Probiotics are a growing trend worldwide in personal health and well-being, and for good reason. From the promotion of weight loss to the reduction of inflammation to balancing “good” and “bad” bacteria in your gut, probiotics have a wide variety of benefits. As in many categories of products, however, finding the right probiotic for you is tricky. 

There are many probiotic products out there that claim to help or cure everything under the sun and others that claim to specialize in certain ailments. Among both sets are also those unfortunate products that do very little at all. That’s why we’ve parsed the wide variety of probiotic options on the market to bring you this list of the best probiotics for weight loss so you can come to a single, trusted source for all the data you need in order to make an informed decision. 

Top 5 Probiotic Supplements for Weight Loss

1. Probiology - Best Overall Probiotic for Weight Loss
2. Biotics 8 - Great Probiotic for Men’s Weight Loss
3. Clear Probiotics - Mushroom & Bark Power
4. Probulin - The Productive Postbiotic 
5. Poophoria - Balanced Gut Health

Reviews of the Top Probiotic Supplements for Weight Loss

1. Probiology - Best Overall Probiotic

Pros 

• Risk-free 60-day money-back guarantee
• 250x better probiotics survival rate
• 40 billion CFUs

Cons

• Orders are limited to five per household

Product Highlights

The Probiology gut+ product is its flagship probiotic and prebiotics formula. It offers 40 billion colony-forming units (CFUs), four active live strains of probiotics, a prebiotic fiber, and Probiology’s patented MAKtrek® Bipass Technology. This MAKtrek tech is a key differentiator of Probiology, as its unique formula ushers the probiotic goodness of the product through the digestive system so that more of it reaches the small intestine, where it works its magic. 

Probiology’s gut+ product includes lactobacillus acidophilus to lower IBS symptoms and balance good bacteria, Bifidobacterium lactis to reinforce gut lining and break down food, and lactobacillus plantarum to reduce bloating and cramping. These effective ingredients are then paired with lactobacillus paracasei and fructooligosaccharide, which reduce negative inflammation and nourish good bacteria, respectively. The gut+ formula rounds out with the MAKtrek marine polysaccharide complex mentioned above to help escort the product to its target intestine via a proprietary seaweed extract ingredient. 

The gut+ formula does not require refrigeration, is soy-free, gluten-free, and specifically formulated for women’s overall health and wellbeing. Best of all, Probiology’s gut+ probiotic is especially effective at achieving excellent weight loss results in minimal time. 

Discounts, Promotions, and Pricing

New customers can use promo code FIRST10 for 10 percent off and free shipping. Two free e-guide publications are also available with your first order: immune-boosting and detox and gut health quick-start guides. A first-time-buyer sale reducing the price from $74.99 USD to $59.99 was active at the time of publishing, and two bundle packs are available as well: a two-month supply with an extra month for free and a three-month supply plus two extra months on top of that. Each bundle is discounted heavily, and all purchases are available for financing through Probiology’s Afterpay partner, making interest-free payment plans available. 

Why It Made This List

Probiology makes our list with a combination of a top-quality product with unique features, solid pricing and options, and a full 100 percent money-back guarantee spanning a full two months. 

Probiotics are the kinds of products that work best over time, and weight loss in particular is something that takes a bit of time to come to fruition. That’s why our review team loved the expansiveness of Probiology’s guarantee. Probiology specifically notes that anyone enacting the guarantee will be provided with a refund at “zero hassle”. Now that’s the kind of faith in your product we love to see!

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2. Biotics 8 - Best Probiotic for Men’s Weight Loss

Pros 

• Specially formulated for men’s physiology
• 10 probiotic strains
• 20 billion CFUs

Cons

• This one may not be the most effective solution for women

Product Highlights

The Biotics 8 probiotic supplement is a product that has been specifically created for men and is perfect for anyone who wants to maintain and improve their gut health. It has been formulated with ingredients that help with digestive issues, and its potent formula supports immune system health too. 

Biotics 8 contains 10 of the highest quality bacteria strains that have been scientifically proven to be effective. These live bacteria have been clinically tested and shown to help maintain the balance of good bacteria in your stomach and are highly regarded as being more effective than those in many other supplements. 

