Do you Know the Difference Between a Prebiotic, Probiotic and Postbiotic?
Gemma Stuart
Do you Know the Difference Between a Prebiotic, Probiotic and Postbiotic?
Gemma Stuart, MSc Founder, Gut Wealth
Gemma Stuart, MSc, is the founder of Gut Wealth and a member of the GI Institute. A graduate of the University of Michigan's IBS Management programme, she is a regularly published gut health writer in The Times, Women's Health, BBC Radio and others, and serves as Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh.
Gut Wealth guide on the difference between prebiotics, probiotics and postbiotics.
This page is a bit science-y so bear with us. Trying to make it simple but there's a lot going on in our guts that we're still learning about.
If you're bloating after eating or want to reduce inflammation, or have an upset stomach, knowing your biotics might help get you back on track.
Prebiotics: What Are They and How Do They Work?
In December 2021, 9,210 google searches were done asking "what's a prebiotic?" - it's seems this question has a lot of people stumped!
We need prebiotics. They're found in foods such as bananas, oats, citrus fruits, garlic, onions and artichokes. Sometimes they're labeled as resistant starch but prebiotics are non-digestible plant fibres.
Prebiotics are the fuel for good beneficial bacteria in your body.
Research suggests that these good-for-you gut bugs have an immune-boosting effect on our bodies; plus they can produce important nutrients like vitamins B1 (thiamine) through B9 (folate).
In short: the more prebiotics you eat, the healthier your gut becomes—and that’s especially good news if you suffer from digestive issues like Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) or bloating after eating.
Probiotics: What Are They and How Do They Work?
The definition of a probiotic is a live microorganism that delivers a health benefit. Huh?
OK, in other words, probiotics are good bacteria that positively affect your body by improving digestion or promoting healthy immune function.
These living organisms (often found in fermented foods like yogurt) can also help with things like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), diarrhoea, skin conditions and respiratory illnesses.
The probiotics eat the prebiotics to make postbiotics.
If you're wondering what's the best probiotics for gut health, the answer is likely to be relating to symptoms you have, rather than one we can recommend to everyone. Although you could cut out the middle man, and buy postbiotic food supplements without the need for taking live probiotics.
Postbiotics: What Are They and How Do They Work?
You might not know about postbiotics: compounds produced by those healthy bacteria in your gut.
These have been defined by the International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) as "a preparation of inanimate microorganisms and/or their components that confers a health benefit on the host”.
Why does this mean? It means that postbiotics help improve gut health.
Every day scientists are discovering new ways that they benefit our bodies. Here’s what we currently know about these remarkable substances.
Emerging science about postbiotics
Until recently, in comparison to its biotic cousins prebiotics and probiotics, very little was widely know about postbiotics, but, Scientists have known for decades that some non-living microorganisms can also have benefits for health.
But as scientists start to investigate how gut bacteria may impact human health beyond probiotics and prebiotics, we're learning more about postbiotics.
In fact, it seems that certain postbiotics can stimulate microbes in your intestine (colon) to produce enzymes capable of breaking down tough-to-digest compounds.
Why postbiotics are great for digestion and overall wellbeing
When it comes to probiotics for digestion and overall wellbeing, postbiotics are often less well-known.
At first glance, it may seem like postbiotics (post-biotics) are exactly what prebiotics do; they nourish good bacteria in your gut. But while both accomplish similar things (creating digestive balance), there are distinctions between pre-and post- biotics that you should know before you make any purchases or assumptions about your body's health!
If we think about the gut microbiome as a city. Probiotics are the factory, Prebiotics are the fuel for the factory. The probiotics 'factories' make the Postbiotics - so they're the goods.
Sources of Postbiotics
Because postbiotics are a byproduct of probiotic fermentation, the food source of postbiotics are probiotics.
Foods that can help increase the concentration of postbiotics in the gut include: Yogurt, Sauerkraut, Miso soup, Soft Cheeses, Kefir, Sourdough bread, Buttermilk, Pickles and Tempeh.
