heavily researched Rating for Men: 9/10 Foods that Contain this Strain: Probiotic supplements and yoghurt As you age, your teeth naturally break down. Lifestyles choices like drinking coffee, wine, or acidic beverages can also have a negative impact on your dental health. One study showed that L. salivarius slowed down the production of bad bacteria in your mouth, and another study showed that this probiotic can strengthen your tooth's surface. Although there are 28 different L. salivarius strains, one study showed that nine of them were effective in prohibiting H. pylori growth in your digestive tract. It also works to reduce inflammation, and this can improve your overall digestive health. Your immune health can also suffer as you age, and you can become more prone to bacterial infections. Adding this probiotic to your diet can give your immune health a boost on both an acquired and natural level.

10. Lactobacillus Gasseri

Best For: Decreasing visceral fat, reducing inflammation, and relieving constipation Scientific Research Level: Heavily researched Rating for Men: 8/10 Foods that Contain this Strain: Kimchi, yoghurt, probiotic supplements, and sauerkraut If you struggle with weight loss or extra weight, L. gasseri can help. Studies linked this probiotic to helping men shed excess weight around their abdomens in one randomised trial. When you combine this with a healthy lifestyle, you get a powerful weight loss supplement. Constipation can be a painful and chronic problem with men, and this is especially true as you age. One study showed that regularly digesting this probiotic strain helped to regulate the digestive system, soften stools, and increase the number of bowel movements the participants had. It's also a powerful anti-inflammatory agent that can help to reduce inflammation on a cellular level. In turn, you can experience less pain and discomfort throughout your body, especially in your joints and digestive tract.

11. Lactobacillus Paracasei

Best For: Strengthening the intestinal barrier and combating cancer Scientific Research Level: Limited — growing Rating for Men: 8/10 Foods that Contain this Strain: Dairy products like milk and yoghurt and probiotic supplements Digestive problems like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and leaky gut syndrome can damage the structural integrity of your intestinal barrier, causing cracks or lesions that allow bacteria to pass into your body. However, L. paracasei can promote epithelial cell growth. This can strengthen your intestinal barrier and help heal any damage. Additionally, this probiotic also has powerful anti-cancer properties, and it is especially effective on colon and gastric cancers. It inhibits the growth of colon cancer cells, and it can also work to prevent cancer cells from developing in the first place.

12. Lactobacillus Delbrueckii

Best For: Improving good bacteria levels and alleviating arthritis Scientific Research Level: Moderate — growing Rating for Men: 8/10 — possibly 9/10 with more research Foods that Contain this Strain: Yoghurt, probiotic supplements, milk, and cheese For many men, having unbalanced levels of bacteria in their digestive tract can cause a variety of issues including inflammation, increased intestinal permeability, imbalances in your blood sugar levels, and higher levels of oxidative stress. Fortunately, promising studies link L. delbrueckii with more balanced the good bacteria levels in your digestive tract. It works to increase the levels of good bacteria while reducing the levels of bad bacteria, and this can improve your overall health. It also has powerful anti-inflammatory properties, and this can help with arthritis swelling, inflammation, and pain. This is great because as arthritis progresses, it can lead to loss of the use of the affected limbs, twisting of the joints, and chronic pain.

Best Probiotics for Men: Bifidobacterium Strains

Bifidobacteria are widely found and used in probiotics as good bacteria that help to produce lactic acid as well as acetate. We rounded up the top six Bifidobacterium strains, and we'll highlight what makes them important for your body.

1. Bifidobacterium Lactis

Best For: Combating cancerous tumour activity and improving exercise performance Scientific Research Level: Heavily researched Rating for Men: 9/10 Foods that Contain this Strain: Probiotic supplements, cultured dairy products, and miso This probiotic is one of the most extensively researched strains in the Bifidobacteria strains, and it also offers some of the most extensive health benefits for men. Several clinical trials proved that B. lactis is effective for slowing down cancerous tumour cell growth and how quickly it spreads. It's especially effective for those located in your digestive tract including colon and prostate cancers. Other tests have also shown promising links between this probiotic and improving your exercise performance. It encourages a healthy level of circulation by reducing inflammation, and it encourages your muscles to absorb more nutrients so you can perform better when you exercise.

2. Bifidobacterium Breve

Best For: Improving allergy symptoms, improving skin health, and helping with Coeliac disease Scientific Research Level: Heavily researched Rating for Men: 8/10 Foods that Contain this Strain: Probiotic supplements, kombucha, raw sauerkraut, and kefir Administrating B. breve showed promising results for helping to alleviate allergy symptoms, especially centered around lactose allergies or sensitivities. It's also been useful for improving your skin health and reducing outbreaks of eczema or dermatitis. It's important to note that this probiotic won't cure your skin problems on their own, but it can help to start the healing process by increasing your skin's hydration levels. Coeliac disease can cause digestive problems and pain that can interfere with everyday life. Studies showed that adding B. breve to your gluten-free diet can significantly decrease that amounts of pro-inflammatory cytokine TNF that your body releases. In turn, your Coeliac disease symptoms can decrease.