Biotics 8 is a powerful supplement that includes digestive enzymes and prebiotic galacto-oligosaccharides (which come from plant sugars). In addition, it includes active probiotics to promote good gut health, vitamin D3 for mood and bone health, and chicory root, which supports a healthy microbiome. The formula helps with weight loss, stress, anxiety, digestive health, immune system health, and even helps with certain types of cancer and arthritis.

Discounts, Promotions, and Pricing

Save nearly 47 percent on the full price of Biotics 8 by ordering the two-month supply, which includes a free third month’s worth of supply as well. Bauer Formulas, which makes Biotics 8 and a host of other wellness and nutrition brands, offers a 60-day money-back guarantee that will grant a full refund if returned in original packaging within 67 days. 

Why It Made This List

Biotics 8 is close to the top of our list of the best probiotics for weight loss because it has been proven to be so effective in improving digestive health in particular. Anything that boosts digestion helps burn calories in the digestive process, but Biotics 8 doesn’t stop there and also strengthens your overall immunity while reducing the risk of cancer and heart disease. 

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3. Clear Probiotics - Mushroom & Bark Power

Pros 

• Full-year money-back guarantee
• Unique formulation combining probiotics and reishi mushrooms
• Competitively priced

Cons

• Free shipping, except to Canada, which incurs an $8 shipping fee, and internationally, which varies

Product Highlights

Clear Gut & Immunity from Clear Probiotics is a probiotic dietary supplement designed to promote weight loss while improving both digestive and overall health. It provides targeted relief from digestive issues like acid reflux, bloating, and constipation, as well as joint pain and immune boosters. This relief promotes a healthier gut and, therefore, better digestion, which is clinically linked to weight loss. 

Microbiome therapy is a proven approach to maintaining gut health, and Clear Probiotics offers a market-leading solution. The probiotic blend they use combines the power of both probiotics and reishi mushroom and slippery elm bark prebiotics to provide quality weight loss and digestive relief.

The Clear Probiotics Clear Gut & Immunity formula contains probiotic strains that promote digestion and gut health through balance. This balance is important because the bacteria, fungi, and even viruses that live in our body form a microbiome which is crucial to maintaining a healthy state. The balance of this microbiome is crucial to maintaining overall gut health and reducing body weight. 

Discounts, Promotions, and Pricing

Clear Probiotics is among the most competitively priced products on our list. A three-pack of the supplement will last roughly a month and a half, and not only is the per-bottle price discounted, but also the subscription model option adds another 15 percent discount to the mix. Joining the email list earns an easy 15 percent discount on your order while also signing you up for future discounts as well. 

Why It Made This List

Clear Probiotics made our list because our review team was impressed by the unique inclusion of reishi mushrooms and slippery elm bark in the Clear Gut & Immunity probiotic. Beyond its weight loss benefits, this probiotic also assists immune function, bolsters the cardiovascular system, and even helps those who suffer from irritated bowels. 

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4. Probulin - The Productive Postbiotic

Pros 

• 15 strain probiotic blend
• 20 billion CFUs
• 45-day guarantee 

Cons

• Not necessarily the best solution for diarrhea

Product Highlights

The Probulin Total Care Probiotics are formulated with a special formula of ingredients that includes prebiotics, probiotics, and postbiotics. The inclusion of all types of these clinically-proven ingredients is what makes these supplements uniquely effective for digestive health and therefore improved weight loss.

Prebiotics can promote the health of formulated probiotics, protecting them from naturally occurring stomach acids and facilitating their ability to complete their job. Postbiotics are the byproduct of probiotics breaking down the elements of prebiotics (usually fiber) and are a type of beneficial gut bacteria that have their own benefits as well. 

In fact, some research suggests that this type of gut bacteria in your microbiome can help you support your immune system, combat diarrhea, manage IBDs and reduce allergies. Postbiotics may help treat diarrhea, alleviate irritable bowel symptoms, or even lower the fallout from some allergies.

Probulin Total Care probiotic supplements are a great way to replenish your gut with beneficial bacteria quickly—they contain 20 billion CFUs of live cultures, including 15 strains of good bacteria. These beneficial probiotic strains include seven forms of Lactobacillus, making up a full 8.7 billion CFUs. The rest of the CFUs consist of multiple types of Bifidobacterium. 

The additional ingredients that make up the probiotic supplement Probulin Total Care are made from a mix of organic raspberry, beet, blueberry, and fig fermentation. 

