You could have heard of probiotics. These are live microorganisms that, when consumed in sufficient quantities, can provide health advantages. They are found naturally in foods similar to yogurt, kefir, kimchi and sauerkraut and are also sold as supplements.
You may find that to ensure that these probiotics to thrive, they have to be fed. This food is available in the shape of prebiotics, that are non-digestible fibers present in on a regular basis foods similar to garlic, onions, leeks, bananas and oats. Prebiotics go through the digestive system, where they turn into fuel for helpful gut bacteria.
More recently, one other term has begun to look on complement shelves: postbiotics. So what are they, and will we really want them?
Postbiotics are helpful compounds when gut bacteria, including probiotics, break down prebiotics. In other words, they will not be living bacteria themselves, but substances that bacteria produce. These include short-chain fatty acids, enzymes, vitamins, amino acids and, in some definitions, structural components similar to fragments of bacterial cell partitions and parts of dead microorganisms.
Although postbiotic supplements are relatively recent, postbiotics themselves will not be. As long as humans have gut bacteria, they thrive in our intestines. What's recent is the concept of ​​consuming them directly, somewhat than counting on the gut microbiome to make them.
So, if postbiotics are the top product, should we skip probiotics and prebiotics and go straight to postbiotic supplements? The short answer isn't any. The long answer is within the evidence.
Postbiotics There are a large and diverse group of compounds, and research into their health effects continues to be in its infancy. Some studies suggest potential advantages, but the standard, strength, and relevance of the evidence varies widely.
For example, some have been linked to postbiotics Better mood And Better sleep quality. Other results come from laboratory studies, similar to invasion of colon cancer cells in cell cultures or protection against infection in tightly controlled experiments. These findings are interesting, but can't be directly applied to humans without further investigation.
Animal studies Prescribe some postbiotics The intestinal surface area may increase, which can improve nutrient absorption. However, findings in animals don't at all times translate to people.
There can be limited evidence from the humanities. A particular postbiotic, butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid produced when gut bacteria break down fiber, has been linked to Possible improvement of symptoms in individuals with inflammatory bowel disease.
A double-blind, placebo-controlled study The study found Extra-older adults with heat-shock stress were less prone to develop the common cold. Another review concluded that heat-killed strains can reduce each the danger and duration of diarrhea in children.
Some postbiotics, similar to exopolysaccharides, The promise has been revealed In enhancing the immune response in cell and animal studies. However, these results are preliminary.
A type of postbiotic is already utilized in medical practice. Bacterial lysates Are products produced from broken down bacteria and are really useful in some countries to assist prevent this Recurrent respiratory tract infections Among those that are particularly vulnerable. These lysates are composed of bacterial components that cause infection and performance by stimulating the immune system. Outside of those specific clinical uses, nevertheless, evidence supporting postbiotic supplements is proscribed.
Practical advantages but limited evidence
When researchers cite the advantages of postbiotics, they sometimes cite practical and technical aspects somewhat than proving a health advantage. Unlike probiotics, that are live microorganisms, postbiotics are non-living compounds. This makes them more stable, easier to store and fewer sensitive to heat, oxygen and time. As a result, the quantity within the complement is more prone to match what's listed on the label.
Postbiotics may be safer for certain vulnerable groups, similar to people who find themselves severely immunocompromised, because they don't involve directly ingesting the bacteria. These properties make postbiotics attractive from a producing and safety perspective.
However, these practical benefits don't mean that postbiotics are simpler for improving health. Evidence of advantages in humans is proscribed and highly specific to individual compounds. There can be a scarcity of standardization. Because postbiotics include a big selection of gear with different biological effects and dietary requirements, results from one postbiotic will not be considered to use to others.
For most individuals, supporting the gut microbiome through a varied weight-reduction plan wealthy in fiber and fermented foods is probably the most reliable technique to naturally produce postbiotics, while also providing broader dietary advantages that supplements cannot replicate.
Perhaps most significantly, postbiotic supplements cannot mimic the broader advantages of whole foods. For example, eating straight yogurt provides calcium and protein in addition to probiotics. Pairing yogurt with bananas feeds the probiotics with prebiotic fiber, while also providing potassium and vitamin B6. Together, this permits the gut to naturally produce postbiotics, while delivering a big selection of nutrients to the food at the identical time.
Cost is one other consideration. Supplements may be expensive, and for most individuals, investing that cash in a varied weight-reduction plan wealthy in fiber and fermented foods is prone to yield more health advantages.
So where does this leave postbiotics? They are a promising area of ​​research and will be useful in specific clinical settings or vulnerable populations. However, for now, the evidence doesn't support the alternative of probiotics and prebiotics with postbiotic supplements for the overall population.
Currently, probably the most reliable technique to profit from postbiotics is to let your gut do what it was designed to do. Eating a weight-reduction plan that features each probiotic foods and prebiotic fibers allows gut bacteria to naturally produce postbiotics. Until the research on supplements becomes stronger and clearer, specializing in whole foods will not be probably the most practical and evidence-based approach.