gut microbiota” also play essential roles in digestion, immunity, and metabolism.However, antibiotics, changes in diet, and infections can disrupt the gut microbiota, which may contribute to a wide range of illnesses, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and metabolic syndrome, which increases a person’s risk of developing heart disease and diabetes.One way to restore a healthy balance of microorganisms in the gut is to take a supplement containing probiotics and prebiotics.
Probiotics are live, beneficial bacteria, and prebiotics are indigestible substrates, such as fiber, on which “good” bacteria feed.Researchers first proposed combining probiotics and prebiotics into a single product called a “synbiotic” 25 years ago.