5 Ways Postbiotic Benefits Your health

Postbiotics are bioactive components formed by microorganisms that live in your gut. Postbiotics, like prebiotics and probiotics, are good for your overall health. Though postbiotic are lesser known than the other two, they play a vital role for your gut health. To know what are postbiotic benefits, it is important to understand their formation. In simple terms, postbiotics are the waste of probiotics. Some common postbiotic examples are as follows. 

• Enzymes 
• Bacteriocins 
• Organic acids 
• Carbonic substances

Read on to understand what are prebiotics, probiotics, and postbiotics and postbiotic benefits for your health. 

What is the difference between prebiotics, probiotics and postbiotics? 

Prebiotics 

Prebiotics are present in food and are indigestible. The most common form of prebiotic is dietary fiber that you get from supplements or foods. These help fuel the growth of good bacteria in your gut.

Probiotics 

Probiotics are microorganisms that help increase good bacteria in your gut. You can get probiotics in the form of food as well as supplements. They help strengthen your body against infection. They also have anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties.

Postbiotics 

Postbiotics are the components that form because of probiotic activity in your gut. Usually, they are the result and byproducts of the microorganisms that live in your gut. They can also be directly added with the help of supplements. Postbiotic powder, pills, or liquid are some of the best postbiotics supplements.

Though these components have unique roles to play, they share some common benefits. Improved gut health is one of the major health benefits of pre, pro, and postbiotics.

There are different types of postbiotics, some of which are 

• Enzymes 
• Cell wall fragments 
• Shor-chain fatty acids
• Bacterial lysates
• Lipopolysaccharides
• Exopolysaccharides
• Metabolites like amino acids and vitamins 

What are the postbiotic benefits for health? 

There are many postbiotic reviews and research that talk about the benefits they have to offer. Take a look at usually how postbiotic benefits your health.

Boosts your immune system 

Different postbiotics have different properties that can help strengthen your immune system. Butyrate, a probiotic, can help stimulate T cell production in your intestine. T cells play a major role in controlling your immune system’s response. Daily consumption of postbiotic supplements can help lower the risk of respiratory infection. It can also help improve the production of antibodies that help in fight infection [1].

Treats and prevent diarrhea 

Postbiotics can help reduce the duration of diarrhea as well as help prevent diarrhea. This is because of the metabolic products that probiotics release. Postbiotic supplements can be more effective than probiotics at treating diarrhea [2].

Relieves digestive problems 

Postbiotics like short-chain fatty acid can help relieve symptoms of digestive problems like  

• Constipation  
• Inflammatory bowel disease  
• Crohn’s disease  
• Ulcerative colitis 

Butyrate helps activate immune cells that help in reducing inflammation [3].

Helps manage atopic dermatitis 

Postbiotic benefits for skin include managing the symptoms of atopic dermatitis (eczema). Postbiotic supplements can help in reducing the severity of this condition [4].

Lowers blood sugar  

An imbalance in the intestinal microbe can lead insulin resistance and obesity. Muramyl dipeptide, a postbiotic component can increase insulin sensitivity and relieve intolerance towards glucose [5]. Butyrate can also help in managing Type 2 diabetes.

Other than this, postbiotic benefits also include 

• Weight loss
• Lower risk of heart condition
• Arrest in growth of cancer cells
• Management of allergy symptoms
• Better tolerability than probiotics

What foods are postbiotics? 

If you are wondering where to buy postbiotics from, the answer is you home. Since postbiotics are a byproduct of probiotic process, foods that increase probiotics can help increase postbiotics. Here are a few foods which may help increase postbiotics in your gut. 

• Fiber rich foods  
• Cottage cheese 
• Kefir
• Yogurt
• Kombucha
• Buttermilk
• Miso
• Fermented pickles
• Kimchi

Though postbiotics benefit your health, you may experience postbiotic side effects upon excess consumption. Here are some common postbiotic side effects. 

• Stomach discomfort
• Gas
• Bloating

To avoid these, it is important that you talk to a doctor or nutritionist before you start adding postbiotics to your diet. Keep in mind that these help improve your health but you may still fall sick. If you see signs of an illness, contact a doctor immediately. Book an online consultation appointment on Bajaj Finserv Health. You can talk to the best nutritionists to assess what are the best postbiotics for you. You can also get answers on where to buy postbiotics and some best postbiotics supplements. Take these measures to keep your gut healthy.