Best Prebiotics 2024: Top Supplements to Improve Your Gut Health

Boost brainpower, gut health and overall wellness with the Best Prebiotic Supplement

The gut-brain connection is real. Science and mainstream culture are increasingly in agreement that a healthy gut microbiome -- the colony of "good bacteria" that resides in the gut, also called the gut microbiota -- can support mood and enhance brain health.

Probiotic foods and supplements have always been the go-to when it comes to enhancing microbiome health. But now, prebiotic supplements have emerged as a potentially better way to boost your "second brain" in the gut.

With the right microbiome support, brainpower is just one health benefit you can unlock. Read on to learn about the many additional benefits associated with probiotics and prebiotics, including support to promote digestive health, heart health, immune function, blood sugar balance, metabolic syndrome and more.

In this article, we will talk about prebiotics and probiotics, as well as discussing their combined benefits. We'll then reveal the best prebiotic supplements you can buy. Let's get to it!

What are Probiotics?

Probiotic foods and supplements boost the microbiome. And now, in addition to probiotics' well-documented benefits for digestive health, irritable bowel syndrome, immune performance and more, benefits for cognition and mental health are emerging.

As a result, probiotics are prized as performance-boosting nootropics (brain boosters) among athletes, academics, busy professionals and other driven individuals.

Probiotics (good bacteria) work by changing the microflora colony balance so that good bacteria outnumber and outcompete the bad bacteria and harmful microbes that can lead to various states of ill health.

A probiotic supplement may supply billions of viable probiotics in each serving. Further, multi strain probiotics supplement may be customized with different types of good bacteria, thereby providing broader support for the digestive system.

What Are Prebiotics?

Probiotics have always been the go-to supplements for boosting the microbiome. But now, the benefits of prebiotics are coming to light, driving the popularity of the best prebiotic supplements and prebiotic foods.

When consumed, prebiotic fiber will pass through the small intestine undigested, resisting stomach acid, to undergo fermentation in the large intestine. The fermentation of prebiotic fibers in the colon feeds the life-essential microbiota of the gut, including beneficial bacteria such as probiotics.

By nourishing these beneficial gut bacteria colonies in the large intestine, prebiotic fibers in foods and the best prebiotic supplements can help boost the activity of probiotics in the digestive system. This in turn contributes to a more balanced microbiome associated with healthier digestion, nutrient absorption, improved metabolic activity, more robust immune performance and so on.

What's the Difference between Prebiotics and Probiotics?

Roughly speaking, probiotics are beneficial bacteria, whereas prebiotics feed beneficial bacteria. More specifically:

• Probiotics are live colonies of gut-healthy bacteria that naturally produced through the fermentation of foods like yogurt, tapioca, sauerkraut, pickles, kimchi, kefir, and more;

• Prebiotics are natural fibers in foods and supplements that don't digest in the small intestine. Instead, this resistant starch undergoes fermentation in the large intestine to feed the live colonies of gut-healthy bacteria (i.e., probiotics) already present in the gut.

Prebiotics and probiotics come in many different forms. While there many types of probiotics, most probiotic strains come from two groups: Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium.

Prebiotic foods and dietary supplement products also supply a range of fibers. We'll discuss the best of these, Inulin-FOS from chicory, below.

Key Point:

Prebiotics and probiotics work together. But even the best probiotic supplement tends to be more unpredictable and unreliable than prebiotic supplements. This is partly because probiotics are fragile. They must arrive in the colon intact in order to be viable.

But oftentimes, probiotic bacteria in supplement form can be killed off by heat, light, cheap capsules, and other factors. In these instances, taking a probiotic supplement won't do much for health, because the beneficial bacteria are dead on arrival.

Instead of introducing new probiotic cultures to the gut, prebiotic supplements work by nourishing the existing probiotic colonies already in your body. In this way, the prebiotic supplement may present a more stable and reliable means of boosting your microbiome.

Benefits of Prebiotic Supplements

Probiotics and prebiotics both promote overall health. But in addition to greater stability, another advantage that prebiotic supplements have over a probiotic supplement: Prebiotic fiber is more versatile, offering many health benefits beyond the gut.

Prebiotic supplements nourish probiotics and contribute to your daily intake of dietary fibers, which unlocks a whole new range of health benefits. Let's take a closer look at the microbiome and fiber-related benefits attributed to prebiotic supplements.

Better Digestive Performance

Maintaining the health of your intestinal tract enhances digestive performance, particularly when it comes to non-digestible foods, such as prebiotic fibers.

This benefit is partly due to prebiotics boosting the probiotic bacteria that help with digestive enzymes. Optimizing enzymes in the gut microbiome enables foods to broken down more efficiently, as well as helping nutrients be liberated and absorbed from foods more easily.

