Prebiotic fiber has just one job: feed the "good" bacteria found in your gut. Most people associate prebiotics and probiotics solely with digestion when they hear either of them being spoken of. But there's so much more to it. Our bodies are so intricately made that researchers discover new revelations about our delicately woven systems every day. One of those discoveries is that there's a link between good gut health and the well-being of our brain.
Top Prebiotic Brands in 2024
Brands | Price | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|
Performance Lab | $$ | ||
Total Gut Health | $$$ | ||
Hyperbiotics | $ | ||
Dr. Tobias Gutmeister | $ | ||
BioSchwartz | $ | ||
BeLive | $ | ||
Vitamin Bounty | $$ | ||
Zenwise Health | $$ | ||
Gobiotix | $$ | ||
MAV Nutrition | $ |
Imbalanced Gut
If your gut bacteria gets thrown off balance the result can be any or all of the following:
- Craving food that is incredibly bad for you
- Gaining weight from giving in to the cravings
- Bloated and uncomfortable belly
- Issues with proper digestion
The Gut-Brain Link
All of the messages your brain receives and sends out are amazing. Have you ever heard of someone saying that they are "hangry"? A neuroscientist's research recently revealed that if your gut is out of balance it can have an adverse effect on your learning, memory, and decision-making. It can also cause you to have some pretty nasty mood swings.
Your gut is a battleground where numerous bacteria breeds fight for growth and multiplication. Just like different breeds of animals eat different foods, the food that bacteria thrive on differs from one breed to another.
Some eat healthy foods and others thrive on unhealthy foods like sugar. How do these bacteria get you to eat what they want to eat? Those chemical signals that get sent out to your brain tell you whether you want a hot fudge sundae for breakfast or that you want to have an incredible cobb salad for lunch. It can go either way.
If you have too much bad bacteria in your gut, you're going to desire the foods that are bad for you most of the time. If you feed your body a lot of sugar, the sugar thriving bacteria in your gut will multiply and you will want even more sugar because the bacteria will fire off notifications to your brain that you should eat a piece of cake after you finish eating that tiramisu.
These chemical messages that get sent to your brain can make you feel down or agitated until you give them the food that they want.
The bacteria that thrive on healthy food will do the same thing, though. The more healthy food you eat, the more good bacteria you will have in your gut. The notifications sent to your brain will insist on more of the healthy stuff.
You can cause your good bacteria to stop firing if your body is asking for baked chicken and you feed it a bag of chips instead. The bad bacteria will take over. The good bacteria are called probiotics and they pack a powerful punch when they are fed prebiotic fiber.
Microbiome Therapy
Many university studies attest that constant intake of prebiotic fiber is directly linked to lower body mass index (BMI), less heart disease risk, and good gut health.
Prebiotics are undigestable carbs. The prebiotic supplements act as fertilizers for the probiotics, call it magical multiplication. Some people opt to take both prebiotic and probiotic supplements together.
This is called microbiome therapy. You don't have to take a prebiotic for probiotics to be effective, but the prebiotic will greatly enhance the benefits of a probiotic supplement.
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Performance Lab
Performance Lab Prebiotic supplements are designed to do work. This supplement feeds the existing probiotic in your body instead of mixing in foreign strains. If you are looking to lose weight, preserve a healthy heart, and boost the performance of your immune system then Performance Lab Prebiotic's microflora support is what you are seeking.
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2
Total Gut Health
Total Gut Health is everything you need in one little packet to boost your gut health including digestive enzymes, prebiotics, probiotics, and betaine HCI. These are the forces that act as a powerful team in our body to digest your food properly and optimize nutrient absorption. Also via the healthy gut flora, the immune system's support is reinforced.
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3
Hyperbiotics
If you want to support your gut bacteria, Hyperbiotics Prebiotics are for you. Hyperbiotics Prebiotics are made of power-packed food-based zero synthetic prebiotic fiber. These ingredients make up a complete multivitamin powder that supports the barrier in your gut by fostering the multiplication of probiotics. This powder is an organic and food-based product packed with beneficial micro and macronutrients.
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Dr. Tobias Gutmeister
Dr. Tobias Gutmeister has mastered gut health to a science. Specialized plant fibers are essentially acting as fertilizer by fostering the multiplication of good gut bacteria and better digestion which in turn boosts your immune system.
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BioSchwartz
BioSchwartz Advanced Prebiotic is a mixture of PreforPor and PreicX fibers. This mixture is more powerful than inulin powder at perfecting your microbiome. If you deal with digestive issues like bloating and other intestinal afflictions daily, this product works in the small and large intestines and has been proven to take effect within hours.
When your microbiome is healthy, your cholesterol and blood sugar levels go down while your immunity rises.
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BeLive Prebiotic Fiber Gummies
BeLive Prebiotic Fiber Gummies are made for children and adults. The bottle contains 40 chewable gummies which is approximate six weeks of daily doses. The main acting ingredient is chicory root. Chicory root is effectively proven to bolster your gut health, fight nausea and diabetic flares, fight inflammatory disorders, and more.
The chicory root is packed with inulin which is a quick reliever of constipation by slowing digestion.
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Vitamin Bounty
Vitamin Bounty Prebiotic Supplement is a full spectrum microbiome therapy, containing:
Lactobacillus, Acidophilus, Bifidobacterium Lactis, Brevis, Casei, Plantarum, Rhamnosus, Salivarius, Paracasei, Bulgaricus, Longum, and Fermented greens.
This powerful mixture will relieve the most severe bloating and give you back comfortable digestion.
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Zenwise Health Digestive Enzymes
Zenwise Health Digestive Enzymes are microbiome therapy supplements containing: Natural enzymes, Prebiotic, and Probiotic supplements. The ingredients work together to foster a healthy gut that is appropriate for both men and women.
This supplement relieves gassy bloated stomachs that ache with ingredients such as: turmeric, ginger, green papaya, inulin, apple pectin, bladderwack, fennel, and wakame.
The ingredients are also jam-packed with enzymes including: bromela, lactase, protease, papain, lipase, invertase, cellulase, and amylase.
Through healthy gut flora support, this supplement is an essential for the entire family that needs to ward off indigestion and constipation.
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Gobiotix
Gobiotix helps your body process harmful Lectins that are found in certain fruits and vegetables, some seafood and several grains. Lectins cause the GI tract to slowly swell. You will notice a substantial reduction in gas and bloating, as well as indigestion. Gobiotix will also ward off food cravings spawned by "bad" bacteria.
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MAV Nutrition
MAV Nutrition supplement is a prebiotic/probiotic combo that works as microbiome therapy. The amount of pre- and probiotic contained in the supplement are balanced to level your digestive tract and promote healthy digestion.
Your gut is your second brain, therefore if you have a sick gut you will feel sick mentally and possibly emotionally. Healthy gut bacteria monitors the regulation of hormones. If your gut is in bad shape, you may find that your mental health is not good and your neurotransmitters are misfiring.
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Final Thoughts
If you have experienced digestive problems due to age or for any other reason, take control of those issues today! Most of the supplements mentioned have a money-back guarantee, so you have nothing to lose by trying one out to see if you can improve everything from your eating habits (with fewer cravings) to your mood.
You don't have to take a probiotic for a prebiotic to work (or vice versa) but microbiome therapy is definitely a recommendation so that you can get an optimum improvement of your gut health.