Probiotics Vs. Prebiotics: What's the Difference?

A few years ago, people started talking a lot about probiotics, mostly because Jamie Lee Curtis became the spokesperson for a yogurt that touted itself as a solution to good gut health. And if you’re just beginning a journey to take better care of your body and focus more on health, your gut is a great place to start. So much goes on in your belly, several different organs working in conjunction with each other to process food which fuels your body and makes everything run. But now you’ve probably heard about prebiotics as well and you might be wondering: what are these things and why do I need them?

In the absolute simplest terms, probiotics are bacteria and prebiotics are food for that bacteria. To some, that might sound a little confusing because when we think of bacteria, we negatively associate it with illness. It’s not incorrect that some bacteria makes us sick, but our bodies are filled with all different kinds of bacteria, both good and bad, that function in many ways. Each of us has in our body a microbiome, something like our own personal ecosystem of bacteria and other organisms that help our bodies function well. No two people have an identical microbiome – what happens inside of your body is entirely unique to you. Bacteria, fungi, viruses, and protozoa all make up your individual microbiome and your health largely depends on the balance of these microorganisms inside of you.

Each of these components are called microbes and each microbe affects your body differently. When we talk about probiotics, we are referring specifically to the good bacteria that helps your body work well. Probiotics have many functions, including aiding in digestions, fighting off bad bacteria, making vitamins, promoting healthy cell functions, and improving immune health. Without these good bacteria, we would be defenseless against the bad bacteria that inevitably will enter our body. Probiotics essentially perform a balancing act inside of us to make sure that the bad bacteria don’t take over and instead keeps things neutral.

The probiotics need fuel to survive, grow, and flourish inside of us and that is where the prebiotics come in. Prebiotics are plant fibers that our bodies cannot digest that sit in our guts for the good bacteria to feed on. Without prebiotics, probiotics will suffer and die, giving rise to an unbalanced system of bad bacteria in the body, potentially making us sick and negatively affecting bodily functions. These plant fibers come from healthy carbs like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, so people who eat low- or no-carb diets are potentially putting themselves at risk to damage their microbiomes.

Several studies have been performed over recent years to identify positive and negative effects of probiotics and prebiotics on the body. A healthy balance of probiotics is suggested to help reduce need for antibiotics, reduce symptoms of IBS, decrease occurrence of yeast infections, help regulate negative side effects from taking antibiotics, and even reduce occurrences of gestational diabetes, among other positive effects. Most studies identify that more research is needed before health benefit claims can truly be made but there are almost no negative side effects of probiotics on healthy people. For some immunocompromised people, however, an influx of some specific probiotics could potentially increase the occurrence of adverse events related to ongoing conditions.

The good news is that most people get enough probiotics and prebiotics from their regular diets to not have to worry about whether or not their gut is in good shape. If, however, you are feeling some intestinal irregularity and are experiencing gut issues, you might want to talk to your doctor about adding some probiotic rich foods or supplements into your diet. Things like yogurt, sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha, and cottage cheese all have probiotics that can help improve your gut health. For the prebiotic element, supplements are often only needed by people who have low-carb lifestyles.

While, for a vast majority of people, adding more probiotics and prebiotics into your diet will help with overall health, wellness, and regularity, it’s always a good idea to discuss diet and supplement changes with your doctor before making any decisions. Dr. Simone Sturm of Denver Holistic Medicine takes a complete look at each patient’s unique situation, considering both lifestyle and medical history to create a comprehensive treatment plan for each individual. If you are interested in starting a holistic health journey or are seeking holistic treatment for a condition, contact us today to schedule your consultation with Dr. Sturm and begin living a healthier, happier life.