A thriving colony of good bacteria in the gut also helps support gut health and ease symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. A recurrent digestive issue marked by abdominal pain and irregularity, irritable bowel syndrome has been attributed to imbalance in gut between good bacteria and bad bacteria. Some IBS symptoms may improve with prebiotic supplementation.

As a source of fiber, prebiotic supplements can also promote fiber-related digestive system benefits. For example, prebiotic fiber can absorb water and form a gel that sweeps the colon while promoting smooth and regular bowel movements. In the realm of digestive system wellness, prebiotic fiber also helps maintain colon health.

Stronger Resistance to Pathogens

When your microbiome is thriving with beneficial bacteria, they can outcompete the "bad bacteria" as well as strengthening the gut lining against bad bacteria.

The net result? Researchers suggest that prebiotics may help to boost immune health by reinforcing a key immune barrier (the gut lining), helping to seal up a leaky gut while inhibiting pathogens in the digestive tract.

Improved Immune Health

Prebiotic supplements and foods may help to optimize the immune system overall. In addition to pathogen fighting prowess, a healthy microbiome is associated with robust production and performance of immune system cells, including macrophages and lymphocytes.

Inflammation is part of the immune system. Prebiotics may also be anti-inflammatory. Researchers suggest they raise levels of natural anti-inflammatory immune cells while reducing activity of pro-inflammatory cells.

As part of their far-ranging support for immune health, Prebiotics have been suggested to promote a balanced immune response that may help with inflammatory bowel disease.

Enhanced Nutritional Status

Bifidobacterium and other lactic-acid producing gut flora may assist with nutritional status by promoting a favorable acidic environment and healthy digestion performance for optimal absorption of essential minerals, such as calcium, magnesium, iron, and zinc.

This bioactivity may indirectly support brain-boosting nootropic effects and whole-body performance: Bifidobacterium also helps synthesize B-vitamins and vitamin K within the GI tract, which in turn support various cognitive and physical bio-functions and health benefits.

Prebiotic supplements that encourage robust growth of Bifidobacterium can indirectly help your overall nutritional status, building a strong foundation for whole-body health.

Heart Health

Soluble prebiotic fiber, especially Inulin-FOS fiber found in foods like chicory and the best prebiotic supplements, in particular is associated with healthy and balanced blood cholesterol levels, as well as overall cardiovascular health.

Increasing dietary fiber is the best way to realize heart health benefits, but incorporating a prebiotic supplement is an easy way to help contribute to your total daily fiber intake.

Cognitive Performance

Researchers cite ever-increasing evidence that the composition and health of the microbiome can influence the brain and behavior, especially in the context of mental performance. Scientists have further theorized that changing the composition of the microbiome may actually improve cognitive function.

Taking a prebiotic supplement can nourish the beneficial bacteria in your gut that are associated with sharp cognitive performance. Stacking a prebiotic with nootropic (brain-boosting) nutrients can yield even greater mental performance benefits. But more on that in a minute.

Weight Management

Prebiotic adds to the fiber intake that supports healthy weight. Prebiotics have been suggested to stimulate hormones associated with feeling "full" as well as regulating blood sugar, which helps appetite control and overall healthy weight management.

Related Post: Nootropics for Weight Loss

The Top Prebiotic Food Sources

Here, we've listed a few of the top prebiotic food sources you can consume to get more dietary fiber, nourish the good bacteria in your gut, and naturally improve your digestive wellness.

Some of the top prebiotic rich foods found in a healthy diet include:

• Chicory Root
• Jerusalem Artichokes
• Dandelion Greens
• Garlic
• Onions
• Leeks
• Asparagus
• Apples
• Bananas
• Oats
• Barley
• Konjac Root
• Burdock Root
• Yacon Root

What's the Difference: Soluble vs. Insoluble Fiber?

Many of the aforementioned prebiotic foods are high in both soluble and insoluble fibers - the two basic types of dietary fiber known for supporting overall digestive health.

• Soluble fiber easily dissolves in water to create a gel-like substance that feeds beneficial probiotics, optimizes nutrient absorption and supports healthy digestion.

• Insoluble fiber is an acid resistant starch that does not dissolve in water and, thus, passes through the GI tract undigested, promoting a healthy bowel movement along the way.

Take note: both soluble and insoluble fibers seem to help with digestive performance, gut health issues, weight management and some chronic diseases. However, soluble dietary fibers, in particular, appear to most effectively feed and promote healthy gut bacteria.