You can also add postbiotics supplements from Gut Wealth.
Some of the Emerging Benefits of Postbiotics
- Some postbiotics have been shown to help lower blood sugar and prevent associated issues
- Postbiotics have been found to help treat diarrhoea
- Antimicrobial properties - postbiotics can help populate the gut with an ecosystem that is great for good bacteria
- May be more suitable for those with immune deficiencies than the live cultures of probiotics
- Postbiotics have been shown to help reduce bloating and inflammation
Find out more about Gut Wealth's liquid and daily capsule supplements with the science that backs our ingredients.
Frequently asked questions
What’s an easy way to include biotic-promoting food in my diet?
Start small. You don’t need to suddenly become a fermented-food influencer with a fridge full of jars with mystery ingredients. An easy place to begin is by adding one gut-friendly food into something you already eat, like oats at breakfast, banana as a snack, yoghurt with fruit, sourdough with lunch, or a spoonful of sauerkraut or kimchi on the side of your dinner.
You can also think of plant points. Research often talks about aiming for 30+ different plant foods per week to support a more diverse gut microbiome. That does not mean 30 salads. It means fruit, veg, herbs, spices, nuts, seeds, beans, lentils, wholegrains, oats, garlic, onion and berries. A sprinkle here and a handful there all count towards the variety.
Prebiotic foods like oats, bananas, onions and garlic help feed good bacteria. Probiotic-style foods like yoghurt, kefir, miso and sauerkraut contain live cultures. In short: don’t overhaul your whole diet overnight. Add one thing, count the little wins, and see how your gut gets on.
What do we actually mean by gut?
When we say “gut”, we’re not just talking about your stomach.
Your gut includes the whole digestive system: your mouth, oesophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine and all the way down to the bit we all pretend not to talk about, but absolutely should. It’s everything from chewing to pooing!
It’s where food is broken down, nutrients are absorbed, waste is moved along, and trillions of bacteria hang out doing important work and getting vital nutrients round your body to live. This community of bacteria and other microbes is called your gut microbiome.
So when people say “gut health”, they usually mean how well this whole system is functioning. Are you digesting food comfortably? Are you bloated after eating? Are you pooing normally? Is your gut microbiome balanced? Glamorous? No. Important? absolutely!
Do biotics improve digestion fast?
Sometimes, but it’s not always an overnight miracle situation.
Some people feel a difference quite quickly when they change their diet or start using supplements. Others need more time because the gut is a living ecosystem, and every gut is different.
Prebiotics feed good bacteria. Probiotics are live microorganisms that may support digestion and immune function. Postbiotics are the helpful compounds created by bacteria, and they’re gaining lots of attention because they don’t rely on live bacteria surviving the journey through your gut.
If your digestion is all over the place, biotics help support better balance, but consistency matters. One yoghurt, one capsule or one bowl of oats probably won’t undo years of stress, low fibre, poor sleep and chaotic eating. Annoying, but true. So make a daily good gut choice with Gut Wealth supplements for peace of mind.
I have IBS - is supplementation going to help me?
It’s likely that it will help, but IBS is annoyingly personal.
What works brilliantly for one person might do absolutely nothing for someone else, or even make symptoms worse. That’s because IBS can involve bloating, diarrhoea, constipation, pain, food triggers, stress triggers and changes in gut sensitivity.
Some people with IBS find certain prebiotics, probiotics or postbiotics useful. You should choose one that has ingredients shown to calm digestive upset, improve bowel regularity and improve bloating.
Supplementation can be part of your gut-health toolkit, but it is not a magic wand and it should not replace proper medical advice. If your symptoms are new, severe, changing, or you have red flags like blood in your poo, unexplained weight loss, ongoing diarrhoea or waking at night with symptoms, speak to a healthcare professional.
Gut support is great. Ignoring symptoms and hoping for the best is not a long-term solution for better gut health.
