Probiotics vs. Prebiotics: What's the Difference?

They’re a dream team for digestive health and balance.*

As the old saying goes, two is better than one — and that definitely applies to your gut. Prebiotics AND probiotics are both helpful to the health of your gut. In fact, prebiotics are essential to the health of probiotics. Confused? We’re here to provide some insight as to why the two work better together.

Prebiotics

Prebiotics are specialized fibers that help nourish the bacteria living within the digestive tract. They’re not able to be digested by your body, so they hang out in the digestive tract where they fulfill a very important role as the preferred food source for your good probiotic bacteria.* Prebiotics help promote probiotic growth throughout the digestive tract and keep probiotic bacteria happy and healthy, encouraging them to stick around.* 

You may be consuming a great deal of prebiotics in your everyday diet and not even know it! Prebiotic fibers can be found in foods like onions, garlic, Jerusalem artichokes, bananas, asparagus, jicama, and chicory root. 

Many of the benefits of prebiotics are similar to those of probiotics. They help support diversity of your microbiome and can help support your digestive health.* We believe so strongly in the benefits of prebiotics that we created Fortify™ Daily Prebiotic Fiber, a powder drink mix loaded with prebiotics to help keep the good bacteria in your gut nourished and working hard.* It tastes delicious and is easily mixed into your favorite beverages to infuse them with the power of prebiotics.

Probiotics

Probiotics, as we’ve discussed before, are the “good bacteria” that can provide numerous health benefits, including supporting your digestive and immune health.* You can incorporate probiotics into your day via foods like yogurt, kimchi, and sauerkraut or with supplements.

Putting the two together

Now that you know the benefits of each one and the different roles they play, it’s time to clear up why the two work better together: Probiotics are beneficial bacteria found in certain foods or supplements. Prebiotics are types of fiber that feed the friendly bacteria in the digestive system.

Fortify™ Daily Probiotic supplements are formulated with probiotics and prebiotics with specialized options for daily care, women’s health, men’s health, and adults 50+. We’re also happy to announce Fortify Probiotics contain the doctor-preferred probiotic strain for regularity, which means you no longer need to trust just your gut when it comes to choosing a probiotic that’s right for you.*††

*†† Based on an IQVIA ProVoice survey of Primary Care Physicians, HOWARU B. lactis HN019 is the Doctor preferred probiotic strain for Regularity as compared to other strains in leading Probiotic brands, 52-week sales MULO, ending 11/3/2019; December 2019.*

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