Prebiotics and probiotics are sometimes referred to as ‘friendly’ bacteria.
In your digestive system, there’s 100 trillion living bacteria.
Unfortunately, poor diet, too much alcohol, antibiotics, hormones and stress can all upset the natural balance of these bacteria, yeasts and viruses.
People use probiotics and prebiotics interchangeably, but they play different roles in our gut and overall health.
Prebiotics a form of fermentable fibre or non-digestible carbs. They are found in many fruits, vegetables, and whole grains that the good bacteria in the gut (the small and large intestine) seek out and feed on.
Probiotics are a live microorganism (bacteria) that are found in foods or supplements, that when administered in adequate amounts, can result in a health benefit.
Probiotics may influence the landscape of the microbiome in our gut by either maintaining or supporting the “good” bacteria that live there.
In a nutshell Probiotics are beneficial bacteria, and prebiotics are food for these bacteria.
For most people in good health, probiotics won’t cause any issues. Side effects, are usually mild and in cases of gas, bloating, or loose stool, users may need to adjust the dosage.
Use caution if you have a serious health condition or your immune system is weak.
Benefits
- Prebiotics Can help with high blood pressure by reducing the absorption of cholesterol from food.
- Probiotics Can help with diarrhea, constipation, or stomach pain. They can also improve overall gut health, bowel regularity, and digestion.
Synbiotics
Synbiotics are products that combine prebiotics and probiotics. The idea behind these products is that the prebiotics provide a food source for the probiotics, helping to ensure their survival and effectiveness in the gut.
Synbiotics are available in various forms, including supplements, yogurt, and fermented foods.
Prebiotics
Prebiotics can improve the composition of your gut microbiome. Consuming prebiotics has been shown to support the immune system by increasing the number of protective microorganisms.
As well as this, studies have shown that they can even decrease the number of harmful microorganisms.
The most common prebiotics include:
- Fructans – like inulin and fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS), which may be able to stimulate lactic acid bacteria and other bacterial species
- Galacto-Oligosaccharides – stimulate two key types of friendly bacteria, Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli
- Starch and Glucose-Derived Oligosaccharides – a kind of resistant starch that produces a high rate of butyrate (a short-chain fatty acid) which benefits our health
Probiotics
‘Probiotics’ or friendly bacteria can help to maintain a healthy balance in your body. Certain types of probiotics can help to aid digestion and improve some stomach-related health concerns
Types of probiotics
While they’re often known simply as ‘probiotics,’ there are a lot of different types. The most common probiotics typically include:
- Lactobacillus – usually added to yoghurts and cheese, as well as found naturally in fermented foods
- Bifidobacterium – usually added to yoghurts and cheese, or found naturally in some fermented food or live yoghurts
If a probiotic doesn’t contain the correct strains for Digestion it will have little to no effect on improving Digestion. The main strains to look out for are Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium lactis, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus Fermentum and Bifidobacterium longum.
CFU stands for colony forming units, which is the way to quantify the number of live bacteria in a probiotic product. However, a higher CFU number does not mean it is the most effective probiotic. Instead look at the right strains for your needs, not necessarily the number of live cultures included.
Postbiotics
Postbiotics are by-products. They are bioactive compounds created by probiotic bacteria when they have consumed fibre or prebiotics.
Conclusion
Deciding to take supplements of prebiotics, postbiotics or both may vary depending on your specific needs and health goals.
Prebiotics are the best choice for improving gut health and promoting overall wellness. While probiotics and synbiotics can also be beneficial, prebiotics are the most essential component in nourishing and strengthening your gut microbiota.
In addition to incorporating prebiotics into your diet, it’s also important to maintain a healthy lifestyle overall. This includes getting enough exercise, reducing stress, and avoiding excessive alcohol and tobacco use.
What to look for when choosing a supplement
A higher CFU number does not mean it is the most effective probiotic. Instead look at the right strains for your needs, not necessarily the number of live cultures included.
1) The Correct Strains – If the probiotic doesn’t contain the correct strains for Digestion it will have little to no effect on improving your Digestion. The main strains you need to look out for are Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium lactis, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus Fermentum and Bifidobacterium longum.
2) Inclusion of a Prebiotic – Once the probiotics reach the gut they need food to thrive. If your gut does not have the right food the probiotics will just die. We call that food a prebiotic. Any supplement which contains a prebiotic is moving in the right direction. Prebiotics to look out for are Fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) which are usually found in many vegetables such as chicory and onions.
2) Inclusion of a Postbiotic – Once the probiotics are done feeding on the Prebiotics they secrete beneficial enzymes which then benefit the gut. Postbiotics are the gift that probiotics give you. By passing postbiotics directly into the gut we support the efforts of the probiotics.
3) Inclusion of a Sporebiotic – spores as your daily probiotic replaces the outdated approach of trying to “reseed” the gut with healthy bacteria (which is like throwing seeds around in an abandoned garden and hoping they grow), selecting the more integrative approach of “reconditioning” the gut (which is like hiring a gardener to manage the garden, till the soil, pull out weeds, plant seeds, water and fertilise them and generally care for the plants as they grow.
4) Delayed Release Capsules – These are made of a synthetic material that can tolerate the harsh environment of your stomach, so it will survive the passage through to your intestines allowing the probiotic and prebiotic to thrive.
