It can be said that the ratio of beneficial and harmful bacteria in the intestine is very important for maintaining intestinal health. The ratio of beneficial bacteria to harmful bacteria is broken by various factors such as high fat and meat-centered, unbalanced and irregular eating habits, age, and bowel habits. It acts as a cause of depression and various intestinal-related diseases.
The key to supporting such intestinal health is that it is not digested in the stomach and other digestive organs, but reaches the intestines and helps the growth of beneficial bacteria. It can be said that it is very important to consume various ingredients that help improve the intestinal environment, including probiotics such as lactic acid bacteria, dietary fiber, and fructooligosaccharides, such as prebiotics. And recently, postbiotics, which are by-products created when these probiotics meet prebiotics, are attracting a lot of attention. So today, let’s take a look at the definition and efficacy of postbiotics one by one.
Postbiotic Definition
Probiotics refer to live bacteria such as lactic acid bacteria, and prebiotics serve as food for these probiotics, helping the activity of intestinal microbes and promoting their growth. The combination of probiotics and prebiotics is called synbiotics, which are called third-generation lactic acid bacteria. Postbiotics refer to the addition of bacteriocin, enzymes, butyrates, organic acids, amino acids, and metabolites of various lactic acid bacteria such as peptides to these synbiotics.
Lactobacillus has the characteristic that it is weak to acid and heat, but postbiotics have the advantage of being relatively stronger than lactic acid bacteria to these acids and heat. With these advantages, it reaches the intestine without being affected by oxygen in the human body, and it is effective in improving the intestinal environment and increasing the bioabsorption rate. Also, unlike probiotics, which attach to the intestinal mucosa and take a certain amount of time to remove harmful bacteria, postbiotics have the advantage of minimizing the time they attach to the intestinal mucosa. In recognition of these various effects, postbiotics are called next-generation lactic acid bacteria and new concept lactic acid bacteria, and are also a component that is attracting a lot of attention and spotlight.
The main benefits of postbiotics
1. Improving the intestinal environment
Postbiotics have the property of reaching the intestines without being digested in the stomach and duodenum. Bacteriocin, which can be said to be the key ingredient, and the cell component, inhibit the generation and activity of harmful bacteria in the intestine, as well as take part in the action of making the intestinal environment more beneficial than harmful bacteria. In addition, it helps to protect the intestinal mucosa by strengthening the intestinal epithelial cells and binding the intestinal villi more tightly. This effect is said to help prevent leaky gut syndrome, which creates a gap between the cells of the intestinal mucosa and causes intestinal toxins and harmful substances to leak and travel through the blood to the body, causing inflammation. In addition, it also promotes intestinal peristalsis, thereby helping to relieve and prevent constipation symptoms.
2. Improving immunity
When the balance between beneficial and harmful bacteria is disturbed and intestinal function is deteriorated, it is easy to lead to a decrease in the immune function of the body. As it is known that about 90% of the causes of various diseases are related to the gut, gut health is the most important part of the immune system and prevention of various diseases. It is said that the main core component of postbiotics not only helps the death of harmful bacteria in the intestine, but also helps to activate white blood cells, which are immune cells, thereby helping to regulate and enhance the immune system.
3. Inhibition of inflammation
Excessive inflammation is the cause of various chronic diseases, metabolic diseases, and vascular diseases. It is said that it can help reduce the level of inflammation that is overproduced by the bacteriocin component, the main component of postbiotics. In addition, the cultured dried products of postbiotics have excellent advantages as natural antibacterial substances, and such excellent sterilization helps to reduce inflammation and can help reduce the risk of various inflammatory diseases.
Other benefits and how to eat
In addition to the various benefits introduced above, postbiotics are known to help stimulate the production of incretin, a hormone that helps the secretion of insulin, so it can help alleviate the symptoms of diabetes. In addition, several actions, such as anti-obesity and anti-hypertension, are also said to be among the health benefits of postbiotics.
Postbiotics can be consumed directly in the form of powder or added to salads or other dishes. However, if you consume more than 4g, which is the proper daily intake, various side effects such as diarrhea and abdominal distension may appear. In addition, when immunity is too low due to diseases and specific causes, it is recommended to decide whether to consume it through the consultation of a specialist.
