Postbiotics for gut health: an overview

There is growing interest in postbiotics thanks to their potentially better safety profile compared with probiotics. Postbiotics are byproducts of the healthy bacteria in the gut (probiotic bacteria) breaking down prebiotic fibre. Several fermented foods contain bacterial strains that produce postbiotics. Although research into postbiotics is an emerging field, they are known to have antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, anti-proliferative and antioxidant activities. Postbiotic supplementation might be particularly beneficial for people with irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease or similar symptoms; they may also help prevent respiratory tract infections. Currently available postbiotics include nutrients and amino acids, as well as exopolysaccharides, enzymes, short-chain fatty acids, bacterial lysates, cell wall fragments and cell-free supernatants. This article will explore existing research around the safety considerations of probiotics compared with postbiotics, the production processes of postbiotics, the different types of postbiotics, their clinical use and effectiveness for gut health, and identify areas for future research.