Reference entry
Postbiotic
Plain-English definitions of microbiome research vocabulary — the terms you'll see across articles, testing services, and probiotic claims.
Glossary context
Defined
in the site-wide microbiome glossary
Definition
Bioactive compounds produced by probiotic bacteria during fermentation, including short-chain fatty acids, enzymes, and cell wall fragments. These can have health benefits independent of living bacteria.
Related terms
Probiotic
Live microorganisms which, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host. Benefits are strain-specific, not species-wide.
Short-Chain Fatty Acids (SCFAs)
Metabolites produced when gut bacteria ferment dietary fibre. The three main SCFAs — butyrate, propionate, and acetate — are critical for colon health, immune regulation, and energy metabolism.