Probiotics vs Prebiotics vs Postbiotics

Probiotics vs Prebiotics vs Postbiotics

By: Marge

You’ve heard of probiotics, but have you ever heard of prebiotics or postbiotics? 

There are multiple kinds of gut health compounds and bacteria. What exactly do these ‘friendly’ gut bacteria do, though? 

Keep reading to find out!

Fresh fruits and vegetables including strawberries, blueberries, asparagus, garlic, and leeks.

Prebiotics

What are they? 

Prebiotics are a group of nutrients—mostly types of fibre—that support the growth and activity of beneficial bacteria in your gut. They work hand in hand with probiotics to support overall digestive health as part of a balanced diet. [1,3]. 

Some Types of Prebiotics

  • Fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS)
  • Galactooligosaccharides (GOS)
  • Trans-galacto-oligosaccharides (TOS)

Foods High in Prebiotic Fiber

  • Legumes, beans, and peas
  • Oats
  • Bananas
  • Berries
  • Jerusalem artichokes 
  • Asparagus
  • Garlic

What Can They Do?

  • Supporting gut health and microbial balance
  • Contributing to overall digestive wellbeing
  • Supporting regularity as part of a high-fibre diet
Variety of probiotic foods like yogurt, sauerkraut, kimchi, and pickles on a white table.

Probiotics 

What are they? 

Probiotics are live microorganisms that can support your gut microbiome when consumed in adequate amounts. These beneficial bacteria help maintain a balanced digestive environment and work closely with prebiotics to promote overall digestive wellbeing. [1,4,5,6].

Some Types of Probiotics

  • Bifidobacteria: A genus of bacteria that is commonly used in foods and supplements.
    • B. animalis
    • B. breve
    • B. lactis
    • B. longum
  • Lactobacillus: A genus of bacteria that produces lactase and lactic acid.
    • L. acidophilus
    • L. reuteri

Foods High in Probiotics

  • Fermented products such as:
    • Yoghurt
    • Gouda
    • Cheddar
    • Swiss
    • Parmesan
    • Miso
    • Sauerkraut
    • Pickles

What Can They Do?

  • Help maintain a healthy balance of gut bacteria
  • Support digestive comfort and regularity
  • Contribute to general gastrointestinal health as part of a balanced diet
Person holding stomach with illustrated digestive system overlay.

Postbiotics

What are they? 

Postbiotics are the beneficial compounds made when probiotics break down prebiotics in your gut. Think of them as the final step in the prebiotic–probiotic chain reaction. Even though they’re sometimes called “by-products,” they’re actually behind many of the gut health perks we often hear about. [2,5,6].

Some Types of Postbiotics

  • Short-chain fatty acids
  • Lipopolysaccharides
  • Exopolysaccharides
  • Bacterial lysates (a mixture made from bacterial components)
  • Cell-free supernatants (a mixture of compounds produced by bacteria and yeast)
  • Various other metabolites such as vitamins and amino acids

What Can They Do?

  • Supporting gut microbiome balance
  • Contributing to digestive system health as part of a varied, fibre-rich diet
  • Helping maintain overall gut environment stability
Woman holding a red heart against her stomach.

Why Should I Include Them In My Diet?

Here are just a few important roles that probiotics, prebiotics, and postbiotics play in supporting everyday wellness: [5]:

  • Support the body’s natural balance of gut bacteria*
  • Help maintain healthy digestion and nutrient processing*
  • Contribute to the production of short-chain fatty acids*
  • Help the immune system function normally*
  • Support the body’s natural defences*
  • Help maintain a healthy gut lining*

Your gut health plays a big part in how your whole body feels. It’s even connected to things like mood, digestion, and energy levels. That’s because your gut is home to hundreds of different bacteria that help keep everything running smoothly [6].

Not sure where to begin? Starting with a daily probiotic can be an easy way to support your gut health—then you can explore prebiotics and postbiotics from there.

Assorted supplement pills and capsules arranged in a heart shape.

Long story short—Good health starts in the gut! Getting more probiotics in your daily diet is as easy as taking Theonia Probiotic Complex. Our formula contains 20 billion CFU per serving and 7 probiotic strains clinically proven to help promote optimal gut health and protect your immune system against harmful pathogens, helping your body maintain a healthy balance. 

Want to discover even more ways to boost your well-being? Check out our collection of supplements to supercharge your wellness with nature’s most powerful ingredients.  

Resources:

  1. Lewis, S. (2020, September 9). Probiotics and prebiotics: What's the difference? Healthline. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/probiotics-and-prebiotics#probiotic-foods 
  2. Raman, R. (2021, May 19). What are postbiotics? types, benefits, and downsides. Healthline. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/postbiotics#what-they-are 
  3. Davani-Davari, D., Negahdaripour, M., Karimzadeh, I., Seifan, M., Mohkam, M., Masoumi, S. J., Berenjian, A., & Ghasemi, Y. (2019). Prebiotics: Definition, Types, Sources, Mechanisms, and Clinical Applications. Foods (Basel, Switzerland), 8(3), 92. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods8030092 
  4. Hecht, M. (2017, December 29). 6 most common types of probiotics. Healthline. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/health/types-of-probiotics 
  5. The benefits of probiotics bacteria. Harvard Health. (2017, June 7). Retrieved from https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/the-benefits-of-probiotics 
  6. Bull, M. J., & Plummer, N. T. (2014). Part 1: The Human Gut Microbiome in Health and Disease. Integrative medicine (Encinitas, Calif.), 13(6), 17–22. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4566439/#:~:text=Imbalance%20of%20the%20normal%20gut,type%202%20diabetes%2C%20and%20atopy. 
Marge

Written by Marge