Prebiotics vs Probiotics
Both probiotics and prebiotics are important to human health, and while they sound similar, they are and fulfill very different roles.
What are Probiotics
Probiotics are live microorganisms that support a healthy gut and digestive system. They’re a natural part of the body, but can also be found in fermented foods like tempeh, miso, or kimchi.
What are Prebiotics
Prebiotics, on the other hand, are not made of live microorganisms. They’re nondigestible plant fibers but act like food for probiotics. It serves to stimulate growth and even strengthens the effect of probiotics. As such, you may sometimes hear advice to take prebiotics with your probiotics to make it more effective.
Health Benefits of Taking Daily Probiotics
Taking probiotics daily may help with:
- Diarrhea
- Inflammatory bowel diseases
- Irritable bowel syndrome
- Preventing and treating yeast infections
- Preventing and treating urinary tract infections
- Lactose intolerance
- Skin conditions such as eczema
- Allergies and asthma
- Decreasing inflammation
How to Determine Which Probiotic is Right For You
While there are a variety of probiotics, there are two primary factors that can help determine which probiotic is right for you: the type of bacteria used and the CFU. Different types of bacteria could have different effects. The most common are from bacteria groups called Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. Aside from the type of bacteria, it is also important to note the CFU, or colony-forming-units, which tells you how much bacteria you’re getting.
For most people in good health, taking probiotics shouldn’t cause any problems. If there are any side effects, it will be mild, like having more gas than usual. However, if you are pregnant or are thinking of giving probiotics to your infant, we suggest asking your doctor.
Prebiotics & Prebiotic Supplements
Prebiotics could be effectively obtained from a long list of foods including onions, bananas, garlic, or tomatoes. Even so, there are a large variety of prebiotic supplements on the market.
Some supplements include fiber and some claim to provide a variety of specialized functions from weight management to strengthening bones.
Prebiotic Elite
Prebiotic Elite contains a probiotic, prebiotic, and postbiotic blend. 20 Billion CFU per serving of immune support focused probiotics are combined with FOS, Acacia Fiber and Freeze-Dried Probiotic Culture Powder with NGProbiome® delivery technology to help deliver living, active probiotics in an an environment where they can thrive with you.
Check out more here.