Living with IBS, digestive pain and hormonal imbalances are considered “normal” for many females. But as a former sufferer, I (Sheradyn) am here to break the trend and educate you on what is actually causing your symptoms. Leading you beyond pills, painful periods & parasites, I will be sharing interviews & conversations with women’s health experts as well as inspiring you with real-life stories. If you’re looking to use nutrition & a natural approach to heal your body and want real talk, with real women, hit that subscribe button now.
Best and worst probiotics for IBS
One of the questions I get asked all the time is…
“What’s the best probiotic for IBS?”
And honestly? It’s one of the hardest questions to answer. Not because probiotics don’t work. But because IBS tells me almost nothing.
Two women can both be told they have IBS, both experience bloating every single day, and both be taking the exact same probiotic… yet need completely different treatment plans.
That’s where so much of the confusion comes from.
We’ve been taught to think probiotics are a one-size-fits-all solution. Find one with enough strains, enough CFUs, and eventually your gut will sort itself out.
Sometimes that works. A lot of the time it doesn’t. And when it doesn’t, most women assume they simply haven’t found the “right” probiotic yet.
But before you spend another $80 on a supplement, I think it’s worth understanding why probiotics help some people, make other people feel worse, and why choosing one has far less to do with the brand than it does with what’s actually happening inside your gut.
That’s exactly what we’re unpacking in today’s episode.
In this episode, we cover:
Why IBS isn’t enough: Why the label tells us what you’re experiencing but not what’s causing it.
How probiotics actually work: What they’re designed to do inside the gut—and why that differs depending on your symptoms.
The strains with the strongest evidence: Which probiotics have research behind them for constipation, diarrhoea, bloating, abdominal pain and post-infectious IBS.
When probiotics backfire: Why feeling worse after taking one is often valuable information instead of something to ignore.
What to look for in a probiotic: Why strain selection, formulation and quality matter much more than the biggest CFU count on the label.
Why testing changes everything: Why I always want to understand what we’re treating before we decide what your gut actually needs.
The goal isn’t to convince you to take probiotics. It’s to help you stop guessing. Because sometimes probiotics are exactly what your gut needs.
Sometimes they’re not. Knowing the difference is what gets people better.
LINKS TO SHERADYN:
Assess your gut health in 3min HERE (https://sheradyndekker.com/gut-health-quiz/)
Follow me on Instagram HERE. (https://www.instagram.com/sheradyn_functionalnutrition/?hl=en)
Join my Private Gut Health Facebook group HERE. (https://www.facebook.com/groups/412163273677745)
Book a Free Gut Health Planning Session HERE. (https://sheradyndekker.com/gut-health-session/)
See omnystudio.com/listener (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information.
1 Jul 2026
EP #204 How to heal your gut after antibiotics (prevent thrush, IBS & bloating)
How to heal your gut after antibiotics (prevent thrush, IBS & bloating)
20 May 2026
EP #203 The top 10 causes of IBS (that your GP hasn't told you about)
The top 10 causes of IBS (that your GP hasn't told you about)
Who has been a guest on Empowered Hormones with Sheradyn Dekker
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Lillie Brown
Melissa Perna
Amy Bevan
Reach and audience
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Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
2 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
15 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 62 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
71
Social presence
97
YouTube
0
Engagement
85
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