Synbiotics

A synbiotic is a combination of probiotics and prebiotics that improves the survival and activity of helpful microbes in the gut, hence benefiting the host. Synbiotics are food ingredients or dietary supplements that combine probiotics and prebiotics in a synergistic way, thus the name. Synbiotics are mixtures of probiotics and prebiotics that benefit the host by improving the survival and implantation of live microbial dietary supplements in the gastrointestinal tract, by selectively stimulating the growth and/or activating the metabolism of one or a small number of health-promoting bacteria, and thus improving host welfare. Complementary synbiotics, in which each component is chosen independently for its potential effect on host health, or synergistic synbiotics, in which the prebiotic component is chosen to assist the function of the probiotic component. Synbiotics (also known as 'optibiotics') are being studied to see whether they may be improved to improve the growth and health effects of existing probiotics.