Reference entry
Probiotic
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
Live microorganisms which, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host. Benefits are strain-specific, not species-wide.
Related terms
Prebiotic
Non-digestible food components (typically dietary fibres) that selectively stimulate the growth or activity of beneficial gut bacteria. Common examples include inulin, FOS, and GOS.
Synbiotic
A product containing both probiotics and prebiotics designed to work together — the prebiotic selectively feeds the co-administered probiotic strain.