10 Reasons Probiotics Should Be a Regular Part of Your Daily Routine

Probiotics. Everyone is saying you need them, and guess what? They're right. But before you can figure out what probiotic for women works best for your body, you have to know what exactly probiotics are and the role they play in your health.

Simply put, probiotics are live microorganisms that live in your gut, reports the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH). And althoughe a lot of people think that microorganisms — especially the bacteria variety — are harmful to your health, probiotics are actually there to provide health benefits.

But sometimes you need a little help from outside sources in order to secure those benefits, which is why a lot of experts recommend getting an extra hit of probiotics through food. Fermented options — think kefir, sauerkraut, and kimchi — are a great place to start, according to the International Scientific Association of Probiotics and Prebiotics, as are these other surprising foods with probiotics.

If that's not enough, your doctor may also suggest a probiotic supplement. But don't go and grab just anything off the pharmacy shelf. Probiotic supplements are not all the same, and they often contain different strains to serve different needs, says naturopathic physician Amy Fasig.

There's still a lot to be discovered about probiotics, says Dr. Holly Thacker of Cleveland Clinic. One thing that's for sure, however, is that your gastrointestinal (GI) health can play an important role in your bodily functions. "A lot of different medical conditions, from cardiovascular to autoimmune to cancers to even potentially mood, that can be affected by the food you eat," Dr. Thacker tells Woman's Day. "Obviously, there’s a complex interaction between the food and the bacteria in your intestines, and then interactions with other substances and gut hormones that your body makes."

Clearly, probiotics can help maintain good health in a variety of ways, but it's important to note that they're not like your typical supplement. "If you don’t have any GI issues, there’s no benefit to taking it," NYU Langone's Dr. Lisa Ganjhu tells Woman's Day. "It’s not like a vitamin."