Best Prebiotic Supplement for More Brainpower

The best prebiotic supplements use Orafti® Synergy1 Inulin-FOS to selectively feed Bifidobacterium probiotic strains.

There are a lot of supplements and foods that supply prebiotic fiber. But which is the best for boosting bacteria in your gut?

Inulin-FOS is the top Prebiotic source

Inulin-FOS (FructoOligoSaccharides) fiber from chicory root stands out as the most effective prebiotic fiber supplement, and is also backed by a number of well-designed studies demonstrating its support for optimal health.

Inulin-FOS is resilient. Unlike probiotic supplements, insulin-FOS may better survive the stomach acids unharmed. It reaches the large intestine to feed the probiotic bacteria in your gut and deliver the best microbiome benefits, including for irritable bowel syndrome, peak immune function, optimal gut health and more.

Once in the digestive tract, fermentation of inulin-FOS produces lactic acid that reduces gut pH, thereby limiting growth of bad gut bacteria strains, such as Candida albacans and E. coli, while also protecting the intestinal lining that plays a key barrier role in the immune system.

Orafti® Synergy1 is the most effective Inulin-FOS dietary fiber found in supplements

One patented form of Inulin-FOS called Orafti® Synergy1 is the most potent and research backed prebiotic ingredient found in supplements.

The Orafti® Synergy1 form specifically has been shown to boost absorption of both magnesium and calcium, as well as supporting weight loss in many natural ways.

And the best Orafti® Synergy1-powered prebiotic supplement to stack with nootropics is Performance Lab® Prebiotic, a powerful gut wellness supplement with the cleanest formula design that makes it easy to increase prebiotic intake.

Best Prebiotic Supplement Overall: Performance Lab® Prebiotic

Performance Lab® Prebiotic is the highest quality prebiotic supplement on the market. Each serving supplies 2 grams of Orafti® Synergy1 prebiotic dietary fiber, from 100% chicory root.

The best prebiotic supplements use Orafti® Synergy1. But Performance Lab® Prebiotic is the only one that delivers this high-quality organic fiber in NutriCaps®, which are clean vegan capsules made from fermented tapioca.

NutriCaps® have small amounts of prebiotic fiber in the capsule shell itself, further nourishing the gut microbiome and supporting a healthy digestive system. These are the best prebiotic capsules on the market today.

Mind Lab Pro® Nootropics combine perfectly with Performance Lab® Prebiotic

For total Gut-Brain health and performance enhancement, stack Mind Lab Pro® nootropics with Performance Lab® Prebiotic.

Paired with nootropics, the gut-brain optimizing effects of inulin-FOS may help take your cognitive performance to the next level.

With Mind Lab Pro® supplying a smart, all-natural stack of nootropics for cognitive performance and Performance Lab® Prebiotic delivering all the aforementioned gut health benefits provided by prebiotic supplementation, you're receiving a comprehensive top-down, bottom-up boost on your overall mind-body health and performance.

What's more, considering the bidirectional relationship between the brain and gut in the Gut-Brain Axis, there's likely a potential degree of health-boosting synergy involved in pairing nootropics with prebiotics.

To Buy, Visit:
www.PerformanceLab.com

However, to better understand why Performance Lab® Prebiotic - and not prebiotics and probiotics - is the best prebiotic supplement to improve gut health and then stack with Mind Lab Pro® for more brainpower...

Let's take a deeper look at Performance Lab Prebiotic's formula:

Performance Lab® Prebiotic Formula Analysis

The Supplement Facts for Performance Lab® Prebiotic include the following:

• Total Carbohydrates, 2g

• Fiber,7g

• Orafti® Synergy1 (Inulin-FOS) (FructoOligoSaccharides from Chicory Root [Cichorium intybus]), 2g

Having a clean formula is important to all types of health and fitness supplements. However, for prebiotics, it's doubly important.

Considering how artificial additives and synthetic chemicals may not only dampen a formula's bioavailability but they may also clog up your digestive tract. And clogging up the digestive tract is incredibly counterproductive when it comes to supplementing prebiotics.

Like all Performance Lab® products, Performance Lab® Prebiotic is clean inside and out. Delivering only all-natural, cleanly sourced ingredients in all-natural, additive-free NutriCaps® capsules.

Constructed out of fermented tapioca (pullulan), NutriCaps® are uniquely probiotic-cultured capsules - and nothing else - giving Performance Lab® Prebiotic a bit of a synbiotic (probiotic + prebiotic) edge over other prebiotic supplements.

Altogether, this prebiotic supplement is: 

• gut-friendly
• vegan-friendly
• eco-friendly
• and just all-around friendly for all health enthusiasts of all dietary lifestyles.

To learn more about Performance Lab® Prebiotic, click here.

