Probiotics enable the body to absorb nutrients, bolster the immune system and ensure overall health.
But the probiotic balance in our digestive system can sometimes be thrown out of balance. That is where probiotics for men come in.
Probiotics for men help to re-establish a healthy gut microbiome which, in turn, provides a host or benefits we will examine in depth in the list below.
18 Benefits Of Probiotics For Men
Probiotics for men can re-establish a healthy gut microbiome thereby producing the following benefits.
1: Probiotics for men ensure a healthy digestive tract.
Without a properly functioning digestive tract, men can suffer nutrient shortfalls that manifest in ways both obvious and subtle. For example, an iron deficiency can cause muscle weakness and a general sense of fatigue. A vitamin B-12 deficiency can cause confusion and jaundice (1). While a calcium deficiency can make a man vulnerable to devastating fractures later in life.
2: Probiotics for men help prevent urinary tract infections.
While women are much more susceptible to urinary tract infections (UTIs) than men, that does not mean men are immune (2). UTIs occur when the delicate balance of good and bad bacteria in your system becomes unbalanced in favor of the harmful bacteria. Probiotics are one way to ensure the harmful bacteria don’t have their way.
3: Probiotics for men benefit your heart.
’Bad’ LDL cholesterol can collect along the walls of a man’s veins and arteries in a process known as atherosclerosis (3). Atherosclerosis restricts blood flow and increases the odds of angina, heart attack, and stroke. A healthy gut environment produces less bad cholesterol and helps put an end to atherosclerosis, thereby relieving pressure on your heart.
4: Probiotics for men are a must if you take antibiotics.
Antibiotics are some of the most commonly prescribed medicines on earth. Their job is to track down and eliminate invasive bacteria that cause infection. Sometimes, though, they do their job a little too well and take out the beneficial bacteria in your gut (4). If you are taking antibiotics or have just finished a course of antibiotics, it is a good idea to take probiotics to restore a healthy gut biome.
5: Probiotics for men are important for healthy skin.
The skin is the largest organ in the human body. As such, it soaks up many of the nutrients metabolized by the digestive tract. If a man’s digestive tract is not operating at peak efficiency, dermatitis, psoriasis, eczema, and an array of other skin conditions can result. There is a growing body of evidence that probiotics can prevent these and bolster the skin’s immune function as well (5).
6: Probiotics for men are essential for healthy lungs.
Millions of men in the US suffer from lung ailments. These include asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Many doctors will prescribe antibiotics or corticosteroids (6) to treat these conditions. But there is compelling evidence that probiotics also have a role to play in the treatment of various lung ailments (7).
7: Probiotics for men can help you keep the weight off.
Women are not the only ones who struggle with weight issues. As they age, men often find themselves struggling to maintain a healthy weight (8). Since obesity can significantly shorten a man’s life (9) this is nothing short of a life and death battle. Taking probiotics to create an efficient digestive tract enables a man to eat less while still maintaining proper nutrition.
8: Probiotics for men can help them maintain proper hormone production.
The gut is inexorably tied to the production of hormones (10). That means the production of the primary male hormone, testosterone (11), as well as all the others. A healthy gut biome is crucial to the production of testosterone which, in turn, is crucial to a man’s libido, and strength, as well as sperm and red blood cell production.
9: Probiotics for men promote bone health.
Men are generally larger than women, and this additional body mass puts additional stress on their skeletal system. It is vital for men to maintain healthy bones at every stage of life. A healthy digestive tract is the key to ensuring your bones get the vitamins and minerals they need to stay strong. Probiotics supplements are an easy way to create and maintain that efficient, effective digestive tract.
10: Probiotics for men are important for maintaining sexual function.
As we mentioned, a healthy gut is vital to hormone production. That includes testosterone production. Testosterone is the primary male hormone and plays an important role in sexual function, including erections (12). A testosterone deficiency can make it difficult to achieve and maintain an erection. Having a healthy gut microbiome can help ensure sufficient testosterone production.
11: Probiotics for men boost immune system function.
It has become increasingly clear that a robust gut microbiota is vital to the maintenance of a robust immune system (13). The thinking used to be that the immune system waited for blood to deliver nutrients. We now know the gut/immune relationship starts right at the intestinal walls. For this reason, probiotics play an important role in maintaining a responsive, effective immune system.
12: Probiotics for men promote regularity.
Regularity is one of those things few people are comfortable talking about. But regular, consistent stools are a fairly reliable marker of overall health. Chronic diarrhea or constipation, on the other hand, often indicate digestive problems (14). Probiotics can create a healthy gut microbiota and better nutrient absorption, which, in turn, should manifest as fewer episodes of diarrhea or constipation.
13: Probiotics for men are good for your brain.
Understanding of the gut/brain relationship has undergone major revisions in recent years. Just as we now know the gut has a direct influence on immunity, it is also apparent that it has an intimate relationship with the brain. We mentioned earlier that the gut is crucial to hormone production. Well, that includes the production of the hormones serotonin (15), melatonin (16), and cortisol (17). These three hormones play a pivotal role in influencing how we feel and sleep and how we respond to stress.
14: Probiotics for men help regulate blood sugar.
Whether you are diabetic, pre-diabetic, or just concerned about not developing either of those conditions, probiotics can help. Roller coaster blood sugars are sometimes a result of digestive issues. Studies indicate that the probiotics lactobacillus and bifidobacterium exert a powerful influence on blood sugar levels (18), helping to keep them within normal ranges.
15: Probiotics for men may help prevent certain cancers.
A healthy gut is critical to the smooth operation of countless metabolic processes. Now, it also seems it may have a role to play in cancer prevention. That is the conclusion being drawn by recent studies that suggest probiotics have antitumor capabilities (19) and that the role they play in modulating immune system activity can be harnessed to both prevent and treat cancer.
16: Probiotics for men can help reduce blood pressure.
Recent health studies have been clear in this regard (20). But, because these results are drawn from a relatively small sample size of 543 participants, large-scale follow-up studies are needed to confirm these results beyond any doubt before doctors begin prescribing probiotics for high blood pressure. But the day does not seem far off.
17: Probiotics for men may reduce migraine symptoms.
A review of recent studies concluded that there is compelling evidence to suggest probiotic supplements may have a role to play in reducing the frequency and intensity of migraines (21). If you suffer from migraines, you know how debilitating they can be. The ability to reduce their impact through probiotic supplementation is an exciting prospect.
18: Probiotics for men are good for your eyes.
Like any other organ, your eyes require proper nutrient levels to function correctly. Probiotics that enhance the effectiveness of your digestive system can certainly play a role in good eye health. But more than that, probiotics have recently demonstrated the ability to help alleviate symptoms of dry eye syndrome (22). That’s good news for those who have spent years dropping artificial tears into their eyes to keep them moist.
Conclusion
Probiotics for men can improve the efficiency of the digestive tract, bolster heart health, facilitate gut recovery after antibiotic use, aid in weight management, strengthen bones and much more. If you feel you are not getting enough from the food you eat consider taking probiotics for men.