What are postbiotics? Let’s find out!
Last updated: 29th November, 2024
Probiotics and prebiotics have become household names for their incredible benefits to gut health. Now, a new player is gaining attention: postbiotics. These powerful compounds, produced during microbial fermentation, offer unique health benefits. Despite their growing popularity, postbiotics remain unfamiliar to many consumers—here’s why they deserve your attention.
What are postbiotics?
Postbiotics are defined as a “preparation of inanimate microorganisms and/or their components that confers a health benefit on the host”. In other words, they are the bacterial products or metabolites released from microbial fermentation.
For this reason, postbiotics include several types of compounds, such as short-chain fatty acids (that have several health benefits), microbial cell fragments, functional proteins, extracellular polysaccharides, cell lysates or teichoic acid.
Unlike probiotics, postbiotics do not need to be alive to be beneficial, so they are more stable than the living bacteria they are derived from. [1]
Why choose postbiotics?
If you’re already taking probiotics and prebiotics, you might wonder: Why add postbiotics to the mix? The answer lies in the unique way postbiotics work to support your health.
Gut microbiota composition varies significantly between individuals, meaning probiotics and prebiotics may metabolize differently and deliver varied health benefits. Additionally, changes in gut microbiota over time can influence their effectiveness.
Postbiotics, on the other hand, provide a direct source of beneficial components like short-chain fatty acids, microbial fragments, functional proteins, and teichoic acid. These are the very substances that probiotics and prebiotics help produce—but with postbiotics, you consume them directly for faster and more consistent results
If you want to know more about prebiotics, check out this article. Or if you are familiar with prebiotics, this article about synbiotics might be for you!
What are the health benefits of postbiotics?
Research suggests that postbiotics may have several health benefits. These include the following:
• Modulation of the microbiota. Postbiotic components such as butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid, are beneficial for gut health. [2]
• Modulation of the immune system. Butyrate can stimulate the production of T cells in the intestine, which helps control immune responses. Other components such as microbial cell wall fragments can increase the production of cytokines, which are chemical messengers that help reduce inflammation and boost immune responses. [2,3]
• Modulation of the metabolism. Propionate, a short-chain fatty acid, can help improve insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance. On the other hand, butyrate can stimulate the production of an antioxidant called glutathione. [1,2]
• Reduction of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptoms. A study in 443 individuals with IBS involving orally administered, heat-inactivated Bifidobacterium bifidum, found that the postbiotic substantially alleviated symptoms associated with IBS, such as abdominal pain or discomfort, abdominal bloating and abnormal bowel habits. [4]
• Other potential benefits. Orally administered, inactivated lactic acid bacteria may help eradicate Helicobacter pylori infection, chronic unexplained diarrhoea and the abrogation of the negative effects of stress. [1]
How to add postbiotics to your diet?
Looking to boost your health with postbiotics? While they aren’t as widely available as probiotics and prebiotics, you can find postbiotic supplements in health food stores or online. These products are generally safe and well-tolerated, making them a convenient option for supporting gut health.
You can also naturally enhance postbiotic production in your body. Since postbiotics are created during fermentation by gut bacteria, focus on consuming foods rich in probiotics and prebiotics. Probiotic sources include fermented foods like yogurt, kefir, tempeh, and kombucha. Prebiotics, on the other hand, are abundant in high-fiber foods such as vegetables, fruits, and whole grains.
By combining these nutrient-rich foods, you’ll support your gut microbiota and maximize the natural production of postbiotics.
