You are taking a probiotic and you think you understand what that does. Now people are talking about prebiotics and you’re not sure whether you should be taking that as well ?

A prebiotic is a food that feeds the  gut bacteria whereas a probiotic is a  combination of strains of various gut bacteria. Different types of prebiotics can feed different strains of bacteria so the prebiotic can be used therapeutically to promote beneficial strains at the expense of more problematic strains.

Lots of different foods are prebiotics as well as various supplements. For an appropriate  list  of foods look at my most recent blog Feed your Good Gut Bacteria . In terms of prebiotic supplements there are a number of interesting options to consider.

1. Hydrolysed Guar Gum is a partially broken down soluble fiber which is extracted from the Indian Cluster bean.
2. Galacto-oligodisaccharidases (GOS) are made from either a milk product source or from chicory roots.  It is helpful if someone is also constipated and may increase bifidobacteria as well.
3. Larch is the bark of a tree. It supports the production of a key fuel to support the integrity of the gut lining known as butyrate. It also has been shown to support the growth of good gut bacteria such as Bifidobacteria and Lactobacillus which reducing the growth of E Coli and Clostridia. It is thought that the larch stimulates the immune system and therefore keeps opportunistic bugs in check.
4. Lactulose is made of up of two sugars galactose and fructose and is used to treat constipation. It is not digested like other sugars and therefore when it moves through to the colon the bacteria can feed on it and it draws water into the stool making it easier to pass.

Once you know the composition of your gut flora you can really assist in building better diversity by supporting the growth of beneficial strains or by crowding out problem bacteria. Ideally using testing such as a Comprehensive Digestive Stool Analysis or directly through a group like Ubiome you can improve your knowledge of your gut bacteria.

If you need assistance with gut health please make an appointment with Christine Pope on 8084 0081.