However, their applications in humans are promising.įor beneficial probiotic effects, they must be live when consumed and travel through our gut. It is still early days for postbiotics research, with most of these studies being cellular-based lab experiments or performed on animals. Some positive effects of postbiotics on breast cancer patients have also been shown. Postbiotic short-chain fatty acids produced by the digestion of fiber-rich plant foods can also lower the risk of colon cancer. They are considered cancer-protective metabolites. Similar positive effects on the immune system were shown in a recent study where researchers used exopolysaccharides produced by Lactiplantibacillus plantarum isolated from human breast milk. bulgaricus, one of the starter culture bacteria used to produce yogurt, have the ability to enhance the activity of the body’s natural killer cells. For example, exopolysaccharides produced by Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. Postbiotics can also stimulate our immune system as well. As we know healthy gut microbiota keep us healthy as they can positively influence our overall health.
It is more like a boosting effect, so that our gut microbiota, which plays a crucial role in our overall health, can fight against pathogenic microorganisms like Salmonella in our body. Research has shown that beneficial postbiotic compounds can support the growth, activities, and functions of probiotics and gut microbiota. One of the well-known benefits of postbiotics is their ability to shift our gut microbiome toward a healthy composition. So you can take postbiotics as supplements if you cannot tolerate them or you do not like consuming probiotics and prebiotics. For example, some people might experience discomfort because of a temporary increase in gas and bloating after intake of probiotics and prebiotics. Generally, postbiotics can provide us with similar benefits to that of probiotics and prebiotics.īut the beauty of postbiotics is they can provide these benefits even without any side effects that probiotics and prebiotics may have. In our article Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology, we discuss the definition of probiotics and their importance in enabling consumers to understand which products have health-promoting properties.
This produces beneficial compounds for our health like short-chain fatty acids, certain vitamins (Vitamin B and K), amino acids, and antimicrobial peptides that prevent the growth and activities of harmful bacteria.Įven some carbohydrate substrates known as secreted polysaccharides and exopolysaccharides produced by these bacteria provide various beneficial effects, and so are considered postbiotics.īut because the concept of postbiotics is relatively new, the process of defining them is still a work in progress.
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One of the important things that happen during colonic fermentation is the breakdown of non-digestible prebiotic and fiber substances in our diet by gut microbiota. The colon, the lower part of our digestive system is where many postbiotics are produced, as the microbiota and food we eat go through a phase called colonic fermentation in the colon. They are the breakdown products or ‘metabolites’ following the digestion of prebiotics and fiber-rich compounds by probiotics and our gut’s resident microbiota. So what are postbiotics?Īs their name may suggest, postbiotics are what are generated after the digestion of certain foods.
Prebiotics are what the probiotics feed on, primarily the undigestible plant materials in our diet including fibers that only can be used by the probiotics and gut microbiota.įruits including bananas and apples, vegetables such as Jerusalem artichokes, leek and asparagus, onions, garlic, and also certain cereals, nuts, and legumes are rich in prebiotic compounds.Ĭertain combinations of probiotics and prebiotics can be used together to boost the beneficial effects of probiotics when consumed, and these are known as synbiotics. Probiotics such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, also known as lactic acid bacteria, are found in fermented foods including yogurt, sauerkraut, some cheeses, and certain fermented beverages, as well as dietary supplements.
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