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Evidence Based

This article is based on scientific evidence, written by experts and fact checked by experts.

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This article contains scientific references. The numbers in the parentheses (1, 2, 3) are clickable links to peer-reviewed scientific papers.

Do You Really Need Specific Probiotics For Men?

Written by Dr. Michael Ruscio, DC on October 22, 2024

Written by Dr. Michael Ruscio, DC on October 22, 2024 — Reviewed by Hilary Watts

• Overview|
• Reproductive Health|
• Digestive Health|
• Heart Health|
• Brain Health|
• Best Probiotics for Men|

All those probiotics on the shelves labeled “men’s formula” try to convince us there’s a best probiotic for men, but that’s just marketing. 

We have no evidence to show that men need specific probiotic strains or a different probiotic blend than women. But that doesn’t mean that probiotics don’t have specific benefits for men.

In fact, scientific evidence on probiotics holds promising news for men’s health.

The Benefits of Probiotics for Men

The beneficial bacteria and fungi in probiotics can help support whole-body health, and prostate, reproductive, digestive, heart, and brain health.

For example, by supporting gut health, probiotics can improve:

• Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) 1
• Leaky gut 2
• Allergies 3
• Depression 4
• Mild cognitive impairment 5
• Inflammation 6
• Stress-related symptoms 7 8

Men’s Reproductive Health

Women aren’t the only humans who need to care about their reproductive health. Common reproductive concerns for men are prostate issues, vitality, and infertility. Read on to see how probiotics can help.

Prostate Health

A healthy prostate gland looks like an upside-down cone that’s about the size of a walnut. It’s located under the bladder in men, and its job is to secrete a solution that helps sperm survive long enough in the acidic vagina to fertilize an egg 9.

The main prostate diseases men are at risk of developing are:

• Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)
• Prostate cancer
• Prostatitis (an inflamed prostate gland)

Though many men don’t really think about their prostate until something is wrong with it, it’s a great idea to start supporting this important gland now. 

So, how might probiotic supplements help the prostate gland? 

Scientists are in the early days of exploring the gut-prostate axis, so we’re still waiting for randomized controlled trials (the highest-quality experimental study) to test the effects of probiotics on the prostate gland. But early evidence suggests that gut health is connected to prostate health.

For example:

• The gut microbiome may influence prostate inflammation in conditions such as prostate cancer 10. 
• Dysbiosis (an imbalance of gut bacteria and other gut microbes) may contribute to prostate cancer, but probiotics may help block that process 10.
• Taking the antibiotic rifaximin with a probiotic supplement can reduce the recurrence rate of chronic prostatitis and prevent related infections in other parts of the reproductive tract 11.

Probiotics are a known treatment for an imbalanced gut and therefore a promising support for prostate health. 

Vitality and Infertility

Testosterone is the main sex hormone in men and is necessary for men’s reproductive and overall health. 

Testosterone levels appear to fall in men as they age, so some researchers tested the effects of probiotics versus a placebo on testosterone. Unfortunately, the study found no evidence that probiotics can raise testosterone levels in aging men 12. 

However, probiotics may be helpful for another common men’s health concern: infertility from poor sperm health. A systematic (methodical) review of four studies showed that probiotics can improve both sperm health and fertility in men 13.

Digestive Health

No matter our gender, overall health depends on gut health. Although common gut disorders tend to affect women more than men, guys are not exempt from digestive system imbalances 14 15. 

About 3% (245 million) of the world’s men have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and about 0.3% (1 million) of U.S. men have inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) 16. Men are also more likely than women to develop colon cancer 17.

Poor gut health can contribute to poor overall health. For example, an imbalanced gut microbiota with too many harmful bacteria, fungi, and other organisms can damage the gut lining and allow gut contents to leak into the bloodstream. 

Those contents (such as food and gut bacteria) passing through a leaky gut lining can provoke the immune system to fight against the invaders with an inflammatory response. 

Too much of that inflammation can spread and damage the tissues it touches 18. Enough over time may contribute to chronic conditions, such as IBD, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cognitive issues, or prostate disease.

But probiotics can play a powerful role in regulating the gut and creating a good foundation for solid health. 

Especially when combined with a nutrient-dense, anti-inflammatory diet, regular exercise, quality sleep, and consistent stress management, probiotics can:

• Treat IBS and symptoms like bloating, constipation, or diarrhea with no side effects 1

• Correct small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) 19
• Repair the digestive tract in people with a leaky gut 2
• Improve colon health in people with IBD 20

By improving the balance of good bacteria and bad bacteria in the gut, daily probiotics can calm an overzealous immune system, improve immune health, and reduce inflammation. Improving gut health can have profound effects on overall health and wellness.

Heart Health

Coronary heart disease is one of the most common men’s health concerns 21. It affects about 8% of men and 6% of women, although those stats level out once women reach menopause 22.

The “gut hypothesis” of cardiovascular disease suggests that gut inflammation contributes to many cardiovascular conditions 23.

For example, patients with heart failure often have abnormal composition and diversity of the gut microbiota. And a leaky gut and toxic compounds made by certain microorganisms may cause the low-grade inflammation common in cardiovascular disease patients.

Research into the potential benefits of probiotic supplements for heart health is still in its infancy, and results have been conflicting. But in one small study, heart failure patients who took the probiotic Saccharomyces boulardii three months had 24:

• Significant reductions in the overall diameter of the left heart artery. This is an exciting finding because swelling of this artery is linked to heart failure and atrial fibrillation. 
• Small improvements in metabolic lab markers compared to the placebo group. This included a reduction in total cholesterol and uric acid levels, which may both play a role in heart failure.

