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Although I take a handful of supplements and a probiotic each night, it recently dawned on me that while I know these are good for me to take, I don’t really know what they do, or why I should be taking them. In general, I know that probiotics are meant to aid your digestion, and the supplements I take are helpful for staying balanced and strengthening immunity, but the science behind it escapes me.

Thus, I wanted to look into the differences between prebiotics and probiotics, and discover the different roles that supplements can play in the equation.*

About the gut microbiome

The Cleveland Clinic describes that each person has a unique gut microbiome that is home to an array of microorganisms, and the microbes in this biome are impacted throughout your life by your diet and the environment in which you live. According to Lisa Catanese, ELS, writing for Harvard Health Publishing, about 100 trillion microorganisms make up this area of your body.

And as the Cleveland Clinic states, over a thousand species of bacteria populate a gut microbiome, and these can be joined by viruses, fungi, and parasites. Scary words, I know. But the good news is, taking care of your gut microbiome and all the microorganisms inside can have great benefits for your personal health.

“You can think of your gut microbiome as a diverse native garden that you rely on for nutritious foods and medicines,” says the Cleveland Clinic. “When your garden is healthy and thriving, you thrive, too.”

Not only do we have a symbiotic relationship with many of our gut microorganisms, meaning that both we and the microbes benefit from the relationship, but the microbiome helps our bodies function in many crucial ways. Christine Lee, MD says, “It plays such an active role in your body that some healthcare providers have described it as being almost like an organ itself.”

Dr. Lee outlines the many ways the gut microbiome gives our bodies a boost. Bacteria in our gut plays a significant role in our digestive system, assisting with the breakdown of complex carbs and dietary fibers, producing short-chain fatty acids that give us nutrients and support the health of our gut biome, giving us enzymes that allow us to synthesize important vitamins, and helping to metabolize intestinal bile.

Our gut health also strengthens our immunity significantly, teaching our system the right information when it comes to helpful and harmful microbes. “Your gut is your largest immune system organ, containing up to 80% of your body’s immune cells. These cells help to clear out the many pathogens that pass through it every day,” says Dr. Lee.

Additionally, the short-chain fatty acids produced by our microbiome further help our immune system stay healthy by preventing bacteria and toxins from entering the bloodstream and reducing inflammation.

The gut microbiome can even promote positive change in our nervous systems! Dr. Lee shares that the gut-brain axis, “the network of nerves, neurons and neurotransmitters that runs through your GI tract,” facilitates the ability for bacteria to “produce or stimulate the production of neurotransmitters (like serotonin).” They might also potentially improve the nervous system itself.

The benefits don’t end there. Endocrine system function is also supported by the gut microbiome: gut microbes interact with enteroendocrine cells that “secrete hormones that regulate aspects of your metabolism, including blood sugar, hunger and satiety.”

Prebiotics versus probiotics: What is the difference & where can I find them?

So, how can you support and strengthen your gut microbiome and promote all of the benefits to having a healthy one? This is where we enter our discussion of prebiotics and probiotics, which both play an active role in gut health.

Writing for the Mayo Clinic, Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D. shares that while probiotics “contain live microorganisms intended to maintain or improve the ‘good’ bacteria (normal microflora) in the body,” prebiotics improve the balance of these microorganisms and feed the microflora. 

Indeed, probiotics and prebiotics are both found in foods, but can also be added to diets through supplements (you should consult your doctor before starting a supplement—and the FDA warns against giving probiotics to premature infants—so please click here for more information). 

So, it’s clear that promoting and nourishing the good bacteria in your gut can have immense health benefits, but where can probiotics and prebiotics be found?

Probiotics, which are the live organisms, can be consumed through fermented foods—including yogurt, kefir, kombucha, sauerkraut, pickles, miso, and a variety of cheeses—according to Harvard Health Publishing. You can also take probiotics via dietary supplements, but again, consult your doctor before doing so.

Prebiotics, which serve as gut bacteria’s nutrition, can be found in starches, oligosaccharides (“a type of carbohydrate found in certain vegetables, fruits, grains, and legumes”), inulin, and pectin. Catanese notes that many high-fiber foods are also high in prebiotics. 

For those looking to increase their prebiotic intake, she recommends garlic, onions, bananas, sunchokes, soybeans, asparagus, and wheat and whole-grain products. Importantly, though, prebiotic intake is all about balance, and Catanese points out that depending on one’s digestive health, an increase in prebiotics can be helpful or harmful.

How do dietary supplements factor into the mix?

As with probiotics and prebiotics, making the decision to take dietary supplements should be a decision you make with the guidance of a health professional. It’s important to understand, though, what these are and how they can impact your health.

In pharmacies or grocery stores, the vitamin aisle can be truly overwhelming, and it might seem unclear which to take or what they do. Quite simply, supplements can range in function. According to the FDA, the intention of supplements is merely to add to a person’s diet in a way that conventional food does not; the organization writes, “Generally, to the extent a product is intended to treat, diagnose, cure, or prevent diseases, it is a drug, even if it is labeled as a dietary supplement.”

The FDA outlines that supplements can come in a variety of forms, from tablets to capsules to gummies. Supplements are a sort of umbrella category, then: they can include vitamins (like multivitamins or individual ones), minerals (like calcium or iron), botanicals or herbs (like ginger), botanical compounds (like caffeine), amino acids (like tryptophan), and live microbials (also known as probiotics). 

Of course, depending on the supplement, the effects on the body can be different. Based on what you and your health care professional decide is right for you, and after ensuring you discuss the risks of supplements, the right matches for you can support your overall health and help you meet daily essential nutrient requirements.

Cover photo by iStock user Yana Tatevosian.

*Disclaimer: All medical claims made in this article are information provided by the subject. The information is general in nature and not specifically meant for any particular individual. You should always seek out medical assistance from a medical professional based on your individual needs and circumstances.