Is There Any Scientific Evidence Suggesting A Prebiotic Would Help Increase The Effectiveness Of The Probiotic?

Posted on Fri, 25 May 2018

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Fri, 25 May 2018 Answered on

Tue, 19 Jan 2021 Last reviewed on

Question : My doctor prescribed probiotics for my ulcerative colitis. Is there any scientific evidence suggesting a prebiotic would help increase the effectiveness of the probiotic? Any thoughts?'
Thanks,
Ernie

Answered by Dr. Dr. Michelle Gibson (59 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
using them together increases the benefits

Detailed Answer:

Hi,

Probiotics are a type of bacteria similar to those found in the gut. Prebiotics are a type of carbohydrate that are used as food for the probiotics.
The combination is referred to synbiotics.

The use of prebiotics improves the effectiveness of the probiotics.

There are a number of studies, particularly on pubmed medical website, that promote the use of the combination.
EG-Probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics- a review by XXXXXXX R Pandey- Also found in the Journal of food and technology in dec 2015

There are others if you want those listed as well

You can use both to have added benefit

I hope this helps, feel free to ask any other questions

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar