Prebiotic, Probiotic, Postbiotics Made Simple

Probiotics are live, beneficial microorganisms to our microbiome community that we could either obtain from fermented foods (i.e. kefir, kimchi, and sauerkraut) or through supplementation. Probiotics can help maintain a healthy balance of microorganisms along the digestive tract and also prevent harmful bacteria from growing.

Prebiotics are nutrients to the probiotics that helps them survive and proliferate throughout the digestive tract. Prebiotics are essentially dietary fiber. Fiber does not break down in the digestive tract and thus can be utilized by our microbiome in the colon. A good source of dietary fiber could be found in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

Postbiotics are “waste products” left behind once the beneficial microorganisms have broken down the prebiotics. These waste products can be vitamins, enzymes, and short chain fatty acids that are linked to positive health outcomes such as a healthy immune response.

Żółkiewicz J, Marzec A, Ruszczyński M, Feleszko W. Postbiotics-A Step Beyond Pre- and Probiotics. Nutrients. 2020 Jul 23;12(8):2189. doi: 10.3390/nu12082189. PMID: 32717965; PMCID: PMC7468815.