postbiotic
Sign in to saveAlso known as postbiotics, metabiotic, lacidophilin, paraprobiotic, modified probiotic, ghost probiotic, tyndallized probiotic, fermentation product
Postbiotics are preparations of dead microorganisms and/or their components that are believed to confer a health benefit on the host. Most such preparations are derived from bacteria believed to be beneficial (so-called probiotics), with most purported benefits having to do with the digestive tract.
~7 min read
Article
12 sectionsContents
- Terminology
- Preparation
- Composition
- Classification
- IPA framework
- Research
- Clinical research
- Preclinical research
- Proposed mechanisms
- Safety and regulation
- Commonly used taxa
- References
Postbiotics are preparations of dead microorganisms and/or their components that are believed to confer a health benefit on the host. Most such preparations are derived from bacteria believed to be beneficial (so-called probiotics), with most purported benefits having to do with the digestive tract.
In 2021, the International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) issued a consensus definition that helped align terminology across research and applications. The definition states that a postbiotic is "a preparation of inanimate microorganisms and/or their components that confers a health benefit on the host". Under this consensus, postbiotics include inactivated microbial cells or cell components, with or without co-present metabolites, but exclude substantially purified metabolites alone, vaccines, filtrates devoid of cell components, and purely synthetic compounds. The microbial source should be defined, and the inactivation process and matrix characterized.