Best prebiotics and probiotics supplements 2024

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We’re all familiar with the gut feeling. The one we know is coming from a place deeper than our minds alone, from our instincts even. Gut feeling may only be a turn of phrase but it’s one based on a degree of fact.

The gut-brain axis is the two-way communication between the gastrointestinal tract and the brain. And the gut microbiota – the hundreds of species of bacteria living in our guts – have been shown to have an influence on that communication and, consequently, our physical and mental health.

Harvard research found that people with suppressed emotions had a less diverse gut microbiome compared with their fellow study participants, while certain species of bacteria were linked with experiencing more negative emotions. Researchers conducting a separate study said their findings showed promise for the use of probiotic, prebiotic and synbiotic (those that combine both probiotics and prebiotics) supplements by people with mental health problems such as anxiety and depression, as well as stress, sleep and even Alzheimer’s disease.

Sophie Medlin, a consultant dietitian and director of CityDietitians, says, “We’re at a stage now with probiotics where you can select specific probiotic products for specific purposes. So, for example, there are strains that are great for constipation, strains that are great for bloating, but also strains that are good for your mental health, immunity and for reducing inflammation.” She recommends speaking with a registered dietician if you’re looking to take gut health supplements to manage specific conditions.

The potential is exciting, and all with consumer products that can be easily found in most stores. Here’s our pick of the best probiotic and prebiotic supplements available right now.

How we tested

We searched for a range of gut health supplements for people at various stages of life, although none of our testers had any pre-existing health problems they were looking to manage with probiotics or prebiotics. Then we tried the supplements out ourselves, paying attention to how they left us feeling, and making note of any changes to our health and wellbeing.

We were especially looking to include probiotic supplements that featured a diverse variety of strains of bacteria, were easy to take and store, and were suited to various budgets.

The best probiotic and prebiotic supplements for 2024 are: