In recent years, probiotics have gained significant attention for their role in promoting gut health. However, a new player in the field of gut health—postbiotics—is now emerging as a promising contender. But what exactly are postbiotics, and how do they compare to the well-known probiotics?
Table of Contents:
What are postbiotics?
Postbiotics are bioactive compounds produced when the beneficial bacteria in our gut, or probiotics, digest and break down dietary fibers. These compounds include short-chain fatty acids, enzymes, peptides, and other metabolites. Unlike probiotics, which are live microorganisms, postbiotics are non-living and consist of the byproducts of microbial fermentation. This unique aspect offers several advantages, particularly in terms of stability and safety.
Postbiotics have been implicated with many benefits for the human body, in particularly for gut, immune vascular and neurological functions, but also for cancer, infection and atherosclerosis prevention, and wound healing.
Benefits of Postbiotics
- Enhanced Stability: Since postbiotics are not live bacteria, they are more stable and less likely to be affected by storage conditions or the acidic environment of the stomach. This stability ensures that they reach the gut intact, where they can exert their beneficial effects.
- Safety Profile: Postbiotics eliminate the risk of bacterial infection that can sometimes be associated with probiotic supplements, particularly in immunocompromised individuals. The non-living nature of postbiotics makes them a safer alternative for people with certain health conditions.
- Gut Health Support: Postbiotics play a crucial role in maintaining a healthy gut environment. They help in regulating the gut microbiota, enhancing the gut barrier function, and reducing inflammation. These effects can lead to improved digestion and better overall gut health.
- Immune System Boost: The metabolites produced by probiotics, such as short-chain fatty acids, can modulate the immune system. Postbiotics have been shown to support immune function by promoting the growth of beneficial bacteria and inhibiting harmful pathogens.
- Anti-inflammatory Properties: Postbiotics possess anti-inflammatory properties that can benefit individuals with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) and other gut-related conditions. By reducing inflammation, postbiotics can help alleviate symptoms and improve quality of life.
Comparing Postbiotics and Probiotics:
Probiotics, also known as ‘live biotherapeutics’, contain entire live microorganisms (such as bacteria and/or yeast) which applied in the adequate amounts can help in balancing gut microbiota and consequently bring many health benefits including disease prevention or treatment of certain conditions.
Nevertheless, the therapeutic usage of probiotic can be limited because of the presence of live and active microorganisms in their preparations. An increasing concern about probiotic safety and efficacy in individuals, like patients with compromised immune function or small children and infants with immature intestinal barriers, use of live microbial preparations might potentially increase risks of sepsis or development of antibiotic resistance.
Although, these concerns are speculative, they pursued research efforts investigating the health-promoting potential of microbial-derived bioactives, rather than live microorganisms in the formulations. Along with growing evidence, indicating that not all clinical benefits are linked to the presence live microorganism itself, but also to its products, the research revelation prompted development of postbiotics.
What are the main health-promoting postbiotics and their microbial producers?
- Carbohydrate metabolites: SCFAs, primarily acetate, propionate, and butyrate, are produced during fermentation of non-digestible carbohydrate (prebiotics) components, such as polysaccharides and oligosaccharides, by intestinal bacteria. The health benefits include modulation of intestinal microbiota characterized by reduction of pathogenic microbes, while increasing abundance of beneficial bacteria; as well as have been attributed cholesterol-lowering effects, anti-aging, antitumor and antioxidant properties.
- Amino acid and their derivatives: microbial peptides and proteins, produced by many bacterial species, such as Bacillus, Clostridium, Streptococcus, Lactobacillus, and Proteobacteria. In particular, bacteriocins, which are group of complex peptides and proteins capable of forming pores in the bacterial membranes can inhibit microbial cell wall synthesis. Learn more about bacteriocins watching our online presentation by Dr. Julie O'Sullivan, Antimicrobial potential of the human skin microbiota. Please note that cookies need to be enable in order to watch the video.
- Lipid and bile acid metabolites, such as deoxycholic acid, lithocholic acid and phosphatidylcholine (important choline precursor in the body) are produced by microbial communities present in the human gut as well as gram-negative. In addition, fatty acid derivatives have been shown a potent antioxidative properties, which can be implicated in the neuroregeneration in Alzheimer patients and chronic diseases, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, inflammation, and cancer.
- Vitamins, in particularly those belonging to B vitamins group, as well as vitamin K are implicated in the several metabolic processes, such as energy production and red blood cells formation.
Key Takeaways:
- Postbiotics are non-living bioactive compounds produced when beneficial gut bacteria digest dietary fibers, offering enhanced stability and safety compared to live probiotics.
- They carry no risk of bacterial infection, making postbiotics suitable for immunocompromised individuals and safer than probiotics.
- Key postbiotics include short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) like acetate, propionate, and butyrate, along with microbial peptides, lipid and bile acid metabolites, and vitamins such as B vitamins and vitamin K.
- The stability, safety, and broad health benefits of postbiotics make them a valuable addition to gut health strategies and a promising alternative or complement to probiotics.
Conclusion:
As the understanding of gut health continues to evolve, postbiotics are emerging as a valuable addition to the field. Their stability, safety, and numerous health benefits make them an attractive option for those looking to support their gut health. While probiotics have their place, postbiotics offer a compelling alternative or complement, potentially marking the next step in gut health optimization. Whether through diet or supplements, incorporating postbiotics can be a beneficial strategy for maintaining a healthy gut and overall well-being.
FAQs:
How do postbiotics differ from probiotics?
Unlike probiotics, which are live microorganisms, postbiotics consist of the byproducts of microbial fermentation. This makes them more stable and safer, particularly for immunocompromised individuals.
What are the benefits of postbiotics?
Postbiotics offer several benefits, including enhanced stability, a safer profile compared to probiotics, support for gut health, boosting the immune system, and possessing anti-inflammatory properties.
Are there any safety concerns with postbiotics?
Postbiotics eliminate the risk of bacterial infection that can be associated with probiotic supplements, making them a safer alternative for people with certain health conditions.
What are some key postbiotics and their sources?
Key postbiotics include short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) like acetate, propionate, and butyrate, microbial peptides, lipid and bile acid metabolites, and vitamins such as B vitamins and vitamin K. These are produced by various beneficial gut bacteria.
Do you want to learn more about postbiotics? Our team has developed an in-depth guide covering the definition of postbiotics, the difference between biotics products, postbiotic product applications, clinical implications and methods, current clinical trends and proven health benefits linked with use of postbiotics. This research guide is available to download through the following link: Postbiotics:A Research Guide.
