Can You Take Probiotics and Prebiotics Together? Here’s What the Research Shows

Probiotics and prebiotics are two terms that often come up when talking about gut health. A healthcare professional may recommend that you take one or both of these two supplements. If so, you may be wondering if you can take prebiotics and probiotics together. The short answer is yes: You can take both types of supplements. In fact, they may work best when used together. 

Probiotics vs. prebiotics: The basics

It’s helpful to first understand what prebiotics and probiotics are, how they’re different, and how they work together.

Probiotics are foods and supplements that deliver live, healthy bacteria to your intestines. Probiotics are often called “good bacteria” because they have a beneficial effect on your body, in the gut and beyond.

Prebiotics also help your gut, but they work a little differently. Prebiotics are foods or supplements (usually fiber) that “feed” the existing healthy bacteria and help it flourish. Think of prebiotics as the nutritious food source for probiotics.

Many foods contain probiotics and prebiotics. But in this article, we’ll be mostly talking about probiotic and prebiotic supplements.

Potential benefits of probiotics and prebiotics

Probiotics and prebiotics both help create a healthy gut microbiome. 

Probiotics don’t only populate the gut with healthy bacteria. They also help prevent “bad” bacteria from multiplying. And they help to restore balance to the microbiome after an illness, or after you take antibiotics.

Probiotics also have several potential benefits that go beyond gut health. Early research suggests that probiotics may:

• Boost your immune system

• Help lower cholesterol levels (when combined with other therapies) 

• Regulate blood sugar and insulin (when combined with other therapies)

• Improve skin health, and reduce the risk of childhood eczema

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Prebiotics help probiotics work well by acting as their food source. When bacteria feed on prebiotics, they also create byproducts called short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). SCFAs then travel through the body and support it in various ways, including:

• Improving gut function

• Balancing blood sugar

• Fighting inflammation

Beyond that, prebiotics may also:

• Improve mood and memory

• Support a healthy immune system

• Contribute to fullness after a meal

Advantages to taking both prebiotics and probiotics

Prebiotics may boost probiotics’ effectiveness. So it could be beneficial to take them both. That means, if you’re taking a probiotic but you’re not getting enough prebiotics, you may not be getting the maximum benefit from your probiotic.

Differences between probiotics and prebiotics 

The biggest difference, of course, is what they are. As mentioned above, probiotics are the good bacteria that make up your gut microbiome. Prebiotics are fibers that nourish the growth of that good bacteria. 

Sophia Deahl, a functional medicine dietitian in Los Angeles, describes the relationship with a gardening analogy. If your microbiome is a garden, she says, the prebiotics are the fertilizer and the probiotics are the seed. 

“Both are equally as important and needed,” she said.

Here are some other notable differences between probiotics and prebiotics:

• Probiotics are live cultures of beneficial bacteria. Prebiotics aren’t live. 

• For probiotics, when you take them in the day may be important. But it’s less important for prebiotics (more on that later).

• Several foods naturally contain prebiotics. But probiotics can only form naturally when a food is fermented or if live cultures are added. 

Foods that contain prebiotics include:

• Onions

• Garlic

• Leeks

• Asparagus

• Oats

• Bran

Foods that contain probiotics include:

• Yogurt (look for the words “with live or active cultures” on the container)

• Kefir

• Sauerkraut

• Kimchi

• Tempeh

• Kombucha

• Miso 

Who should not take prebiotics and probiotics?

You don’t necessarily have to “take” prebiotics and probiotics, according to Dr. Will Bulsiewicz, a gastroenterologist and New York Times bestselling author. When possible, your main source of prebiotics and probiotics should be your diet. 

“The role of supplements is to go beyond what our diet provides,” he said, “and that’s where prebiotics and probiotics [as supplements] may be beneficial.” 

In addition, people with weakened immune systems or other health conditions should talk to their healthcare professional before taking probiotic and prebiotic supplements. 

Should you take prebiotic and probiotic supplements at the same time?  

Deahl recommends taking a probiotic and prebiotic source daily to maximize their potential cooperative effect. She says it’s not as important that you take probiotics and prebiotics at the exact same time, but you can if you want to.

From a practical standpoint, one advantage to taking probiotics and prebiotics at the same time is that you only have to remember to do it once per day. 

Some supplements contain both prebiotics and probiotics. These are called synbiotics. Synbiotics can be convenient for those who don’t like to take a lot of supplements or have trouble remembering to take them.

What time of day should you take probiotics and prebiotics? 

There’s not a strict rule for the best time of day to take probiotics and prebiotics. But there are some things to consider when it comes to timing.

Since prebiotics may help control blood sugar, you may want to take the prebiotic shortly before eating.

The timing of probiotics is more complicated because the microbes are live. Exposure to stomach acid from the digestion process could kill them, which in turn reduces their potency and benefits. 

In light of that, it would seem that the best time to take a probiotic is on an empty stomach. But, says Bulsiewicz, research suggests that the probiotics survive better if taken with or shortly before a meal. He adds that if the meal also contains healthy fats, this can help buffer and protect the microbes.

Taking enteric-coated probiotics can also help. Enteric coating prevents stomach acid from breaking down the supplement early. If your probiotic has an enteric coating, timing may be less important.

Ultimately, the best time to take a probiotic is when you’ll remember. Consistency is key. Make it a part of your routine, and this will help you stick to it.

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Written by:

Lindsay Boyers, CHNC

Lindsay Boyers, CHNC, is a functional nutritionist, licensed esthetician, writer, and editor with over a decade of experience in evidence-based health, wellness, and skincare writing.

Edited by:

Meredith Hoffa

Meredith Hoffa is a senior health editor at GoodRx, where she leads journalists and clinicians covering various well-being topics, particularly in diet and nutrition.

Reviewed by:

Katie E. Golden, MD

Katie E. Golden, MD, is a board-certified emergency medicine physician and a medical editor at GoodRx.

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