Discounts, Promotions, and Pricing

The subscribe and save model grants 25 percent off your first order on the Probulin website. 

At the time of publishing, Probulin was running a giveaway promotion for a chance to win the entirety of the Probulin Total Care Probiotic Collection as well as an RTIC cooler. Only an email address and a name was required to enter the giveaway. 

Why It Made This List

Probulin Total Care Probiotic can help you maintain a healthy gut microbiome and boost immunity. It's also suitable for people who use antibiotics, which can destroy beneficial flora in the gut.

5. Poophoria - Balanced Gut Health

Pros 

• Boosts digestion while reducing bloat
• Made in the USA
• FDA certified facility

Cons

• The Poophoria website’s privacy policy seems to include a draft of the policy rather than the final version

Product Highlights

Poophoria's Harmony Probiotic Supplement is a probiotic supplement with 20 billion CFUs of live cultures and prebiotics. This supplement facilitates weight loss by providing support for healthy digestion while also easing digestive discomfort.

The Harmony probiotic is specially formulated to help keep the digestive system healthy by creating a balance of friendly bacteria that populate the gut. This positive effect on gut health cannot be overestimated, as the gut influences other parts of the human body significantly. Aspects of your health, such as your mood and the state of your mental health, are easily affected by changes to the gut, so a healthy balance is important.

Poophoria Harmony includes Bifidobacterium lactis and Lactobacillus casei, two leading probiotic choices for gut health. B. lactis has shown to be beneficial in many areas, such as fighting allergies, aiding in eczema recovery, promoting healthy cholesterol levels, bodily waste disposal, and evening out the body’s levels of blood sugar. L. casei has been shown to reduce the effects of diabetes, arthritis, and potentially even cancer.

Together, these probiotic strains provide a multi-faceted approach to gut health that is clinically proven for effective balance and weight loss promotion. What’s more, Poophoria added Sunfiber to the mix as a reliable prebiotic to further shore up the effectiveness of the Harmony supplement.

Discounts, Promotions, and Pricing

Sign up for the Poophoria email list and receive a coupon via email for 15 percent off your first purchase. Be sure to do this and wait for the email and accompanying promo code in order to obtain your discount! 

Otherwise, this probiotic for weight loss was very well-priced, coming in at $49 for a 30-count bottle, which is equivalent to a full month of daily capsule doses. You can reduce this price by using the “subscribe & save” model, which brings the monthly price down to $39. Both options include free shipping. 

Why It Made This List

Our team recommends Poophoria Harmony because of its various benefits, including improved digestion and mood, high-quality sleep, and lowered stress levels.

How We Chose Our Top Probiotic Supplement Options

A team of professionals created this list to guarantee accuracy and maintain a high-quality list of the best probiotics on the market. Probiotics are gaining in popularity. As such, there are many lookalike products out there that appear to be probiotics but don't provide the same benefits. That’s why our review team spent a lot of time looking into probiotics and found the best ones for you to make your purchase decision from. This list was created to help you choose the best probiotic for you while being armed with as much data and info as possible.

What Are Probiotics?

Probiotics are live microorganisms that are beneficial to the human body. They are one of the many beneficial bacteria that live in what is known as your gut’s microbiome to keep you healthy.

The body’s microbiome consists of all the microbes that inhabit our bodies, and maintaining microbiome balance has a significant impact on human health. In fact, microbiome health is believed to be responsible for many diseases and conditions. The gut bacteria, for example, can influence weight loss or weight gain by increasing or decreasing appetite.

Probiotics can be consumed in supplement form or through food consumption. For example, probiotics can be found in fermented foods such as yogurt, cheese, kimchi, sauerkraut, miso soup, pickles, and more. Different probiotic strains have been studied for their potential effects on body fat mass, with some evidence that they may help with weight loss. They also help us improve our digestive health and immune system. 

As a supplement, it is important that we not think of probiotics as a replacement for human gut bacteria but rather as an assisting factor that helps improve natural gut flora.

Benefits of Probiotics

Probiotics are healthy bacteria that live in our intestines and are a boon to mankind in many ways. They help us digest food, synthesize nutrients and lose weight - even belly fat. Research also shows that probiotics can help with treating or preventing certain conditions and diseases like ulcerative colitis and respiratory infections. They can also improve the function of the immune system and reduce allergies in some individuals.

