The Difference Between Probiotics and Prebiotics

The Difference Between Prob The Difference Between Probiotics and PrebioticsMost people understand that probiotics are good for them, but then they read or hear about prebiotics and are left wondering which ones they should use.  So, understanding all of the jargon surrounding probiotics can be confusing at times even for the most health conscious individual.

The difference between probiotics and prebiotics is actually quite simple. 

Prebiotics are the food source used to help the healthy bacteria (probiotics) flourish in your intestinal tract.  They are also referred to as synbiotics.  The most common form of prebiotic is made from fructooligosaccharide molecules, which are sugar moecules that contain fructose.  The human body does not have the ability to digest prebiotics, so they are passed through the stomach into the intestines where healthy bacteria use them as food to grow and thrive.

Probiotics are the actual healthy bacteria strains that live within your intestinal tract that help support your immune system and a myriad of other benefits.  Actually, scientific research has shown that having a healthy intstinal tract also helps the bacterial colonies in your mouth, genital areas and even your skin!  By using a good probiotic supplement you can basically re-program your bodies natural defenses to keep pathogenic bacteria from taking root within your body and literally breaking your body down over a period of time.

Did you know that the human colon contains around 400 strains of various microorganisms?  Based on that, it’s unlikely that taking a supplement with only a single strain of bacteria will have a major impact in recolonizing your colon.  For example, I’m talking about probiotics that only have one strain listed on the bottle.  Popular ones contain just acidophilus, which will help, but don’t count on a miracle from just that.  You need a probiotic supplement like Primal Defense Ultra, which contains 13 different species of beneficial bacteria to actually make a noticeable difference in your health.

Hopefully, that clears up any confusion you may have had about the difference between prebiotics and probiotics.  If you have any other questions, please feel free to post a comment.

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