Probiotics are integral to the development and support of your gut health. They've been shown to treat hormonal imbalances and offset certain chronic illnesses, as well as help prevent illness from bacterial exposures. So when people take probiotics, they’re ensuring that the bacteria they have in their gut are healthy so that they’re better equipped to digest food, create vitamins, and detoxify themselves. Of course, it’s important to take a quality probiotic in addition to eating the right foods to feed them (prebiotics) if you want to reap the rewards of a healthy gut.

There are some reasons why men, in particular, may want to start taking probiotics.

• They are your defensive line. Probiotics act as a first line of defense to our gut wall, maintaining the integrity and structure of it and fostering proper nutrient absorption at the barrier. The bacteria of a healthy microbiome communicate with the immune system, informing and stimulating it in times of a threatening infection and modulating it in times of health to assure that it does not become overly reactive. That’s part of the reason why taking probiotics can help you stay healthy and functional overall.
• They can mitigate one major health risk for men. Heart disease is the leading cause of death among men in the United States: Men account for between 70 and 90 percent of sudden cardiac deaths. And, perhaps even more importantly, half of them have no previous knowledge of having the severe, life-threatening condition before the event. Having a healthy microbiome fueled by probiotics can reduce cholesterol, which reduces plaque formation in the arteries, and ultimately, reduces the risk of heart disease.
• A healthy microbiome can balance men's hormones. Probiotics may help men dealing with hormonal imbalances maintain more optimal testosterone levels, which can improve sex drive, sense of vitality, energy level, and even lean body mass.
• They can improve athletic performance. For men, gastrointestinal complaints tend to be high for those who are very active, since intense activity can trigger a change in blood flow, which can then interrupt the intestinal processes and trigger an inflammatory response in the body. Probiotics can help reduce exercise-induced intestinal permeability, making it easier for materials to go in and out of the gastrointestinal tract, which prevents other infectious or autoimmune-related diseases from afflicting the body.
• They help target and reduce inflammation. This benefit is for everyone, not just men, but the anti-inflammatory effects of probiotics have far-reaching implications, including clearing up your skin, as well as preventing constipation and even cancer (particularly colon cancer). Probiotics have also been shown to provide relief with the flare-ups associated with irritable bowel syndrome and allergy symptoms.