Postbiotics: The lesser-known microbes in the gut health universe

The gut health trend is one that few will have predicted. But its meteoric rise from a subject primarily discussed by dieticians and doctors to one openly discussed amongst friends, family and colleagues, is undeniably impressive. Prior to the gut health revolution , many people only considered their gut when experiencing symptoms such as bloating, constipation or digestive issues. That all changed, seemingly overnight, when awareness of the power of the gut microbiome made gut health the go-to term for overall health. And with that increased understanding and interest, has come the inevitable increased demand for gut-friendly products, with figures from market research firm SkyQuest valuing the digestive health products market at $51.7bn (€48.1bn) in 2023. Furthermore, figures from Mordor Intelligence show that the European prebiotic ingredient market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7.11% from 2020–2025 and the European probiotic ingredient market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.35% from 2020-2025. It’s no surprise then that interest in the lesser-known postbiotic is beginning to grow as the gut health trend continues to gather pace. Postbiotics, also known as metabiotics, biogenics, or metabolites, are a waste product, produced when the body digests prebiotics and probiotics. Healthy postbiotics include nutrients such as vitamins B and K, and amino acids. Postbiotics also produce antimicrobial peptides, known as host defence peptides, as they help to slow down the growth of harmful bacteria. “Postbiotics are substances produced by gut microbes which have a beneficial effect on the body, this can be directly or indirectly,” Fiona Brannigan, dietitian and founder of Inspirit Nutrition and Dietetic Consultancy, told FoodNavigator. “Postbiotics have been shown to improve the integrity of the gut and reduce inflammation and they could help in the treatment of obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and neurological conditions.” Furthermore, because postbiotics do not contain living organisms, they are generally considered to be safer than probiotics, for people with a weakened immune system. “There are concerns over introducing live microorganisms into the bodies for those at either end of the life cycle or those who are immunocompromised,” explains Brannigan. The reason for this being that patients who are severely immunocompromised or immunosuppressed do not have the ability to mount an appropriate response to the microbes they come into contact with. There are a number of ways to increase postbiotics in the gut. The first of these being to eat foods rich in prebiotics and probiotics. “By eating more prebiotic and probiotic rich foods, the bacteria in your gut will produce more postbiotics,” Tami Best, functional and integrative dietitian at Top Nutrition Coaching, told FoodNavigator. “Prebiotic rich foods include garlic, leeks, asparagus, artichokes, legumes, peas, dandelion greens, bananas, honey, and prebiotic drinks. Probiotic-rich foods include non-heat-treated fermented vegetables, tempeh, miso, certain dairy and non-dairy yogurts, and probiotic drinks.” However, postbiotics can also be formed through the fermentation process. Foods such as sauerkraut, soft cheeses, fermented breads and buttermilk are all sources of postbiotics and readily available to consumers. There’s also the option to consume postbiotics as a supplement. “Postbiotics can be taken in the form of sodium butyrate or calcium butyrate supplements,” explains Best. The increase in awareness of the microbiome and the fundamental role it plays in the function of the human body is fuelling a huge surge in demand for gut-friendly products. As we know, postbiotics already exist in certain foods, but can food manufacturers further increase the availability of postbiotics for consumers? One way dieticians and health professionals believe postbiotics can be maximised in foods is through the removal of ultra processing. Though there is much speculation regarding the health implications of consuming ultra-processed foods , it is known that some food processing methods can remove nutrients from ingredients. “Manufacturers can help people by using whole, unprocessed foods and omitting highly processed flours and oils,” says Top Nutrition Coaching’s Best. Increasing the availability of nutrient-rich ingredients in food products is another way the food industry could help consumers to improve the availability of pre-, pro- and postbiotics in food products. “I think that the food industry has a role to play in increasing the diversity of the plant foods offered and used,” says Inspirit Nutrition and Dietetic Consultancy’s Brannigan. “By increasing diversity, we help to promote gut health as well as increasing fibre.”