How postbiotics affect digestion and the metabolism
Postbiotics are various molecules that result from the metabolism and/or breakdown of probiotics, and there is increasing evidence that they may have a beneficial modulating effect on the balance of the gut microflora, and thus on digestion and the metabolism of nutrients. There is growing interest in the scientific community to study the beneficial health effects of postbiotics, particularly for metabolic diseases such as obesity and diabetes.
Postbiotics include all the metabolic and breakdown products of “good bacteria”, such as B vitamins, vitamin K, enzymes and amino acids, butyrates (short-chain fatty acids), polysaccharides, and others, which have numerous beneficial effects on the body, primarily anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, and antioxidant.
Postbiotics are a complex mixture of different compounds that affect the metabolism of nutrients in two ways:
- directly – as enzymes and coenzymes, they participate in the chemical reactions that break down carbohydrates, proteins, and fats;
- indirectly – by affecting the gut microflora, helping to maintain the balance of “good bacteria” in the gut and the integrity of the intestinal barrier, thus optimising nutrient absorption and improving digestion.
These two modes of action contribute to increased energy expenditure, and therefore to a normal energy metabolism, and to the regulation of dysbiosis (imbalance of the intestinal microflora), resulting in a virtuous circle of healthy digestion and normal nutrient metabolism.
Sources:
- Bourebaba Y, Marycz K, Mularczyk M, Bourebaba L. Postbiotics as potential new therapeutic agents for metabolic disorders management. Biomed Pharmacother. 2022 Sep;153:113138.
- Hijová E. Postbiotics as Metabolites and Their Biotherapeutic Potential. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2024; 25(10):5441.
- Mishra N, Garg A, Ashique S, Bhatt S. Potential of postbiotics for the treatment of metabolic disorders. Drug Discov Today. 2024 Apr;29(4):103921.
- Park M, Joung M, Park JH, Ha SK, Park HY. Role of Postbiotics in Diet-Induced Metabolic Disorders. Nutrients. 2022 Sep 7;14(18):3701.
