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probiotics vs prebiotics

Probiotics vs. Prebiotics: What’s the Difference?

Probiotics and prebiotics are both essential for good health and a great quality of life. You’re probably familiar with probiotics, the health-promoting bacteria that live in your digestive tract. More recently there’s been a lot of talk about prebiotics.
Prebiotics are equally important to your health with significant impacts on your health and well-being. But what’s the difference? Let’s take a close look…

What is a Prebiotic?

A prebiotic is a form of non-digestible fiber that stimulates the activity of probiotics. While it’s true that all prebiotics are fiber, not all types of fiber are prebiotics. Perhaps the easiest way to think about prebiotics is as food for probiotic bacteria.
Researchers have defined three qualities that define whether a fiber is a prebiotic or not. To be a prebiotic, a fiber must :

  • Survive stomach acids and digestion in the small intestine;
  • Ferment in the large intestine; and,
  • Encourage the growth and/or action of the intestinal, or probiotic, bacteria that support your health.

Since prebiotics feed probiotics, it’s essential to get enough prebiotic fiber in your diet. When you do, you’ll support the good probiotic bacteria living in your digestive tract which translates into better digestion and incredible health benefits.

Benefits of Prebiotics and Probiotics

Probiotics have been shown to have amazing impacts on every aspect of human health. Researchers have found getting and maintaining healthy probiotic levels:

  • Improves digestion
  • Decreases digestive discomfort like gas, bloating and indigestion
  • Reduces inflammation in the colon
  • Protects the intestines from damage in people sensitive to gluten
  • Limits or prevents food allergies

And that’s only the digestive benefits of probiotics! Your entire body and even how you feel is affected by probiotics. Studies show probiotics –

  • Improve thinking and reasoning
  • Protect memory, with researchers seeing “significant” results in those who consume probiotics
  • Promote a positive mood ,
  • Boost your immune system and immune response
  • Make you more resistant to cold viruses
  • Enhance your ability to deal with stress
  • Strengthen bones by increasing bone mass
  • Support healthy blood sugar and protect against fatty liver ,
  • Offers general protection to the liver
  • Helps with weight loss

Now, as prebiotics support probiotics in your digestive tract, they would indirectly support all of these health benefits. Researchers however report taking prebiotics is associated with health benefits of their own.
In one study, taking prebiotics reduced appetite and feelings of hunger in a placebo-controlled trial involving overweight children. Other health benefits according to researchers include :

  • Reducing the risk of heart disease
  • Improving blood sugar levels
  • Promoting regularity and bowel health
  • Supporting a healthy body weight
  • Helping reduce inflammation throughout the body
  • Increasing absorption of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients

Some researchers have investigated the effect of supplements that include both prebiotics and probiotics. One study found the combination improved inflammation and supported liver health by reducing the impact of fatty liver disease in patients with normal body weight. In another study, researchers found the combination improved male fertility. Additional research suggests the combination improves many of the health benefits listed above.
Based on the research, it’s not prebiotics vs. probiotics. It should be prebiotics and probiotics. Quite simply, you want them both.

Types and Best Sources of Prebiotics

As noted above, not all fiber provides prebiotic benefits. Scientists have identified the following fibers as meeting all three requirements to qualify as a prebiotic :

  • Inulin
  • Lactulose
  • Galactooligosaccharides (GOS)
  • Psyllium
  • Wheat dextrin
  • Beta-glucan
  • Pectin
  • Polydextrose
  • Fructooligosaccharides (FOS)

This list is good if you’re evaluating a supplement, especially one that contains a prebiotic. It should contain one of these.
For foods, most fruits and vegetables provide some amount of prebiotic fiber. Foods identified by scientists as the best sources of prebiotic fiber include :

  • Asparagus
  • Leeks
  • Chicory
  • Jerusalem artichokes
  • Oats
  • Onions
  • Wheat
  • Soybeans
  • Garlic
  • Banana

You Need Prebiotics and Probiotics

According to archaeologists, the average hunter-gather ate around 135 grams of prebiotic fiber daily. That’s a far cry from average 15 grams of fiber the average adult gets every day and even the American Heart Association’s recommendation of 25 to 30 grams daily from food sources (as opposed to supplements!).

To get enough fiber, the simple answer is more fruits and vegetables. However, it can’t be done overnight and can be tough in the modern world. And to ensure the most from the prebiotic fiber you do eat, it’s important to keep probiotic levels strong.
If you do choose to take a probiotic supplement in addition to adding probiotic foods like yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, miso soup, or any other available probiotic foods, look for one that includes a prebiotic. The presence of a prebiotic increase the likelihood that the probiotic bacteria you’re taking will become established in your digestive tract where they can provide their amazing health benefits.

The only complete probiotic system that combines 13 high-potency probiotic strains with essential enzymes to improve digestion and support immune function.

