Over the last few years, we’ve heard plenty about probiotics, those bacteria that live in your gut and offer a variety of health benefits. But not as much attention has been paid to postbiotics, the compounds the good bacteria create after they die. These compounds—which include short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) like butyrate, propionate and acetate—may have just as important of an effect on your gut microbiome as the original living bacteria themselves.
These metabolites can have positive effects on your immune system, and may even help prevent diseases like colon cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, obesity and autoimmune disorders. They also boost digestive function, decrease allergies and more. But researchers are just beginning to understand exactly how postbiotics work in your body.
The good news is that you can get postbiotics naturally by eating a healthy diet. Eating a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes will promote a mix of gut bacteria that produce postbiotics. And you can boost your intake by consuming foods that contain both probiotics and prebiotics, such as fermented foods like kefir, tempeh and kimchi.
But if you want to take a supplement, you need to choose wisely. “There are a lot of supplements out there that aren’t backed by research,” says Dr Weiner. He advises you to look for a supplement that has a certificate of analysis from a third party. Also, make sure it’s formulated with a prebiotic, such as fructans, or a probiotic, such as Bifidobacterium infantis or Lactobacillus acidophilus.
Postbiotics can also be found in fermented dairy products, such as kefir and kombucha. In fact, several studies have found that breastfeeding babies who drink milk with these fermentation products experience fewer colic symptoms than those who don’t. They also tend to have more “good bacteria” in their stools, and less inflammation.
A few studies have also found that postbiotics can reduce allergy reactivity and improve immune response in people with allergies. They might do this by helping the immune system better distinguish between beneficial microbes and allergens.
In a recent study, researchers used a special strain of bacteria from the genus Veillonella to produce propionate in the colons of mice. They then gave the animals enteral propionate and observed that the animals’ physical performance improved significantly. The researchers believe that postbiotics from this genus may have a potential for improving human physical fitness, but more research is needed.
In the future, doctors could use postbiotics to help boost your immunity or treat conditions like inflammatory bowel disease and constipation. They may even be able to treat allergies by decreasing allergic reactivity and inflammation in the gut. But for now, it’s best to stick with your normal nutrient-rich diet and keep an eye on new research. And be sure to talk to your doctor before trying any new supplements.