Probiotics also aid in the treatment of digestive disorders, including diarrhea and constipation, by balancing out the good and bad bacteria in your gut. Probiotics can even improve skin conditions like eczema and acne because they reduce inflammation in the body. 

How Do Probiotics Work to Lose Weight?

Probiotics can help with weight loss in multiple different ways: 

• Probiotics can reduce appetite and help limit snacking. 

One of the most common challenges people who are trying to lose weight face is the urge to snack and eat because of hunger. Homeopathic remedies like probiotics can be taken in small doses throughout the day to decrease hunger and limit snacking.

It works like this: when you eat, your body breaks down the food into nutrients. Some of these nutrients are absorbed into the bloodstream, while others go to your gut. The probiotics in your gut break down food and produce short-chain fatty acids like butyrate and acetate as a byproduct. These fatty acids help maintain a healthy body weight by telling the brain when you’ve had enough to eat, which reduces appetite and calorie intake.

 

• Probiotics can improve insulin sensitivity. 

 

Diabetes and weight gain go hand in hand, so it is important to consume probiotics that help with weight loss. Probiotic Bifidobacterium longum has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity and viability of pancreatic beta cells, which could lead to better blood glucose control. 

• Probiotics may be helpful in weight management. 

The microbes that live in the gut play an important role in our health and weight, and research has shown that probiotic supplements can help with weight management by promoting feelings of fullness, reducing hunger, and enhancing satiety.

If you want to avoid weight gain and perhaps lose weight, your probiotic supplement should contain strains of bacteria that have been shown to help with weight loss. Some of these probiotic strains include Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Bifidobacterium bifidum.

• Probiotics improve gut health, mood, and mental health, which could also help to stave off weight gain and promote weight management. 

Probiotics have also been linked to reduced fat cells and improved insulin sensitivity, which can potentially lead to weight loss. Research is still in progress on this matter, and we expect to learn more about how probiotics can promote healthy weight in the coming years. 

How Long Does it Take for Probiotics to Work for Weight Loss?

The answer to this question is not straightforward as it takes some time for probiotics to start working, and the amount of time varies from person to person. The timeframe for weight loss through probiotic usage also depends on a lot of factors such as age, body weight, diet, and activity; kids usually have better results sooner than adults do.

Having to go through the upper digestive system acts as a natural barrier, and probiotics take longer to show up in the bloodstream because of this. Once you begin taking probiotics, however, it usually takes roughly 3-7 days for the good bacteria to begin populating your system and living in harmony with the rest of your microbiome. 

Many people report experiencing increased energy, improved digestion, and less auto-immune symptoms during this point in a new probiotic regimen, but as in all forms of weight loss, it simply takes time to see deeper and more significant results. 

Are There Side Effects to Probiotic Supplements?

Because microbes used as probiotics already exist naturally in your body, probiotic foods and supplements are generally considered safe. However, they have the potential to trigger allergic reactions and may also cause mild stomach upset, diarrhea, flatulence (passing gas), or bloating for the first few days after starting to take them as your body adjusts to the shift in microbiome balance.

In addition, certain groups of people should take caution and proceed carefully when considering probiotic supplements. These people include those who are:

• Immunocompromised 
• Have recently undergone surgery
• Sick infants 
• Critically ill

It is advisable in nearly all cases to consult your healthcare provider prior to using probiotic (or any) supplements, just to be sure.

FAQ

What are CFUs? 

Colony Forming Units (CFUs) are units used to measure the concentration of bacterial colonies in a liquid culture. They measure how many bacteria are in a sample, which is usually expressed as CFUs per milliliter. Colony-forming units are the smallest unit of life that can grow and reproduce. 

A CFU is typically measured by counting the number of bacterial cells within a given area. This is done using a microscope, and a special grid called an “agar plate.” The size of the grid typically ranges from 1 mm2 to 10 mm2.

The CFU measurement can be used for various purposes, such as assessing the quality of water or food samples or determining the effectiveness of antibiotics or probiotics. It is important to note that not all bacteria form colonies, and some bacterial species can form multiple different types of colonies.

What is a microbiome? 

