Prebiotics are an integral part of our diets and have been demonstrated to boost gut microbiome health. Prebiotics include insoluble fibres that cannot be broken down by gut microbes – such as FOS, GOS and inulin.
Probiotic bacteria need nourishment as they travel from our stomachs and small intestines into the large intestine, to survive the harsh environment of both. Thus they increase in numbers.
What are Prebiotics?
Prebiotics are dietary fibres that feed the good bacteria in your gut. You’ll typically find them in foods like artichokes and pulses, but prebiotic supplements can also be taken to enhance wellbeing and can aid with poor digestion, bloating, bowel diseases, low immunity levels and weight issues.
Prebiotics differ from insoluble fibre in that they’re broken down by gut microbes into short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) which aid the proliferation of gut bacteria while simultaneously decreasing inflammation and improving mineral absorption in your digestive system.
There are various kinds of prebiotics, but two of the most widely consumed ones are fructooligosaccharides and oligodi-oligosaccharides (FOS and FOS), as well as inulin, which consist of chains of sugar linked by b(2-1) links. Their structure has an impactful role to play when it comes to breaking them down by gut bacteria as well as their overall function.
Inulin is an excellent prebiotic food, producing large amounts of short chain fatty acids (SCFAs), such as butyrate and acetate, both known to protect colonic mucous membranes from pathogen invasion while simultaneously inhibiting liver lipid synthesis, improving triglyceride levels.
Some individuals taking prebiotics may experience side effects like bloating and gas, although these should usually only last briefly. Although these symptoms may be uncomfortable, they’re actually an indicator that prebiotics are working; more importantly, they’re evidence that healthy gut bacteria are expanding their populations!
Human gut bacteria is a complex ecosystem teeming with thousands of unique strains competing for space and nutrition, some of which may contribute to disease and inflammation; however, the vast majority of gut bacteria actually provide many health benefits.
Prebiotics can aid the growth of beneficial bacteria, offering various health advantages like improved digestion and immune system support, as well as improving mental health, better bowel movements and reduced risks from antibiotic-related infections.
How do Prebiotics Work?
Your gut lining is home to numerous types of bacteria and tiny organisms known as microbiome, which forms an ecosystem within your digestive tract and plays an essential role in digestion, absorption of nutrients and reduced risk of diseases such as IBD. Maintaining an effective relationship between you and your gut flora through eating prebiotic-rich food.
Prebiotics are typically indigestible to our gut microbes and pass through our digestive tract unaltered. Once they reach our intestines, however, they’re broken down by resident microbes into what are known as short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), including acetate, propionate and butyrate – molecules which have many beneficial effects on both health and digestion – including inhibiting harmful bacteria growth, regulating electrolyte balances and improving digestion/bowel movement.
Prebiotics stimulate the growth of existing microbes while creating an ideal environment for more microbes to flourish, helping you get the most from your existing gut bacteria and making sure you absorb key minerals such as calcium.
Boosting your microbiome may include eating foods containing prebiotics or taking supplements that combine both prebiotics and probiotics – just be careful not to overdo it as too much can cause gas and bloating!
Eat foods rich in FOS and GOS, two key sources of prebiotics. These oligosaccharides composed of sugars that resist human digestive enzymes but are broken down by your intestinal bacteria instead. Prebiotics can be found in bananas, artichokes, jicama, onions garlic leeks.
Probiotics can also be found in fermented foods like yogurt, sauerkraut and tempeh. These “good bacteria” support gut health by improving bowel movements, regulating blood sugar levels, reducing inflammation and improving mineral absorption. According to research findings, probiotics may even help prevent antibiotic-associated diarrhea as well as improve mood disorders.
Can I Take Prebiotics and Probiotics Together?
Probiotics are beneficial bacteria found naturally in our gut that provide various advantages, including regular digestion, immunity boosts and better absorption of nutrition from food. They may even assist with certain health conditions like IBS or allergies as well as skin conditions like eczema.
Probiotics are bacteria found in fermented foods such as kimchi, sauerkraut and kombucha that have been fermented with vinegar or brine; and can also be found in some probiotic supplements. There are various strains of probiotics with their own specific functions; for instance lactic acid bacteria (LAB) may help reduce inflammation while Bifidobacterium infantis may help promote regularity in gastrointestinal health. High quality, science-backed probiotic supplements will include several strains combined carefully for maximum effect;
Prebiotics, or non-digestible plant fibers, provide essential fuel to the good bacteria living in your gut and help them flourish. Some probiotic supplements contain small amounts of prebiotics to further their effectiveness; this provides both replenishing your existing probiotic bacteria while feeding them at once.
Synbiotics combine prebiotics and probiotics for maximum benefit, increasing survival of probiotic bacteria that reaches your large intestine alive and full-force – especially beneficial if you’ve recently taken antibiotics that could otherwise kill off all the good bacteria in your system.
No matter if you’re adding probiotics or prebiotics to your diet, taking both at once is not required. However, if they both seem beneficial to your gut health, we advise taking them together on an ongoing basis for best results. When considering any supplement, we suggest speaking to either your physician or registered dietitian first about which products might work for you as it’s always wise to consult them about which will suit you best; you may need to experiment with various probiotic/prebiotic supplements or combinations until finding what works for you.
Are Prebiotics Safe?
Human guts are complex ecosystems teeming with microorganisms known collectively as our microbiome, consisting of trillions of bacteria and yeasts that aid us in digesting food, absorbing essential nutrients and maintaining regular bowel movements. Studies suggest maintaining a balanced microbiome is vital to overall physical and mental well-being – with probiotics and prebiotics playing key roles here.
Probiotics are live active cultures containing probiotic bacteria that help strengthen your gut microbiome; prebiotics are non-digestible carbohydrates which promote good bacteria in the GI tract to boost good bacterial populations and act as a shield against any harmful organisms that could potentially cause digestive disorders like Crohn’s Disease or Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Together they work in synergy to provide you with protection from digestive ailments like Crohn’s or IBS.
Prebiotics such as inulin, FOS and oligosaccharides are composed of complex carbs that our bodies cannot fully break down. When they reach our intestinal tracts they are broken down by resident microbes into short-chain fatty acids like butyrate, propionate and acetate which promote beneficial bacteria’s growth while stimulating their activity and improving our own physiology.
Prebiotics offer many positive benefits; however, some people remain wary about their safety. Most research on prebiotic products has been highly positive with few or no adverse side effects; however, infants suffering severe pancreatitis should avoid prebiotic supplements as their immune systems will already be under strain and it would only make matters worse by adding additional probiotics that might make their condition even worse.
People taking antibiotics must also be wary when considering prebiotic use, since the acidity in their stomach can destroy both good and bad bacteria, potentially leaving you without essential protections against future illness. It is best to wait a few hours after or before taking antibiotics in order to avoid this potential problem.
