What is a Combination of Probiotics and Prebiotics?

December 4, 2025 •

3 min read

Research from the International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) highlights that combining beneficial live microorganisms with their specific food source, or substrate, can lead to enhanced health benefits for the host. This powerful duo is commonly known as a synbiotic, a concept rooted in a synergistic relationship to improve the gut microbiome more effectively than either component alone.

Quick Summary

A combination of probiotics and prebiotics is called a synbiotic, a mixture of live, beneficial bacteria and the non-digestible fibers that nourish them. This powerful combination works synergistically to enhance gut health, improve nutrient absorption, and support the immune system by fostering a balanced and thriving gut microbiome.

Key Points

Synbiotic Defined: A synbiotic is a functional combination of live, beneficial microorganisms (probiotics) and their fermentable food source (prebiotics).
Enhanced Survival: The prebiotic component in a synbiotic formulation helps improve the survival and implantation of the probiotics in the harsh environment of the gastrointestinal tract.
Synergistic Effect: When combined, prebiotics and probiotics work together more effectively than when taken separately, leading to greater benefits for the host's health.
Promotes Good Bacteria: Prebiotics selectively feed the beneficial bacteria, allowing them to flourish and crowd out less desirable microbes.
Supports Overall Wellness: Beyond gut health, synbiotics contribute to enhanced immunity, improved nutrient absorption, better metabolic regulation, and even mental well-being.
Available in Food and Supplements: Synbiotics can be found in certain fortified foods, such as specific yogurts, or conveniently consumed via dietary supplements.

The Synergistic Power of Synbiotics

When probiotics, the beneficial live bacteria, and prebiotics, the non-digestible fibers that feed them, are combined, they create a functional food or supplement known as a synbiotic. This pairing is designed to create a more favorable environment for the good bacteria in your gut to thrive, survive, and provide maximum benefit. While each component offers individual advantages, their combined effect is often greater than the sum of their parts. Probiotics introduce new, healthy bacteria to the gut, while prebiotics provide the fuel necessary for those beneficial microbes to flourish, ensuring their more effective colonization and persistence.

How Prebiotics and Probiotics Work Together

Prebiotics act as a food source for probiotics. This partnership helps beneficial bacteria thrive, potentially crowding out harmful microbes and restoring gut balance. This interaction can lead to the production of beneficial short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) that support gut health.

Types and Sources of Synbiotics

Synbiotics can be classified as complementary or synergistic. Complementary synbiotics combine prebiotics and probiotics for their individual benefits, while synergistic synbiotics use a prebiotic specifically chosen to be used by the particular probiotic strain for maximum effect.

Synbiotics are available in food and supplement form.

Food Sources: Fermented foods like yogurt and kefir contain probiotics. Some yogurts are fortified with prebiotics like fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS), creating a synbiotic effect. Prebiotic-rich foods include onions, garlic, bananas, and oats. Combining these foods can also create a natural synbiotic effect.
Supplementation: Supplements offer a convenient way to consume both components. Many supplements use methods like enteric coating to help probiotics survive stomach acid.

Health Benefits of Combining Probiotics and Prebiotics

Combining probiotics and prebiotics offers several potential health advantages tied to a healthier gut microbiome:

Improved Digestion: Synbiotics can help with symptoms of IBS and IBD by supporting balanced gut flora.
Enhanced Immune Function: The gut is vital for immunity. A balanced gut microbiome from synbiotics can help regulate the immune system and reduce inflammation.
Better Nutrient Absorption: Gut bacteria aid in breaking down food and absorbing nutrients. Synbiotics support these bacteria, improving nutrient uptake.
Metabolic Health Support: Research suggests synbiotics may help with blood sugar and weight management.
Mental Well-being: Synbiotics can influence the gut-brain axis, potentially impacting mood and stress response.

Comparing Probiotics, Prebiotics, and Synbiotics


Feature	Probiotics	Prebiotics	Synbiotics
Core Component	Live, beneficial microorganisms (bacteria, yeast)	Non-digestible fibers (food for microbes)	Combination of probiotics and prebiotics
Primary Role	Introduce new beneficial microbes to the gut	Nourish existing beneficial microbes	Deliver live microbes and feed them in one product
Survival Aid	Can face challenges surviving stomach acid and bile	Resistant to digestion, reaches the colon intact	Prebiotic component helps protect and sustain probiotic survival
Mechanism	Replenishes gut with good bacteria, competes with pathogens	Stimulates growth and activity of existing beneficial bacteria	Synergistically enhances the growth, viability, and benefits of both components
Analogy	Seeds for the garden	Fertilizer for the garden	A complete gardening kit (seeds + fertilizer)
Sources	Fermented foods (yogurt, kefir, miso), supplements	High-fiber foods (garlic, onions, asparagus), supplements	Specific formulated foods (some yogurts), specialized supplements

Conclusion

A combination of probiotics and prebiotics, known as a synbiotic, offers a synergistic approach to improving gut health. By providing beneficial bacteria and their necessary food source, synbiotics promote a more balanced and robust gut microbiome. This balance is associated with improved digestion, enhanced immune function, better nutrient absorption, and support for metabolic and mental health. Incorporating synbiotics through diet or supplements can be a beneficial strategy for overall wellness.

Additional Resource

For more in-depth information on the specific mechanisms and health benefits of prebiotics, probiotics, and synbiotics, including the latest scientific research, a comprehensive review is available via the National Institutes of Health.

Frequently Asked Questions

A probiotic introduces live, beneficial bacteria to the gut, while a synbiotic is a combination of these live bacteria (probiotics) and their food source (prebiotics) in a single product to enhance their effectiveness.

You can take them together, and in a synbiotic product, they are already combined. While it's not strictly necessary to take them simultaneously, taking a synbiotic or combining your supplement intake ensures the beneficial bacteria have their food source readily available to maximize their growth and colonization.

Fermented foods that also contain a high amount of fiber can be considered natural synbiotics. Examples include certain yogurts that contain live active cultures and are also fortified with prebiotic fibers like FOS.

In some individuals, particularly those with sensitive digestive systems or IBS, certain prebiotic fibers like fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) may cause gas or bloating, especially at higher doses. It is best to start with a low dose and gradually increase it.

Like other dietary supplements, synbiotics are not evaluated or regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for safety and effectiveness before they hit the market. It is crucial to choose a reputable brand that undergoes third-party testing.

Individuals with compromised immune systems, severe underlying health conditions, or those who have recently undergone surgery should consult with a healthcare professional before taking probiotic or synbiotic supplements.

Synbiotics modulate the gut microbiome, which in turn influences the body's immune response. They can reduce inflammation and boost the production of beneficial immune-regulating compounds, thereby strengthening the overall immune system.