A microbiome is a community of microorganisms that live in a given environment. The term was coined by Joshua Lederberg in 1976. The term microbiome can be used to refer to all the microorganisms that live on or in an organism, or it can be used to refer to only those that are symbiotic. Microbes are everywhere, and they can be found on the human body, in the soil, or in our food. 

The gut microbiome is an ecosystem of trillions of microorganisms that reside within the human gut. It’s important for many aspects of health and well-being. The human microbiome is a collection of microorganisms in and around the body and is part of the total microbiome of an individual that has been associated with health and disease. These microorganisms include bacteria, archaea, fungi, viruses, and other eukaryotes. 

A healthy microbiome is necessary to maintain good health because it provides protection against diseases. It also helps to stimulate the immune system and helps digest food. Some people even believe that the intestinal microbiome could be responsible for some diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease, obesity, and cancer. 

What are the health benefits of a healthy gut microbiome?

• Maintaining good overall health and well-being 
• Facilitates weight loss, digestion, and absorption of food 
• Provides protection against diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease, obesity, and cancer
• Soothes inflammation in the body

How do I know if I need to take probiotics?

Probiotics are live bacteria and yeasts that restore the balance of microflora in the gut. This is important because the gut microbiome has a significant impact on our health and well-being. There are many conditions that can benefit from probiotics, like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and colorectal cancer prevention.

There is no one-size-fits-all answer as to when someone should take probiotics, but it's important to note that they can be used for many different reasons based on an individual's needs. There are, however, many groups of people who will benefit from taking probiotics including: 

• Those who have an illness or infection that impacts their gut, such as irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, or celiac disease (because they cannot properly digest gluten—the protein found in wheat, rye, barley, and other grains). 
• Those who are taking antibiotics for a long period of time because antibiotics can kill healthy bacteria in the body and also lead to diarrhea which can be treated with probiotics. 
• Those who have had surgery on the digestive system because antibiotics can kill good bacteria in the digestive tract and make it difficult for them to recover from surgery. 
• Those who have cancer or HIV/AIDS because they may not be able to digest food due to these illnesses properly.
• Those who are taking a course of antibiotics or acid reflux medication.
• Those who have taken antibiotics in the past as they can lead to an imbalance of good and bad bacteria.

What should I eat when taking probiotics?

The most important thing to remember is that you need to eat a healthy diet when taking probiotics. A healthy diet means avoiding foods with high levels of sugar, high-fat dairy products, and refined carbohydrates. The best way to consume probiotics is to eat them with food, and the most common foods that go well with probiotics are fermented foods such as yogurt and kefir. If you don't want to eat them with food, then take them as supplements or just drink a glass of water mixed with the probiotic supplement.  

What is the difference between probiotics, prebiotics, and postbiotics?

The terms “probiotics”, “prebiotics”, and “postbiotics” each come up in discussions on probiotics and their use in health and wellbeing. So what is the difference between these terms, and why are they so similar? 

Probiotics are live microorganisms that can be found in some foods and supplements. They help to promote a healthy gut by increasing the population of good bacteria. These good bacteria help to reduce the risk of diarrhea and vaginal yeast infections. 

Prebiotics are non-digestible food ingredients that stimulate the growth and activity of probiotic bacteria in the gut, such as lactulose-based oligosaccharides, resistant starch, and plant polyphenols. In essence, prebiotics help probiotics to be more effective.

By contrast, postbiotics are substances produced by probiotic organisms, such as short chain fatty acids (e.g., butyrate) or bacteriocins which can have a positive effect on human health. 

Some types of each include: 

Probiotics:

• Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium bifidum
• Bacillus coagulans
• Streptococcus thermophilus
• Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus
• Lactobacillus plantarum

Prebiotics:

• Fructooligosaccharides
• Galactooligosaccharides
• Polydextrose
• Polyols
• Inulin-type fructans

Postbiotics:

• Butyrate
• Acetate
• Propionate
• Methane

The fundamental difference between probiotics, prebiotics, and postbiotics is that probiotics are live microorganisms, prebiotics are food components that stimulate the growth of live microorganisms, and postbiotics are substances produced by living organisms.

Conclusion

Probiotics are champions of gut health, and weight loss is among the various benefits they facilitate for the human body. Trying a probiotic solution is a simple, easy, accessible way to improve your overall gut health and potentially lose weight the easy way while you’re at it.