Best Synbiotic Supplements – 4 Top Choices

Probiotic supplements are very common to help people overcome digestive issues and to improve gut health. But there’s actually a relatively new class of supplements called synbiotics, which are designed to offer even more benefits compared to probiotics alone.

These supplements typically contain probiotics, prebiotics, and other ingredients to offer total gut health support. 

Of course, the benefits you get from synbiotics depends on how well-formulated they are. And in this article, we’re covering the best synbiotic supplements to take for those who want premier gut health support. Continue reading if you want to put an end to your search for a quality synbiotic!

Top Rated Synbiotic Supplements

After analyzing a wide variety of synbiotic supplements, we were able to come up with our top four picks. These are:

• Seed Synbiotic
• Manna Pre + Probiotic
• Primal Gut Restore
• Qualia Symbiotic

What are Synbiotics?

The term “synbiotic” refers specifically to the combination of probiotics and prebiotics. This combination of ingredients is designed to work synergistically to enhance gut health.

Probiotics are also known as good bacteria that live in your gut and digestive system. While the term “prebiotics” refers to a number of nondigestible food ingredients (typically fibers) that promote the growth of good bacteria. These are typically found in various fruits, vegetables, grains, and other plant sources.

It might seem odd, but the good bacteria in your gut need to eat too! And they essentially feed off the prebiotics, which then promotes a healthier microbiome. 

So, ultimately, the goal of synbiotics is to give the body a healthy supply of good bacteria and other nutrients for gut health.

Benefits of Synbiotics

There are several possible benefits of synbiotics, including ones beyond gut health. Research has shown that synbiotics may provide the following health benefits:

• Improved Gut Health
• Support for Inflammation & Immunity
• Reduced Digestive Symptoms
• Mental Health Support

Improved Gut Health

Synbiotics can improve gut health due to multiple effects. For one, the prebiotics included alongside the probiotics may help the probiotic survival rate, which can lead to a greater number of good bacteria in the digestive system. 

Synbiotics also promote better gut barrier function, microbiome balance, and reduced pathogenic bacteria. These effects can all lead to better gut health. And they may even help people overcome irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, and other gut issues.

Support for Inflammation & Immune Health

Another benefit of synbiotics is inflammation and immune health support. The gut is tightly connected to the immune system. Additionally, optimal gut health is necessary for controlling inflammation. 

Therefore, synbiotics may be able to improve immune function and help manage inflammation by optimizing the gut-immune connection. Synbiotics also may reduce leaky gut which could also reduce inflammation.

Reduced Digestive Symptoms

Synbiotics definitely have the potential to reduce a wide variety of digestive symptoms. The concentrated dose of prebiotics and probiotics may lead to a healthier gut microbiome, gut barrier, and digestive power. 

Together, this could decrease digestive symptoms such as bloating, gas, constipation, and upset stomach.

In fact, synbiotics may even be able to reduce some food intolerances, such as lactose intolerance. 

Mental Health Support

There are also potential mental health benefits of synbiotics. This is because synbiotics can improve gut-brain axis health. For example, the gut microbiota can help support neurotransmitters that are involved in mental health and stress management. 

So essentially, synbiotics can improve gut health, which in turn leads to better mental health by regulating the gut-brain axis and related pathways. 

How to Choose the Right Supplement

When choosing a synbiotic supplement, it’s important to consider various factors related to ingredient quality, dosage, safety, and other aspects.

First, in regard to the probiotic portion of synbiotics, some things to look for are:

• The total CFU count
• Number of probiotic strains includes

And look on the company’s website to see if they have data showing if these probiotics are well-researched AND if they survive digestion well. 

It’s also important that they include high doses of various prebiotic fibers, such as inulin, acacia gum, xylooligosaccharides, or several other possible options.

Some of you may also want a very comprehensive formula that goes beyond probiotics and prebiotics. In that case, some other ingredients that may go along well for gut health are:

• Postbiotics
• Digestive enzymes
• Various herbs

Also, as always, it’s important to only pick supplements that are made in cGMP, FDA-approved facilities and, ideally, third-party tested for safety, purity, and quality. 

Lastly, as you’ve seen from our list, these products are available in many forms. So, be sure to look for one that offers the form you enjoy most, whether that’s capsules, powder, or a liquid.

Additional Information (FAQ): Synbiotic Supplements

Before you buy a synbiotic supplement, it’s important to gather as much info as possible. And below, we’ve provided answers to common questions about synbiotic supplements to give you an even better understanding.

Do synbiotics work?

In general, yes. Synbiotics have a combination of probiotics and prebiotics that can enhance gut health and digestive function, which in turn can also lead to other health benefits. Of course, individual results vary. It depends on your unique symptoms, how long you take it, which supplement you take, various lifestyle factors, and other considerations.

Who should use synbiotics?

Synbiotics are potentially useful for anyone with gut health problems or digestive complaints. Some problems that may benefit from synbiotics are diarrhea, constipation, bloating, gas, IBS, IBD, lactose intolerance, and general digestive discomfort that occurs regularly. 

Is there anyone who should avoid synbiotics?

It is possible that synbiotics can make some people’s gut symptoms actually worse than before. Therefore, if you get negative reactions that don’t go away, stop supplementing. 

Also, we always recommend talking to your doctor before taking synbiotics, especially if you have any medical conditions or are taking prescription medications.

Are there possible side effects?

Yes. Especially initially, some people may actually experience increased gas or bloating. But these tend to fade as the gut microbiome adjusts. 

Other possible side effects are allergic reactions and changes in bowel habits. 

Can you get synbiotics in your diet?

Yes. In order to get synbiotics, you need to consume both probiotics and prebiotics. Probiotics are found in fermented foods such as sauerkraut, kombucha, yogurt, and kimchi. Prebiotics are found in various fruits, vegetables, nuts, and grains, such as bananas, whole grain corn, onions, apples, asparagus, and flaxseeds.