Postbiotics: Enhancing human health with a novel concept

Abstract

Postbiotics is a novel category of biotics that encompasses dead cells, metabolites, and derivatives from gut microbiota. These substances can exhibit their effects without containing cells, such as in cell-free supernatants and spent media. Examples of widely studied postbiotics include short-chain fatty acids, exopolysaccharides, cell wall fragments, and bacterial lysates. Evidence suggests that postbiotics have numerous benefits for human health, including antiaging, and anti-inflammatory properties, and participation in immune and lipid metabolism regulation. Specifically, postbiotics can improve intestinal health by strengthening the intestinal barrier, reducing inflammation, and promoting antibacterial activity. These findings may pave the way for the development of postbiotic functional foods in the future. This review provides an overview of the components, health effects, and industrial applications of postbiotics, aiming to consolidate existing research conclusions and serve as a reference for future studies.