Postbiotics: Effects and Benefits of the New Health Trend
Interest in gut health has been booming for years. While probiotics and prebiotics were previously the main focus, so-called postbiotics are now increasingly attracting attention. Manufacturers describe them as the “next generation” of modern microbiome products. At the same time, the term is appearing more and more frequently in connection with longevity in scientific articles and online publications. But what exactly are postbiotics — and why are so many people suddenly interested in them?
In this article, we explain what postbiotics actually are, how they work and why the topic is currently gaining major scientific and commercial significance.
What Are Postbiotics? Differences Compared with Probiotics and Prebiotics Explained
These terms are often confused. We make the distinction easier:
Probiotics contain living microorganisms that confer health benefits (to the gut) when administered in adequate amounts.
Prebiotics are indigestible food components that serve as nourishment for certain gut bacteria. These include specific dietary fibres, for example.
Postbiotics, by contrast, are not living bacteria. The term describes substances, metabolic products or inactivated microorganisms that arise in connection with gut bacteria and may have health-related effects. The International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) officially defined postbiotics as: “A preparation of inanimate microorganisms and/or their components that confers a health benefit on the host” (ISAPP consensus statement, 2021).
These include, among others:
· short-chain fatty acids such as butyrate
· bacterial cell components
· enzymes
· peptides
· metabolic products of fermentation processes
Why Are Postbiotics Becoming So Popular?
Interest in the microbiome has increased dramatically in recent years.
Researchers and manufacturers are searching for:
o more stable products
o manufacturing processes that can be standardised more easily
o new approaches to gut health
o functional foods
o and so-called “next-generation” microbiome products.
Also in the fields of longevity, functional medicine and nutritional medicine, postbiotics are receiving increasing attention and importance (DSM-Firmenich, 2025).
Exactly for this reason, many researchers and microbiome experts now regard postbiotics as one of the most exciting new trends in modern gut and microbiome research. Current research is focusing in particular on how such postbiotic substances are linked to gut barrier function, immune regulation, metabolic processes, inflammation-related mechanisms and metabolic functions. The above-mentioned differences compared with probiotics and prebiotics make postbiotics particularly interesting for the dietary supplement industry. Inactivated microorganisms are in some respects considered more heat-stable, more stable, longer-lasting and technologically easier to control than living cultures.
This potentially makes them more suitable for the production of:
· dietary supplements
· functional foods
· beverages
· and industrial manufacturing processes
(Nataraj et al., 2020; DSM-Firmenich, 2025).
Can Fermented Foods Contain Natural Postbiotics?
Because postbiotic metabolic products arise, among other things, during fermentation processes, they are also discussed in connection with fermented foods such as:
o yoghurt
o kefir
o sauerkraut
o kimchi
o miso
o kombucha.
However, the exact composition of such substances depends heavily on production methods, storage conditions and the microorganisms involved (Caffrey et al., 2025).
Conclusion: Postbiotics Are More Than Just a Short-Lived Hype!
Postbiotics are far more than merely a new marketing term. In fact, scientific and commercial interest in microbial metabolic products is currently growing significantly.
In the long term, they could play an important role in gut health, functional nutrition and microbiome research — although the discussion currently exists at a point where scientific research, expectations, hopes and commercial marketing closely coexist. Recognising and seizing opportunities early has never hurt anyone.
FAQ — Frequently Asked Questions About Postbiotics
1. Why is the longevity scene talking about postbiotics?
Because researchers are increasingly investigating how microbial metabolic products may be linked to ageing processes, metabolism and chronic inflammation.
2. Are postbiotics also used in cosmetics or skincare?
Yes. Postbiotics are increasingly appearing in skincare and cosmetic products. There, they are discussed in connection with the skin microbiome, skin barrier function and microbiome-friendly skincare. Interest is growing especially strongly in the fields of functional cosmetics and so-called “microbiome skincare.”
3. So there are already dedicated postbiotic products on the market?
Yes. Postbiotics are now increasingly found in dietary supplements, functional foods and specialised microbiome products.
4. What role does butyrate play in gut health?
Butyrate is one of the best-known short-chain fatty acids and is being intensively studied in connection with gut barrier function, metabolism and inflammation-related processes.
Further information on longevity, skin health and gut health can be found not only on our blog, but also in our “Medizinskandale” book series and our “Codex Humanus” series, the fifth volume of which has recently been published. Feel free to visit our online shop.
Sources:
· Salminen, S. et al. (2021): “The International Scientific Association of Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) Consensus Statement on the Definition and Scope of Postbiotics,” Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology.
· Nataraj, B. H. et al. (2020): “Postbiotics-parabiotics: the new horizons in microbial biotherapy and functional foods,” Microbial Cell Factories.
· DSM-Firmenich (2025): “What’s next for gut health? 5 breakthrough trends from Probiota 2025,” DSM-Firmenich.
· Caffrey, E. B. et al. (2025): “Unpacking Food Fermentation: Clinically Relevant Tools for Fermented Food Identification and Consumption,” Advances in Nutrition.