The Rise of Synbiotics

Many of us are familiar with the term probiotics and understand them as the friendly bacteria with health benefits including improved digestion, energy and immunity. There’s also a chance you’ve heard of prebiotics, which are identified as the added food source that feeds the friendly bacteria. But are you aware of synbiotics?

Since obtaining a clear definition in the global probiotic field (1), synbiotics have sparked significant interest in both domestic and international markets. Named for their ‘synergistic’ effects, synbiotics are a combination of probiotics and prebiotics and work in harmony to optimise the growth of the healthy microorganisms required to colonise larger areas of the gutbiome.  

In a recent report, Lumina Intelligence’s Director of Insights Ewa Hudson details a significant rise in online engagement for probiotics and prebiotics in the Americas during 2020. What the presentation shows is reviews for probiotic supplements accelerated in the second half of 2020 by 219%.

Consumers also listed the health benefits they experienced by taking probiotics with digestion, immunity, nutrient absorption, wellbeing and reduced inflammation and cholesterol at the forefront. There was also a rise in the star ratings, with more 4.3-to-4.7-star reviews emerging in 2020, suggesting an increase in product satisfaction and awareness.

Further, probiotic reviews specifically for infants and breastfeeding women showed a substantial growth. Finally, there has also been an increase in online engagement for prebiotics, with synbiotics accounting for 62% of probiotic supplements.

What this increase in online engagement points to is more people are starting to become aware of and prioritise their own health and wellbeing. No longer just the talk of scientific circles, synbiotics are now making their way into the mainstream.

Many consumers now understand that gut health plays a key role in wellbeing and are therefore turning to probiotic and prebiotic supplements, with synbiotics emerging as an ideal solution for the whole family.

People are looking for ways to start investing in their health and value brands backed by valid scientific research and quality ingredients, two ideals integral to GutBiome Synbiotics and our unique product range.

While the USA was a key contributor to the online engagement with probiotic supplements, Canada and Mexico are developing fast and we expect Australia to catch up in the next few years and get onboard with synbiotics as the ideal gut health solution!

References:

  1. Swanson, K.S., Gibson, G.R., Hutkins, R. et al. The International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) consensus statement on the definition and scope of synbiotics. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol 17, 687–701 (2020). 
  2. Hudson, E., 2021. The changing retail environment for probiotics and prebiotics in Americas.

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