The word "probiotics" must be familiar to everyone. In recent years, we can always see the promotion of probiotics in various places. Such as probiotic yogurt, probiotic solid beverages, etc.
With the continuous development of the probiotics industry, "prebiotics" and "postbiotics" have gradually emerged in front of everyone. What are the three of them? What is the difference?
To figure out the difference between "probiotics", "prebiotics" and "postbiotics", we must figure out what their effects on the human body are.
Studies have shown that there are about 100 trillion bacterial microorganisms in the human intestine. This fact alone highlights the importance of intestinal flora.
Among these bacteria, some are beneficial to our human body and are called "beneficial bacteria", some are harmful to the human body and are called "harmful bacteria", and there are also some "neutral bacteria".
When "beneficial bacteria" are dominant, we can have a healthy intestine.
In summary, the differences between probiotics, prebiotics and postbiotics are as follows.
1. Probiotics
Probiotics do not refer to a specific type of bacteria, but a class of active microorganisms that are beneficial to the host.
They colonize the human intestine and reproductive system, improve the host's microecological balance by producing specific health effects, and play a positive role in the intestine. Common beneficial bacteria includes: Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, etc. Many people with poor gastrointestinal function will choose probiotic products, such as probiotic yogurt and probiotic solid beverages, and eat these probiotics into the stomach to supplement the beneficial bacteria needed in the intestines to achieve the effect of treating poor gastrointestinal function. "Probiotics" have been widely used in the fields of health products and food.
2. Prebiotics
Prebiotics are dietary supplements that selectively stimulate the growth and activity of one or a few bacterial species in the colony, thereby improving the host's health.
In other words, prebiotics are the "nutrients" of human probiotics. Prebiotics provide "food" for probiotics, which can be decomposed and absorbed by beneficial bacteria in the intestines, promoting the growth and reproduction of beneficial bacteria.
3. Postbiotics
Postbiotics are preparations of nonliving microorganisms or their components that have a beneficial effect on the health of the host, other than purified microbial metabolites and vaccines.
But it is not limited to inactivated probiotics. Postbiotics have many health benefits for the human body, such as maintaining the balance of intestinal flora, protecting the intestinal epithelial barrier, immune regulation, anti-oxidation and anti-inflammatory effects.
In addition to its significant prebiotic effects, postbiotics also have advantages that probiotics cannot match:
A. Postbiotics are more stable and have a longer shelf life than live probiotics;
B. Postbiotics are safer and are also suitable for some special populations such as newborns and sensitive populations, while probiotics have certain risks for these sensitive populations;
C. Postbiotics are not interfered with or inhibited by antibiotics, while probiotics are difficult to use with antibiotics and have the risk of transmitting drug-resistant genes;
D. Postbiotics have a wider range of targets, not only limited to the intestines, but also the oral cavity, skin, urogenital tract or nasopharynx can be used as targets of postbiotics, and are easier to be absorbed by the intestines, which improves utilization.
Therefore, postbiotics have a very wide range of applications and can be used in many industries such as food, cosmetics, and feed.