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Jul 25, 2023

Probiotics and prebiotics: Do you need them? How to take them and the sodas that can help

Haley Hernandez, Health Reporter The gut microbiome is very complex and products

Haley Hernandez, Health Reporter

The gut microbiome is very complex and products to improve your gut health are everywhere.

The microbiome may hold tons of secrets of the immune system.

Now, a social media trend suggests drinking a prebiotic soda (like those made by Poppi and Olipop) and taking a probiotic can improve gut health.

For KPRC 2 producer, Ana Gonzalez, she's been drinking a prebiotic soda with an Olly probiotic for a few weeks now.

"I needed to jumpstart my weight loss because I was just stuck, like on a plateau, so then I just started doing it ‘what's the worst that could happen; I get good gut health and maybe I lose some weight?’ And I did!" Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez said she's lost about seven pounds.

A registered dietitian with Advice for Eating, Catherine Kruppa, explained those results will vary depending on your gut health before taking them.

Are the pounds going to melt off by taking a prebiotic/probiotic? No. If your microbiome is out of whack, are you more likely to lose weight if you get it in a good place? Sure!" Kruppa said.

"I’m definitely not as bloated, I’m usually very bloated after I eat bread or carbs," Gonzalez said it's helping her overall feeling of wellness.

Probiotics are the healthy bacteria you want in your gut.

Prebiotics are the food that the probiotics eat, so it helps them multiply.

"When people's microbiome is off, you can have bloating, gas, all kinds of digestive issues, and then it leads to inflammation which leads to disease, so we do want a good microbiome," Kruppa said. "Anytime we can get it naturally, any of these things naturally, we’re better off."

There's no special order you have to consume prebiotics and probiotics.

If you’re not regularly eating a balanced diet, taking a supplement can help.

Things like antibiotics, high-fat diets, and diets high in processed food can disrupt the microbiome and you may need to take a probiotic to help your gut get back on track.

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