The Science of Postbiotics
You’ve heard of probiotics. If you’re a gut nerd, you’ve probably heard about prebiotics, too. But are you familiar with their byproduct, postbiotics? Together, pro-, pre-, and post-biotics make for a healthy microbiome trifecta. And each one needs the other to function optimally.
We asked Elina Kaminsky Restrepo and David Restrepo, the pharmacist masterminds behind our Balance Me Happy Gut Pre-Pro-Postbiotic, to explain what postbiotics are, and why supplementing with them matters — especially if you’re taking probiotics.
A Q&A with Elina Kaminsky Restrepo and David Restrepo
First of all, what is a postbiotic?
Our gut microbes essentially produce postbiotics as byproducts: A postbiotic can be any non-viable bacterial strain or metabolite resulting from the fermentation process of healthy bacteria. Non-viable means it’s a non-living, inactive bacterial strain — they’re sometimes called “ghost biotics” for that reason.
Let’s break that process down: When probiotics (the good bugs in the gut) are fed prebiotics (the fiber in our diet), they produce postbiotics (short-chain fatty acids).
Postbiotics are made from the body’s natural processes of metabolism or from bacterial byproducts. So when we have enough good bugs in our gut, we produce a healthy amount of postbiotics. People who don’t have enough of those good bugs come up short on naturally occurring postbiotics in their system, too.
What does research tell us about why postbiotics are important?
Postbiotics reduce intestinal inflammation and improve overall digestive health. This is ultra-important because probiotics cannot colonize in inflamed tissue. Which is to say: You can take a bunch of probiotics supplements, but if you’re inflamed — as so many of us are — then those probiotics are useless. They get destroyed by the bad guys before they can get to work. Supplementing with postbiotics ensures better absorption and delivery of healthy bacteria probiotics.
“You can take a bunch of probiotics supplements, but if you’re inflamed — as so many of us are — then those probiotics are useless”
Why include a pre-, pro-, and post-biotic all-in-one supplement?
We formulated a very special trifecta that starts working in the gut within hours of ingestion as opposed to days like more basic probiotic supplements out in the market. Some take three to five days to start working if they even work at all. We use a very specialized acid-resistant, capsule-within-a-capsule technology that delivers all the components to the intestines unharmed where they can repopulate and get to work. This ensures maximum absorption and utilization by the body.
Our outer capsule delivers the postbiotic first, which reduces inflammation. Think of it as the foundation to any gut health regimen. The inner capsule then releases nine broad spectrum-probiotic strains, along with a special non-bloating prebiotic. That prebiotic nourishes the good bacteria, allowing them to thrive and multiply.
What is the postbiotic in this supplement made of, and how is it different or similar to what you would be getting through a whole foods diet?
Postbiotics are a revolutionary new finding in the field of gut health. Our postbiotic is a 100 percent vegan short-chain fatty acid, Tributyrin, which is derived from coconut and plant oils instead of animal fats.
“Postbiotics are a revolutionary new finding in the field of gut health.”
Boosting intake of dairy and dietary fibers will also increase levels of short chain fatty acids in the body. But that’s a challenging task for many people, because the amount you’d need to ingest to produce beneficial therapeutic effects is more than people can comfortably ingest on a daily basis.
How does the prebiotic in this supplement work?
Prebiotics are usually starchy indigestible fibers which can be really hard to swallow for someone who’s already experiencing gastric distress, bloating, gas, etc. Our prebiotic is a bacteriophage, not a fiber, which produces better, quicker results without the discomfort.
The issue with prebiotic fibers is that while they do feed the good bugs, they’re also feeding the bad ones. They don’t filter which ones to nourish. This runs the risk of keeping the wrong bugs healthy. In majority of cases, there are already more bad bugs than good, so they end up taking over. And all those expensive probiotics you’re taking do nothing for your overall health.
Our prebiotic bacteriophage selectively targets the bad bacteria for attack. By destabilizing the bad bugs, they clear out space for the good bugs.
How do pre-, pro,- and post-biotics affect our skin?
The skin is our largest organ, but we have multiple organ systems that need support in order to improve physiological processes which naturally result in better looking skin.
Treating a blemish or getting rid of a wrinkle has a lot more to do with digging deeper than the outer layers of our skin: Our outward appearance is largely dependent on our cellular terrain and how well we can balance oxidation, inflammation, and our gut lining.
Why take supplements if you’re already eating a diet that consists of mostly whole foods?
Taking the right supplements is like having extra health insurance for little cost. We are bombarded with toxins on a daily basis. No one has the perfect diet or lifestyle, and the two really do go hand in hand when it comes to achieving optimal health. Taking clean supplements can provides your body with the additional nourishment it requires to function at its highest potential.
Learn more and shop Ace of Air’s Happy Gut Pre-Pro-Postbiotic here.
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From Rph to C.N.C., Dr. Elina Restrepo wears many lab coats. Her diverse and extensive knowledge of integrative care, western medicine and nutrient supplementation guides our unique scientifically-backed approach to holistic wellness.
A registered pharmacist, David Restrepo is well-known among physicians (and patients) worldwide who recognize the value of holistic health. His deep focus and understanding of ingredient benefits, interactions, and side effects allow him to create efficacious formulas that nourish and nurture from the inside out.
