What Are Postbiotics? Benefits, Gut Health & More

When we think about supporting our gut health, probiotics and prebiotics are probably the first things that come to mind. But there’s another member of the “biotic” family that deserves some attention: postbiotics.

So, what are postbiotics, how do they work, and could they have a place in your daily gut health routine?

What are postbiotics?

In simple terms, postbiotics are a type of substance made by your friendly gut bacteria. They can be considered a by-product, a beneficial health-boosting compound left behind by your probiotics.

But unlike probiotics, which are live bacteria, postbiotics do not contain any active, living bacteria. Instead, they are short-chain fatty acids that have an amazing anti-inflammatory effect on your microbiome and help healthy bacteria flourish.¹

A common postbiotic is butyrate, known for its role in managing intestinal permeability, reducing inflammation, supporting metabolic health, and aiding in the gut-brain connection.².

Our Microbiome Test looks at levels of three of the most commonly measured short-chain fatty acids: butyrate, acetate, and propionate. These measurements can form part of a broader picture of what is happening within your gut microbiome.

Introducing our Complete Postbiotic

Our Complete Postbiotic is made from our own real kefir grains, which are freeze-dried to preserve the bioactive compounds.

The grains are then dehydrated and blended into a convenient powder that can be added to drinks and meals. There are no added fillers, flavours or unnecessary ingredients – just our kefir grains.

Because we use the same naturally diverse kefir grain culture that we use to make our Probiotic Kefir, our Complete Postbiotic retains the natural diversity of the culture, delivering a broader range of complex compounds.

What are the benefits of postbiotics?

Research into postbiotics is an expanding area, with studies exploring their potential role in gut health, intestinal barrier function, immune responses and inflammation.³ However, the effects can vary depending on the particular postbiotic preparation and the compounds it contains, so it’s important not to assume that every postbiotic will have the same benefits.

Some of the areas being studied include:

Supporting a healthy intestinal barrier
Supporting normal gut function
Helping maintain a balanced gut environment
Supporting the body’s natural immune and inflammatory processes
Supporting overall gut health

Short-chain fatty acids such as butyrate, acetate and propionate are particularly well studied. Butyrate, for example, is an important fuel source for cells lining the colon and has been associated with maintaining intestinal barrier integrity.

Postbiotics can also include other microbial components, such as peptides, enzymes, cell-wall components, and other bioactive compounds. This is one reason the term “postbiotic” covers a much broader category than simply short-chain fatty acids.⁴

You can increase the amount of useful postbiotics in your system by increasing your intake of fermented foods, such as kefir, tempeh, miso and kimchi. Focusing on getting enough of the foods that promote healthy gut bacteria can help improve your overall health.

How do I take Complete Postbiotic?

There are several easy ways to add our Complete Postbiotic to your daily routine.

You can mix it into a Gut Health Smoothie or simply stir it into a glass of water.

Since they have a cheesy, lemony flavour, we like sprinkling them on savoury dishes, such as pasta, gnocchi, soups and salads. Try adding them to our plant powered pesto to give it an extra kick!

How long do I need to take the Complete Postbiotic for?

We recommend including the Complete Postbiotic as part of your daily routine to help boost your gut health and keep your probiotics levels topped up.

As with any food supplement, consistency is more useful than taking it occasionally. Follow the serving instructions on the product packaging and consider it alongside the other habits that support a healthy gut, such as eating a varied, fibre-rich diet.

Can I take postbiotics with kefir?

Our Kefir and Complete Postbiotics come from the same beginning – both use a base of our kefir grains. By taking our postbiotics alongside the Kefir, this gives your body direct access to these compounds, helping add to the probiotic benefits of the Kefir.

Our postbiotics are also a great alternative for people that have a sensitive system and may not be able to tolerate the strength of our Kefir just yet. If this is the case for yourself, the probiotic benefits of our Complete Postbiotic powder will help strengthen your microbiome allowing you to move on to trying our Kefir when you’re ready.

Is the Complete Postbiotic suitable for travelling?

One of the advantages of our Complete Postbiotic is its convenient powdered format.

Unlike bottled Kefir, a pouch of Complete Postbiotic is easy to pack into luggage or a handbag, making it a convenient option when you’re away from home.

You can also travel with our Complete Prebiotic Powder and Pure Fish Collagen as part of your usual routine.

Postbiotics: The next piece of the gut health puzzle

Probiotics, prebiotics and postbiotics all have different roles, but they are connected through the activity of your gut microbiome.

While probiotics provide live microorganisms and prebiotics provide substrates that can be used by microorganisms, postbiotics focus on the beneficial compounds and components associated with microbial activity.

As research continues, we’re learning more about how these compounds interact with the gut and the wider body.

Find out more about the power of postbiotics and discover how postbiotics are also being explored in skincare.

Any questions? Contact one of our Nutritional Therapists via live chat, weekdays from 8 am to 8 pm.