What Are Postbiotics?
Similar to pre- and probiotics, postbiotics are related to the bacteria within the digestive tract. As you may have been able to guess, postbiotics are the byproducts of probiotic bacteria. With little research on the subject, it was believed that the waste from probiotics was not useful.
More recent research has begun to point to potential benefits of postbiotics. They offer physiological benefits to individuals due to increased bioactivity. As a result, there’s evidence postbiotics particularly benefit antimicrobial, antioxidant and immunomodulatory processes.
Although research is still underway to unlock the full potential of postbiotics, some manufacturers are already hoping to incorporate it into their line of products. Ross Pelton, RPh, PhD, CCN and science director for Texas-based Essential Formulas Incorporated (EFI) and the use of postbiotics is key in one of EFI’s bestselling products.
“Dr. Ohhira’s Probiotics is a fermented food product that is produced in a multi-year fermentation process that results in a product that contains more than 500 postbiotic metabolites. No other product in the world compares with Dr. Ohhira’s Probiotics. Directly delivering postbiotic metabolites creates much faster resolution of intestinal problems compared to taking products that just deliver probiotic bacteria … because postbiotic metabolites immediately begin to provide anti-inflammatory activity, kill pathogens, reestablish proper acid/base balance, work to heal leaky gut, and enhance immune function.”
Jason Mitchell, ND and CEO of Kansas-based Probulin has also created two products based on the benefits of postbiotics. These are Total Care Probiotic, for adults, and My Little Bugs Total Care Probiotic for kids.
“The idea is to incorporate the three legs of the digestive support stool, if you will, right, three legs scheme and balance,” he said. “That is prebiotic, probiotic, and postbiotics.”
For more information visit: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0924224417302765
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