REFERENCES

[1] Slavin J. Fiber and Prebiotics: Mechanisms and Health BenefitsNutrients. 2013;5(4):1417-1435. doi:10.3390/nu5041417.[1] Waitzberg DL, et al. THE EFFECT OF PROBIOTIC FERMENTED MILK THAT INCLUDES BIFIDOBACTERIUM LACTIS CNCM I-2494 ON THE REDUCTION OF GASTROINTESTINAL DISCOMFORT AND SYMPTOMS IN ADULTS: A NARRATIVE REVIEW. Nutr Hosp. 2015 Aug 1;32(2):501-9. doi: 10.3305/nh.2015.32.2.9232. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26268077

[1] Philippe D, Favre L, Foata F, et al. Bifidobacterium lactis attenuates onset of inflammation in a murine model of colitis. World Journal of Gastroenterology : WJG. 2011;17(4):459-469. doi:10.3748/wjg.v17.i4.459. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3027012/

[1] Lindfors K, Blomqvist T, Juuti-Uusitalo K, et al. Live probiotic Bifidobacterium lactis bacteria inhibit the toxic effects induced by wheat gliadin in epithelial cell culture. Clinical and Experimental Immunology. 2008;152(3):552-558. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2249.2008.03635.x. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2453197/

[1] Kim JH, et al. Extracellular vesicle-derived protein from Bifidobacterium longum alleviates food allergy through mast cell suppression. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2016 Feb;137(2):507-516.e8. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2015.08.016. Epub 2015 Oct 1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26433560

[1] Tillisch K1, Labus J, Kilpatrick L, Jiang Z, Stains J, Ebrat B, Guyonnet D, Legrain-Raspaud S, Trotin B, Naliboff B, Mayer EA. Consumption of fermented milk product with probiotic modulates brain activity. Gastroenterology. 2013 Jun;144(7):1394-401, 1401.e1-4. doi: 10.1053/j.gastro.2013.02.043. Epub 2013 Mar 6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23474283

[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/behindtheheadlines/news/2016-11-11-probiotics-aid-memory-in-people-with-alzheimers-disease/

[1] Steenbergen L1, et al. A randomized controlled trial to test the effect of multispecies probiotics on cognitive reactivity to sad mood. Brain Behav Immun. 2015 Aug;48:258-64. doi: 10.1016/j.bbi.2015.04.003. Epub 2015 Apr 7.

[1] Evrensel A, Ceylan ME. The Gut-Brain Axis: The Missing Link in Depression. Clinical Psychopharmacology and Neuroscience. 2015;13(3):239-244. doi:10.9758/cpn.2015.13.3.239. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4662178/

[1] Maneerat S, Lehtinen MJ, Childs CE, et al. Consumption of Bifidobacterium lactis Bi-07 by healthy elderly adults enhances phagocytic activity of monocytes and granulocytes. Journal of Nutritional Science. 2013;2:e44. doi:10.1017/jns.2013.31. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4153077/

[1] Leyer GJ, Li S, Mubasher ME, et al. Probiotic effects on cold and influenza-like symptom incidence and duration in children. Pediatrics 2009;124:e172-9. http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/124/2/e172

[1] Allen AP, et al. Bifidobacterium longum 1714 as a translational psychobiotic: modulation of stress, electrophysiology and neurocognition in healthy volunteers. Transl Psychiatry. 2016 Nov 1;6(11):e939. doi: 10.1038/tp.2016.191. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27801892

[1] Parvaneh K, Ebrahimi M, Sabran MR, et al. Probiotics (Bifidobacterium longum) Increase Bone Mass Density and Upregulate Sparc and Bmp-2 Genes in Rats with Bone Loss Resulting from Ovariectomy. BioMed Research International. 2015;2015:897639. doi:10.1155/2015/897639. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4558422/

[1] Kim SH1, et al. The anti-diabetic activity of Bifidobacterium lactis HY8101 in vitro and in vivo. J Appl Microbiol. 2014 Sep;117(3):834-45. doi: 10.1111/jam.12573. Epub 2014 Jul 14. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24925305

[1] Wang W, et al. [Efficacy of probiotics on the treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease]. [Article in Chinese; Abstract available in Chinese from the publisher] Zhonghua Nei Ke Za Zhi. 2018 Feb 1;57(2):101-106. doi: 10.3760/cma.j.issn.0578-1426.2018.02.004.

[1] Experimental Biology 2018. “Growing evidence that probiotics are good for your liver: In mice, probiotic treatment shown to protect against liver damage from acetaminophen.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 23 April 2018. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/04/180423085445.htm>.

[1] Kobyliak N, Conte C, Cammarota G, et al. Probiotics in prevention and treatment of obesity: a critical viewNutrition & Metabolism. 2016;13:14. doi:10.1186/s12986-016-0067-0.

[1] Hume MP1, et al. Prebiotic supplementation improves appetite control in children with overweight and obesity: a randomized controlled trial. Am J Clin Nutr. 2017 Apr;105(4):790-799. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.116.140947. Epub 2017 Feb 22.

[1] Slavin J. Fiber and Prebiotics: Mechanisms and Health BenefitsNutrients. 2013;5(4):1417-1435. doi:10.3390/nu5041417.

[1] Mofidi F1, et al. Synbiotic supplementation in lean patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: a pilot, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, clinical trial. Br J Nutr. 2017 Mar;117(5):662-668. doi: 10.1017/S0007114517000204. Epub 2017 Mar 27.

[1] Maretti C1, Cavallini G2. The association of a probiotic with a prebiotic (Flortec, Bracco) to improve the quality/quantity of spermatozoa in infertile patients with idiopathic oligoasthenoteratospermia: a pilot study. Andrology. 2017 May;5(3):439-444. doi: 10.1111/andr.12336. Epub 2017 Feb 28.

[1] Markowiak P, Śliżewska K. Effects of Probiotics, Prebiotics, and Synbiotics on Human HealthNutrients. 2017;9(9):1021. doi:10.3390/nu9091021.

[1] Slavin J. Fiber and Prebiotics: Mechanisms and Health BenefitsNutrients. 2013;5(4):1417-1435. doi:10.3390/nu5041417.

[1] Ibid.

[1] Ibid.

[1] https://www.ucsfhealth.org/education/increasing_fiber_intake/

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