Prebiotics, probiotics & postbiotics for gut health!
Probiotics, prebiotics and postbiotics – which should I be taking?!
Let’s start with some definitions.
Probiotics are the good bacteria which live in our lower gut (colon) and help promote good mental health, immune health and cardiovascular health, to name a few.
These can be produced naturally within the gut by looking after our diet, exercising regularly and ensuring we take care of our mental health. They can also be taken artificially, by supplementing with sachets or tablets which contain these live bacteria.
Prebiotics are the foods which feed probiotics (bacteria). Again, these can be taken naturally in food, or as a supplement.
Postbiotics: this term you may be less familiar with. These are produced by the good bacteria, or probiotics, within our gut, to provide wide reaching beneficial effects. CAUTION: postbiotic supplements such as butyrate, acetate and propionate have NOT been shown to produce the same beneficial effects when taken artificially.
To summarise:
Prebiotics = feed and therefore grow good bacteria in the gut
Probiotics = live bacteria which are beneficial in the gut
Postbiotics = products produced by live bacteria, which are responsible for widespread benefits within the body
What should I do? Should I supplement?
For most of us there is absolutely no need to supplement any of these! If you have a healthy gut, then increasing prebiotics naturally within your diet will promote the growth of probiotics and postbiotics within your lower gut!
Check out these top prebiotic foods:
Vegetables
Artichokes, asparagus, Brussel sprouts, leeks, cauliflower, garlic, onions, mushrooms
Fruits
Apple, blackberries, cherries, mango, Sharon fruit, watermelon, nectarines, peaches, plums
Grains
Wheat, rye, barley
Protein
Legumes (chickpeas, butter beans, kidney beans), pistachio nuts, cashews
In some cases, probiotics can be useful to supplement:
This must be matched with the research and you must choose a good quality brand. The areas with the most credible research for probiotics currently includes: ulcerative colitis, in some cases of IBS and to prevent hospital acquired diarrhoea as well as travellers’ diarrhoea.
Postbiotics?
It’s a no from me! There is no evidence that taking these artificially will benefit your gut health. Instead, focus on increasing natural prebiotics within your diet!
Lucy x