Who takes Performance Lab® Prebiotic?

Similar to a multivitamin supplement, Performance Lab® Prebiotic work for everyone.

Again, unlike probiotic supplements, prebiotics feed all types of beneficial gut bacteria, whereas probiotics supply a specific bacterial strain that might not match your gut biome.

With that in mind, anyone dissatisfied with standard probiotic supplements or who are seeking a healthy way to optimize their diet, Performance Lab® Prebiotic is a smart daily option that's safe for long-term use.

How to take Performance Lab® Prebiotic

The directions for Performance Lab® Prebiotic suggest that:

For best results, take 3 capsules with your first meal of the day and 3 capsules with your second meal. Always take Prebiotic with at least 8 oz. of water.

Where to buy Performance Lab® Prebiotic

To buy Performance Lab® Prebiotic, visit here.

All Performance Lab® products sell exclusively through www.performancelab.com, which houses even more information on Performance Lab® Prebiotic and many other health and fitness supplements.

Conclusion

Mind Lab Pro® + Performance Lab® Prebiotic stack delivers the most advanced nootropic and prebiotic formulas in one - for more brainpower.

Even though prebiotics are far lesser known than probiotics, many consumers are catching on to the advantages of supplementing with prebiotics, rather than with probiotics. These advantages extend to all benefits associated with both probiotics and prebiotics, spanning many aspects of overall health.

However, if you're still looking to gain a competitive edge - both mentally and physically - try stacking prebiotics with cognitive enhancing nootropics.

• Boosting health and performance from both ends of the gut-brain axis, Mind Lab Pro® and Performance Lab® Prebiotic may work together to strengthen your mind-body connection.

The belief that you are what you eat is incomplete. Really, it's not only what you eat that makes you who you are but also what the microorganisms in your gut eat.

And if you fail to feed the probiotic bacteria guests in your gut with healthy prebiotics, not only are you a less healthier version of yourself but you're also a very rude host.

Stack prebiotics with nootropics for a healthier, more mindful version of you—whoever you are!

To get the best deal on Mind Lab Pro®, click here.

To get the best deal on Performance Lab® Prebiotic, click here.

BONUS – Ultimate Gut-Brain Health Stack

With nootropics boosting brainpower and prebiotics optimizing nutrient absorption in your healthy gut, the foundation is set and the channels are open for other brain-and-body supplements to work even better at enhancing your mental and physical performance.

To achieve the Ultimate Gut-Brain Health Stack, consider stacking Mind Lab Pro® and Performance Lab® Prebiotic with the following supplements:

Performance Lab® NutriGenesis Multi

Probiotic-cultivated NutriGenesis® vitamins and minerals delivered in prebiotic-infused NutriCaps® for optimal nutrient absorption.

Ingredients: Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin D3, Vitamin E, Vitamin K1 + K2, Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B3, Vitamin B5, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B7, Vitamin B9, Vitamin B12, Calcium, Iron, Iodine, Magnesium, Zinc, Selenium, Copper, Manganese, Chromium, Molybdenum, Strontium, Inositol, Vanadium, Boron

• By nourishing Bifidobacterium in the digestive tract, Performance Lab® Prebiotic enhances absorption of Performance Lab® NutriGenesis Multi, a comprehensive stack of essential vitamins and minerals.

• From a healthy gut to a healthy brain to overall vitality, NutriGenesis Multi's micronutrients provide a solid foundation for all your bio-pathways to function at their highest levels.

• Prebiotic + NutriGenesis Multi is a powerful stack to supercharge your nutrient status.

To get the best deal on Performance Lab® NutriGenesis Multi, click here.

Performance Lab® Energy

Advanced mitochondrial support stack of antioxidants that boost natural, cellular energy, as opposed to risky, synthetic stimulation.

Ingredients: Acetyl L-Carnitine (from Acetyl L-Carnitine HCL), Microencapsulated Bio-Enhanced® R-Lipoic Acid, MicroActive® Q10 (Coenzyme Q10), BioPQQ® (Pyrroloquinoline quinone [PQQ]), BioPerine® Black Pepper Extract (Piper nigrum) (fruit) (95% piperine)

• Across the brain and body, mitochondria convert food fuel into ATP energy, the basic energy unit for all physiological processes. By promoting ATP energy efficiency, Performance Lab® Energy is a smart energy booster stack that outperforms the standard caffeine pill in terms of health and fitness enhancement.

• Combined with Mind Lab Pro® and Prebiotic, Performance Lab® Energy's stim-free formula design provides additional metabolic energy support that enhances nutrient utilization on a cellular level.

To get the best deal on Performance Lab® Energy, click here.