A later, larger study gave heart failure patients either S. boulardii or the antibiotic rifaximin for three months. Neither group had improved heart function, inflammation, or gut microbiota composition, suggesting that gut microbiome-targeted treatments had no impact on those heart failure patients 25.

But there’s still hope and a lot more research to be done. A meta-analysis (highest-quality study of studies) confirmed that probiotics can significantly reduce blood pressure, LDL-C (bad cholesterol), blood sugar, and BMI, while increasing HDL-C (good cholesterol) 26. 

Improving these factors with probiotics has the potential to keep people with higher cardiovascular disease risk out of the hospital.

It’s also important to note that if a study looks at only one strain of probiotics and finds it effective, it doesn’t mean you should only use that one strain. I’ll get into probiotic formulations in a later section.

Brain Health

Brain health, which includes mental outlook and cognitive function, is increasingly important as we age. 

Mental health and mood play a major role in how we feel each day. Although women are diagnosed with depression more than men, men are still at risk 27. 

Probiotics don’t seem to be as helpful for anxiety, but they can help to lift depression and improve mood 28.

For example:

• An especially large meta-analysis found that taking probiotics for at least two months can reduce depression a lot more than a placebo can 4. 
• And a randomized-controlled trial showed that probiotics may improve overall mood in people who eat well, exercise, spend time in nature, and have sound social support 29.

Probiotics can help with mood because of the gut-brain connection. Evidence suggests that gut inflammation can lead to brain inflammation, which can disrupt normal brain function and mood 30. 

So, what about men’s cognitive health? Cognition involves our ability to remember things, solve problems, care for ourselves on a daily basis, and learn new information. Some research suggests that men may have a slightly higher risk of developing mild cognitive impairment 31. 

On the bright side, several high-quality studies (meta-analyses and systematic reviews) have shown that probiotics can improve cognitive function in people with mild cognitive impairment or Alzheimer’s disease 5 32 33. 

Similar to how they can raise a low mood, probiotics may improve cognitive function by reducing gut inflammation and keeping it out of the brain. 

The Best Probiotics for Men

A quick search on Amazon shows that probiotics for men are marketed widely. And while it’s true that some men’s health concerns are unique to them, it’s not true that there’s a best probiotic supplement for men that is different from what women need.

In fact, all high-quality probiotics work synergistically to balance the gut microbiome, provide immune support, and reduce inflammation. 

My research and clinical experience tell me that a multi-species protocol is the most effective choice for the vast majority of patients, regardless of their gender.

In the clinic, rather than relying on single strains, we use a triple therapy approach, or a combination of different strains that fall under these three categories:

• Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium species
• The probiotic yeast, Saccharomyces boulardii
• Soil-based Bacillus species

Taken together, these can go a long way toward re-balancing a dysbiotic gut and maintaining a healthy gut microbiome. I consider probiotics containing all three categories the best probiotics for men and everyone. 

That’s why our clinic formulated effective and convenient triple therapy probiotic powder sticks. They’re shelf-stable, non-GMO, and don’t require refrigeration.

Keep in mind, even with all their benefits, probiotics don’t work alone. They do best when combined with:

• A nutrient-rich, anti-inflammatory diet
• Regular exercise
• Good stress management
• Sound sleep

How to Shop for High-Quality Probiotics

Probiotic manufacturing isn’t highly regulated, so it’s important to buy a quality probiotic supplement.

As a consumer, it’s important to get your money’s worth and avoid buying junk products. When looking for a high-quality probiotic supplement, be sure it has: 

• A clearly stated list of different strains and species
• A clearly stated number of colony-forming units (CFU count) in the billions per serving
• A manufacture date and expiration date 
• A label showing it’s free of common allergens and other fillers (e.g., gluten-free, non-GMO, lactose-free, soy-free, dairy-free, vegan)
• Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) certification
• Third-party (independent) lab verification of probiotic species and potency 

Do I Need to Buy a Special Formulation?

Some probiotic supplements are marketed as special formulations that include:

• Prebiotic fiber—These fibers, like inulin fiber or chicory, are not necessary for the probiotics to be effective and may be irritating to those with particularly sensitive systems 34.
• Postbiotics—These are preparations of inanimate microorganisms or their parts that offer health benefits. Examples include heat-killed bacteria and their byproducts, which can change the gut microbiome in ways that improve health. There’s nothing wrong with heat-killed probiotics—they can work just as well as live ones 35—but a probiotic formula doesn’t need to contain both.
• Delayed-release coating—This coating aims to protect the contents of a probiotic capsule from the body’s stomach acid and digestive enzymes. Researchers are trying to find the best probiotic delivery system, but there’s no evidence yet that delayed release is necessary 36. 

And of course, many formulas are labeled as being the best probiotics for men—or women, or pregnant women, or older men, or for weight loss, and so on. 

It’s not necessary to buy special probiotic formulations like these, especially if they’re more expensive. I recommend running your probiotic options by a healthcare professional or dietitian to make sure they’re safe. 

Men’s Health Probiotic Protocol

Poor gut health can provoke the immune system, setting off inflammation that can give rise to many men’s health concerns. 

But when combined with a healthy diet and lifestyle, probiotics can go a long way toward improving the gut microbiota, reducing inflammation, and supporting health in general. Focusing on high-quality probiotics with different effective species is more important than whether the bottle says they’re probiotics for men or anyone else.

If you’d like help designing a protocol for improved health, we are here to support you. Learn more about becoming a patient at the Ruscio Institute for Functional Health.

The Ruscio Institute has developed a range of high-quality formulations to help our clients and audience. If you’re interested in learning more about these products, please click here. Note that there are many other options available, and we encourage you to research which products may be right for you. The information on DrRuscio.com is for educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.