Researchers at the University of Nottingham report that combining specific dietary supplements may provide stronger immune and metabolic support than taking prebiotics or omega 3 alone. Their findings suggest this paired approach could help lower the risk of diseases associated with long term inflammation.
The study, published in the Journal of Translational Medicine, compared three popular supplements. The most effective was a synbiotic, defined as a mix of naturally fermented kefir and a broad prebiotic fiber blend. This combination produced the largest drop in inflammatory markers among the options tested.
Kefir and Prebiotic Fiber Work Together
The kefir and fiber blend used in the trial was supplied by Chuckling Goat Ltd. It contains a mix of naturally occurring probiotic bacteria and yeasts created during the traditional fermentation of goat’s milk with live kefir grains. These grains are living cultures that contain dozens of beneficial microbial species.
When kefir, which is rich in live microbes, is paired with diverse prebiotic fiber, the result is a synbiotic effect. The fiber serves as fuel for the beneficial bacteria (which feeds them), allowing them to grow and generate helpful compounds such as butyrate. Butyrate is known for its anti inflammatory and immune regulating effects throughout the body.
Six Week Trial Shows Whole Body Benefits
Over the course of six weeks, healthy adults who took the synbiotic experienced the greatest reduction in inflammation related proteins compared with those who took omega 3 or fiber by itself. The results indicate that combining probiotics and prebiotics may support immune and metabolic health more effectively than single ingredient supplements.
Systemic inflammatory markers are substances in the blood that reflect inflammation occurring throughout the body rather than in just one area, such as the gut or at the site of an infection. Participants in the synbiotic group showed lower overall inflammation levels, pointing to improved immune balance and a potentially reduced risk of chronic inflammation related conditions (like heart disease or other metabolic conditions).
What Comes Next
Future research will examine how these supplements perform in people who already have specific health conditions to better understand their potential benefits.
The study was led by Dr. Amrita Vijay in the School of Medicine at the University of Nottingham. She said:
“Our study shows that while all three dietary approaches reduced inflammation, the synbiotic — combining fermented kefir with a diverse prebiotic fiber mix — had the most powerful and wide-ranging effects.
“This suggests that the interaction between beneficial microbes and dietary fiber may be key to supporting immune balance and metabolic health.”