3. Bifidobacterium Bifidum

Best For: Reducing ulcers, improving cardiovascular health, and improving your GI function Scientific Research Level: Heavily researched Rating for Men: 8/10 Foods that Contain this Strain: Probiotic supplements, sour cream, and buttermilk High stress levels can lead to several health problems, especially on your cardiovascular health. High-stress jobs and trying to achieve a work-life balance are two of the main factors for increased stress levels, and B. bifidum can help naturally reduce your stress levels. This can have a domino effect, because one of the leading causes of ulcer flares is stress. When you reduce your stress levels and add this probiotic to your diet, you should see your ulcers calming down, healing, and hurting less. It's also effective for improving your GI tract health and how well it functions. It does this by balancing the levels of good and bad bacteria in your GI tract. This can increase how well your body absorbs nutrients, and it can help move your food along at a steady pace.

4. Bifidobacterium Longum

Best For: Lowering cholesterol levels and improving liver health, improving testosterone levels and libido Scientific Research Level: Heavily researched in certain areas — growing Rating for Men: 8/10 Foods that Contain this Strain: Cultured dairy products, probiotic supplements, and kimchi You want to maintain healthy cholesterol levels. However, if your cholesterol levels run high, you can experience health problems including cardiovascular issues, weight gain, and reduced liver and kidney functions. Studies show that B. longum is an effective agent when it comes to reducing cholesterol levels. It's particularly effective for people with hypercholesterolemia. It's also effective in improving your liver health. When you take this probiotic, it can reduce blood endotoxin, CRP, and AST levels in your body. In turn, this can improve how your liver functions and increase your overall health. As you get older, your testosterone levels start to drop. This can have a negative impact on your libido. However, researchers linked B. longum with increasing your testosterone levels. Once these levels go up, you should see an increase in your libido.

5. Bifidobacterium Infantis

Best For: Reducing IBS symptoms, reducing kidney stone risks, and improving immune function Scientific Research Level: Moderate — growing Rating for Men: 8/10 Foods that Contain this Strain: Probiotic supplements, yoghurt, tempeh, and brine-cured olives In the United States alone, IBS affects between 25 and 45 million people, and roughly one in three IBS sufferers are male. Several studies compared B. infantis to other probiotics and measured how well they reduced IBS symptoms. Results showed that B. infantis was the best probiotic for combating IBS. It also has several notable immune boosting properties that work for men both young and old. Additionally, it also reduces your chances of developing kidney stones and encourages healthy urinary excretion levels.

6. Bifidobacterium Animalis

Best For: Preventing infections, reducing diabetes risks, and increasing exercise performance Scientific Research Level: Heavily researched Rating for Men: 9/10 Foods that Contain this Strain: Probiotic supplements, kefir, yoghurt, and brine-cured olives No matter how old you are, infections can cause a variety of health risks if you don't take care of them. You want to prevent infections if you can, and B. animalis can help. Several studies showed that it was effective in preventing Salmonella infections as well as E. coli infections. Other promising studies linked this probiotic strain to being beneficial for diabetes. It can help to reduce weight gain along with decreasing fat mass. Additionally, this strain can also improve your body's glucose tolerance. Finally, antioxidants play several vital roles throughout your body including helping heal oxidative stress on a cellular level, boosting immune health, and reducing inflammation. One study showed that this probiotic can encourage antioxidant activity. In turn, this directly dictates how well your muscles perform when you exercise. The less inflammation and oxidative stress your muscles experience, the better your muscles will recover and work.

Best Probiotics for Men: Other Strains

Along with the two main categories we went over above, there are a few probiotics that don't fit into a larger category, but they're still very important for your health.

1. Streptococcus Thermophilus

Best For: Improving immunity function and improving digestion Scientific Research Level: Limited research Rating for Men: 6/10 Foods that Contain this Strain: Probiotic supplements, fermented dairy products, and milk Although there is limited data, the research that is available is promising. S. thermophilus has proven to be effective at improving your immunity levels. It's great for encouraging antioxidant activity and reducing inflammation at a cellular level. This probiotic strain can also help to regulate your digestive system. It works to balance the good and bad bacterial levels in your gut, reduce inflammation, and encourage healthy digestion. Finally, it also improves your intestinal permeability.

2. Bacillus Coagulans

Best For: Enhancing muscle recovery Scientific Research Level: Limited — growing Rating for Men: 7/10 Foods that Contain the Strain: Foods with lactic acid and probiotic supplements As you age, your muscles can start to lose their mass and become weaker. However, you can combat this with B. coagulans because promising studies showed that it helps your muscles increase their protein absorption levels. Additionally, this probiotic can reduce muscle damage due to exercise, and it can also improve recovery times.

3. Bacillus Laterosporus

Best For: Antifungal activity Scientific Research Level: Limited — growing Rating for Men: 7/10 Foods that Contain this Strain: Probiotic supplements and foods with lactic acid B. laterosporus has powerful antifungal properties, and you can find it in antifungal creams and medications. It can be applied topically or taken internally, and it works on a cellular level to get rid of the fungus infection at its core. It's a popular remedy for athlete's foot and other tonsil fungus infections.

Final Thoughts on the Best Probiotics for Men

Each of these 21 probiotic strains has individual benefits for men. They'll give you an excellent starting point that you can use to build on and reach your fitness goals. We've picked the best strains to optimize men's health, but there are dozens of other strains available. If you're curious and want to know more about the other probiotic strains or supplements, get in touch with our team of experts today!