Everyone’s talking about probiotics and prebiotics—but have you heard of postbiotics? These inactive microorganisms and their byproducts are anything but lifeless when delivering health benefits. In fact, they offer a wide range of advantages, making them a hot topic in the world of gut health and beyond. Let’s learn more about this latest wellness trend. 

 

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What are Postbiotics?

In a 2020 study cited in the journal Nutrients, postbiotics are essentially the beneficial byproducts of dead bacteria—a powerhouse of compounds that work wonders for your gut health, reduce inflammation, and give your immune system the boost it craves. 
Unlike their live counterparts, probiotics, which can lose their effectiveness in certain products, postbiotics remain stable and potent, paving the way for exciting new health claims in the food and probiotics-rich dairy industry. 

 

Related story: Fermented Foods to Improve Gut Health

 

Why Are Postbiotics Important?

What sets postbiotics apart is their stability. Unlike probiotics, which require careful storage to keep the live bacteria viable, postbiotics are far more resilient. This makes them ideal for use in food, beverages, and supplements without the risk of losing their effectiveness due to heat, acidity, or other environmental factors. 

This is particularly noteworthy for those with weakened immune systems or serious health conditions, as traditional probiotics can sometimes pose risks, including infections. Postbiotics bring all the benefits of probiotics with fewer risks, especially for people who may not tolerate live bacteria well. They’re also highly versatile and can support gut health, boost the immune system, and even reduce inflammation.

 

Related story: Good Gut Food: Prebiotics and Probiotics

 

Common Types of Postbiotics

In a 2022 study, ‘Postbiotics: Current Trends in Food and Pharmaceutical Industry’ in the journal Foods, postbiotics are like the "good leftovers" from gut bacteria that offer a wide range of benefits, from improving gut health to supporting immunity and overall wellness. 

Here are some of the most common types of postbiotics:

• Cell-free supernatants: Liquid mixtures from bacteria or yeast, minus the microorganisms themselves.
• Exopolysaccharides (EPSs): Natural substances from bacteria that act as stabilisers and thickeners in foods.
• Enzymes: Antioxidant-rich byproducts of bacteria.
• Cell wall fragments: Tiny pieces of bacterial cell walls with unique benefits.
• Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs): Gut microbiota produce these during the fermentation of plant-based carbohydrates—think acetic acid, propionic acid, and butyric acid.
• Bacterial lysates: Broken-down components of environmental bacteria.
• Metabolites from gut microbiota: Molecules like certain amino acids and vitamins are created naturally by your gut bacteria.

 

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Health Benefits of Postbiotics

The use of postbiotics—metabolites or fragments derived from microorganisms—has emerged as a promising therapeutic and preventive strategy in modern medicine. Current research highlights that postbiotics have a wide range of effects, including immune-modulating, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and even anti-cancer properties. Some of these benefits are already being harnessed in clinical treatments. 

Here's how they might make a difference:

1. Support the immune system: Postbiotics play a crucial role in the development of the immune system, influencing gut barrier function and the overall intestinal environment. They can also indirectly shape the structure of the microbiota, helping maintain balance and function in the gut. Because of their broad impact, postbiotics have the potential to treat or prevent a wide range of diseases, including those for which effective treatments are still being researched, such as Alzheimer's disease, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and multiple sclerosis.
2. Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects: They help protect cells from damage and reduce inflammation, which can contribute to chronic conditions.
3. Improve athletic performance: Postbiotics may enhance endurance and recovery, giving athletes a natural edge.
4. Help treat childhood infections: Evidence cited in the journal Nutrients, suggests postbiotics could play a role in managing common infections in children, aiding recovery. For infants, postbiotics are especially important. The first few months of life are critical for developing a healthy microbiota, which continues to mature until about age three. Any disruptions during this period can lead to both short-term and long-term health issues, like necrotising enterocolitis or asthma. By creating the right environment for microbiota development, postbiotics help set the foundation for a child’s future health, ensuring proper immune system maturation and long-term well-being.
5. Reduce atopic dermatitis severity: Postbiotics can alleviate symptoms of eczema, reducing redness, itching, and discomfort.
6. Improve skin health and fight aging: By reducing inflammation and oxidative stress, postbiotics promote healthier, younger-looking skin.
7. Manage chronic diarrhoea in young adults: Postbiotics have been shown to stabilise gut health and manage persistent diarrhoea.
8. Alleviate symptoms of IBS: For adults with diarrhoea-predominant IBS, postbiotics may help ease symptoms like abdominal pain and irregular bowel movements. A 2024 clinical trial issued in the paper Gut Microbes found that probiotic (ES1) and postbiotic (HT-ES1) supplementation significantly reduced IBS symptom severity scores in adults.
9. Reduce spitting up in infants: Special infant formulas with added postbiotics can be given to decrease spitting up and unhealthy gut, making feeding times smoother for babies and parents.

 

Related story: Can Probiotics Make You Sick?

 

Applications in Food and Wellness

Thanks to their stability, postbiotics are becoming popular in functional foods, drinks, and supplements. For instance, exopolysaccharides (EPSs) are used to improve texture and thickness in food products while offering gut-friendly benefits. SCFAs, on the other hand, are being explored for their role in reducing digestive disorders and promoting overall wellness.

Postbiotics are poised to play an even bigger role in improving health through diet, offering a safe and effective way to support gut health without the challenges of maintaining live microorganisms. Interestingly, the line between probiotics and postbiotics often becomes blurred in certain studies, as their individual contributions to outcomes aren't always evaluated separately. As more research is conducted, we expect to uncover even more potential uses for postbiotics, not only in medicine but also in areas like wellness, nutrition, and disease prevention. 

To sum up, postbiotics offer impressive health benefits similar to those of probiotics, but without the associated risks of live bacteria. As a result, they’re quickly emerging as a revolutionary option for enhancing gut health and boosting immunity. With their growing recognition, postbiotics are certainly becoming a powerhouse in the world of wellness.

 

Need all your wellness solutions in one place? A whole new world awaits just a click away.