What's inside Better Gut: The six probiotic strains explained

Reviewed by Jo Lyall, Nutritional Therapist (Dip Nut, mBANT, CNHC) and Dr Shahzadi Harper, Resident Doctor at The Better Menopause.

TL;DR

Better Gut delivers 50 billion CFU of six clinically studied probiotic strains in every capsule, selected specifically for women in perimenopause and menopause. Each strain plays a distinct role in supporting gut, hormone, mood, and immune health. Results build gradually, with most women noticing change between weeks 4 and 12. This is what is actually inside Better Gut, and why every choice was made.

Not all probiotics are equal. Most are formulated for general digestion, with generic strains chosen for broad appeal. Better Gut is built differently. Every capsule is the result of deliberate choices — which strains to include, how many billion live cultures to deliver, how to keep those cultures stable from the moment they leave our lab to the moment they reach your gut.

This guide is for the women who have just started their Better Gut journey, and want to know exactly what they are taking and why.

The gut–hormone connection, briefly

Your gut is not just where food gets broken down. It is where roughly 70% of your immune system lives, where most of your serotonin is produced, and where a specific community of bacteria — known as the estrobolome — helps metabolise and recycle the oestrogen your body produces.

The estrobolome was first described in 2011, and a growing body of research has since shown that it plays a direct role in regulating circulating oestrogen levels through the production of an enzyme called beta-glucuronidase (Baker et al., 2017). When the gut microbiome shifts during perimenopause, this process becomes less efficient, contributing to the symptoms many women experience.

Many of the symptoms women associate with menopause — bloating, brain fog, mood changes, hot flushes and disturbed sleep — are linked in part to this disruption. Supporting your gut during this stage is not a peripheral concern. It is foundational. For a deeper look at how the estrobolome shapes your hormonal health, read our guide to the gut–hormone connection in perimenopause.

The six strains inside Better Gut

Every capsule contains six bacterial strains, each chosen for its evidence base in supporting women through hormonal change.

1. Lactobacillus rhamnosus

One of the most extensively studied probiotic strains. Lactobacillus rhamnosus is a lactic acid bacteria shown in research to support the gut barrier, ease IBS-type symptoms, and improve digestive comfort. It is also linked to reduced anxiety and depression risk, and is one of the strains best supported for stress resilience. For women in perimenopause, where both inflammation and stress reactivity often increase, this strain does load-bearing work.

2. Lactobacillus acidophilus

A foundational strain for vaginal and urinary health. Lactobacillus acidophilus supports digestive balance, enhances immune defence, and helps maintain a healthy vaginal microflora. As oestrogen declines and the protective bacteria of the vaginal and urinary tracts deplete, this strain helps preserve that protective layer and supports nutrient absorption alongside it.

3. Bifidobacterium lactis

Bifidobacterium lactis has been studied for its role in reducing the frequency and severity of hot flushes and night sweats, alongside its more general benefits for immune function, bloating and constipation. It also strengthens the gut barrier, which is useful at a stage when many women find their digestion becoming less predictable.

4. Lactobacillus reuteri

A multi-tasker. Lactobacillus reuteri has been studied for its role in vaginal balance, inflammation reduction, and the maintenance of bone density during perimenopause and beyond. Some research also points to its effect on mood balance and sleep quality, which makes it one of the more versatile strains in the blend.

5. Bifidobacterium bifidum

Bifidobacterium bifidum is the strain most associated with relieving constipation, supporting regular digestion, and reducing bloating. It also plays a role in immune balance and skin health, contributing to the gut–skin connection that becomes more relevant in midlife.

6. HOWARU® Lactobacillus rhamnosus

A clinically studied strain, specifically the HN001 variant, with a substantial body of research focused on women’s health. It supports vaginal and urinary tract health by maintaining healthy microflora, promotes digestive comfort, and enhances emotional resilience and immune balance. Of the six strains in Better Gut, HOWARU® has the most research focused specifically on women in midlife.

Why 50 billion CFU matters

Probiotic potency is measured in CFU, or colony-forming units. That is the number of live, viable bacteria per dose.

Most over-the-counter probiotics contain between 1 and 10 billion CFU. That is typically not enough to produce the effects you find in published clinical research. The International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics has noted that meaningful clinical effects generally require strain-specific doses in the tens of billions of CFU range (Hill et al., 2014).

Better Gut delivers 50 billion CFU in every capsule. A clinically informed dose, not a marketing number.

We also blister-seal each capsule. Probiotics are live bacteria, and exposure to light, moisture and air degrades them over time. Blister sealing keeps the cultures fresh until the moment you take them, rather than slowly losing potency in a bottle on a shelf.

What is not in Better Gut

A formulation is shaped as much by what is not in it as by what is.

Better Gut contains no allergens, no artificial colours or flavours, and no preservatives. It is dairy-free, gluten-free, and suitable for vegetarians and vegans. The capsule shell is plant-based, made from hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, and the only excipients are functional — a bulking agent and two anti-caking agents derived from rice bran and ascorbyl palmitate.

No fillers for the sake of filling. No flavourings to mask a taste that does not need masking. One capsule, taken with water, with or without food.

What to expect on your Better Gut journey

Probiotics do not work like painkillers. They work by gradually shifting the composition of your microbiome, which builds its effect over weeks. Here is the timeline most women report.

• Weeks 1 to 4. Many women start to feel lighter and less bloated as the strains begin to establish in the gut. Digestion may feel more comfortable, and a sense of calm sometimes emerges as the gut–brain axis begins to settle.
• Weeks 4 to 8. Energy steadies. Mood feels more level. Brain fog, for those experiencing it, often starts to lift. The microbial shifts happening in the background start to show up as lived experience.
• Weeks 8 to 12. The deeper changes arrive. Bloating, fatigue and mood fluctuations continue to ease as consistency pays off. Your gut microbiome is meaningfully more balanced than where you started. This is also the window where most published research starts to record statistically significant effects.
• Beyond 12 weeks. Better Gut becomes part of your daily rhythm. With continued use, many women also notice benefits for skin, hair and overall vitality — the downstream effects of a more balanced gut.

Consistency is the only variable that matters. One capsule a day, every day. The science is built on that simple act.

Better Gut alongside HRT

Better Gut is safe to take alongside HRT and works through different mechanisms. Where HRT replaces declining hormones directly, Better Gut supports the systems — particularly the gut microbiome — that help your body metabolise and use those hormones efficiently.

Many women on HRT find that supporting their gut alongside their hormone therapy enhances the effects of both. For women who cannot or choose not to take HRT, Better Gut offers a foundational, non-hormonal route to symptom support.

Related reading

• The estrobolome: how your gut bacteria affect your oestrogen levels
• Why perimenopause affects sleep and what actually helps
• Cortisol, gut health and menopause: what you need to know

The bottom line

You have started taking Better Gut. What you have actually started is six clinically studied strains, working at the foundation of your hormonal health. Not a quick fix. Not a miracle. A daily, consistent intervention built on real science, calibrated for real women in real life.

Stay consistent. Trust the process. 87% of our customers report an improvement in symptoms within 12 weeks. You are now part of that journey.

References: Baker, J. M., Al-Nakkash, L., & Herbst-Kralovetz, M. M. (2017). Estrogen-gut microbiome axis: Physiological and clinical implications. Maturitas, 103, 45–53. Hill, C., Guarner, F., Reid, G., et al. (2014). The International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics consensus statement on the scope and appropriate use of the term probiotic. Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology, 11(8), 506–514. Plus PubMed-linked strain references throughout the article.