Difference between Prebiotics, Probiotics, and Postbiotics.

When we talk about the microbes living in your gut, they are known as the microbiomes crucial for your health. There is a different specification of ‘good’ and ‘bad’ microbial spices in our gut, connected with ‘bad’ and ‘good’ markers of our health. Microbiomes are health and disease controllers which vary from person to person. Studies show that even identical twins have different gut microbiomes. Humans have different sets of genetic variants of microbial species, which are present in our guts. That is the reason all of us are unique microbially! Yes, we cannot change our genes, but we can change our microbiome. You must have heard about these terms ‘Prebiotics’, ‘Postbiotics’ and ‘Probiotics’. They are used for boosting the ‘good bacteria in your gut helping a healthy immune system. But do you know the difference between all three of them? Well, we are just at the beginning of understanding how important the organisms that live in our gut are.

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THE THREE P’S OF BIOTICS:

• Prebiotics: These are the fibers and carbohydrates that feed the beneficial bacteria in our gut. We do not digest prebiotics directly.
• Probiotics: They are live bacteria that supply health benefits when they are present in the human gut. These bacterias are naturally present or taken in the form of external supplements.
• Postbiotics: They are beneficial molecules that get produced by probiotic bacteria like short-chain fatty acids.

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PREBIOTICS:

These are like the fuel required by humans. They feed the workers inside, helping them to function properly. Prebiotics are foods that promote good bacteria in the gut. They are usually the dietary fibers occurring in high-fiber foods like bananas, barley, asparagus, and yams. Our bodies cannot break down the digestive fiber, so it hangs in our lower intestines that fuels the good bacteria and other microbes.

PROBIOTICS:

They are the workers. They use Prebiotics as fuel to create metabolites that help in supporting our health. Probiotics are live bacteria and yeast. You can get them in the form of foods like yogurt. A common Probiotic used in our supplement is the Lactobacillus. Our Probiotic supplementation is associated with a better immune system.

POSTBIOTICS:

The hard work of Probiotics results in metabolites-Postbiotics. These contain metabolites that get produced in the body. Getting Postbiotics in your gut is the ultimate goal when consuming supplements with Probiotics. They help in supporting our gut microbiome with better digestion throughout the year. Postbiotics are found in fermented foods. But it is difficult to know if you are getting a consistent amount of Postbiotics in your body. A few Postbiotic ingredients are made with the help of the fermentation process and added to supplements.

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HOW MUCH OF WHAT WE CONSUME REACHES OUR GUT:

• Probiotic supplements contain one or a few strains. There are already over a thousand known bacterial strains that live in the human gut. Consuming Probiotics does not substantially change the gut microflora. Probiotics are very fragile which get killed. Only a fraction of the Probiotics will make it to the larger intestine.
• Prebiotics feed the good bacteria which are already present in the gut. They are not affected by heat or acid and helps in improving outcomes for people who are living with various conditions. Prebiotics feed the bacteria in probiotic supplements. Probiotic supplements are less effective than Prebiotics as they do not get the food that needs to thrive. Consumption of high-quality Prebiotics help in improving the performance of a Probiotic supplement.

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SHOULD YOU TAKE 3P’S IF YOU ARE ALREADY HAVING A HEALTHY GUT?

Postbiotic and Prebiotic supplements might help the gut while undergoing repair from a bad diet. The continued usage of Probiotic and Postbiotic supplements after the repair is not required. However, even after your gut gets functioned, the continued consumption of a high-quality Prebiotic will allow the positive bacteria in the gut to thrive. It will help positive bacteria to produce all Postbiotics that a body requires. Fermented foods are a good way to add pros and Postbiotics to a diet. The fermentation process occurs in the gut. It starts with prebiotics that gets partially digested. So, these Prebiotic strains result in Postbiotic micronutrients which, are good for your gut.

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THE TRIFECTA FOR YOUR GUT:

The main purpose of adding prebiotics, postbiotics, and probiotics to your diet is to maintain a healthy immune system. But at times, we are not always eating our best. So, we might take multivitamins to cover our nutrition bases. We also consume supplements that contain Postbiotic ingredients that help in ensuring that we are getting enough nutrients for our bodies.

ADVANTAGES OF HAVING PREBIOTICS, POSTBIOTICS, AND PROBIOTICS:

• They help in lowering blood sugar levels and prevents obesity.
• They treat diarrhea.
• They help support Immune System in Infants and People with Difficult Conditions.
• They reduce inflammation.
• They help in eliminating allergies.
• They help in lowering heart risk.