Kefir and Prebiotic Fiber Synbiotic Shows Stronger Inflammation Reduction Than Omega-3s

Recent research has compared the effects of different dietary supplements on inflammation in healthy adults, focusing on a synbiotic made from fermented kefir and prebiotic fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, and prebiotic fiber alone.

The study, led by Dr. Amrita Vijay at the University of Nottingham, used a randomized trial over six weeks to evaluate how these supplements influenced systemic inflammatory protein markers. The synbiotic intervention combined fermented kefir with prebiotic fiber, while the other groups received either omega-3 fatty acids or prebiotic fiber alone.

Results indicated that the synbiotic group experienced broader and larger reductions in several proteins linked to inflammation, including IL-6, IFN-γ, SIRT2, 4EBP1, CCL23, CCL25, and CCL28, compared to the other two supplement groups. These findings were published in the Journal of Translational Medicine and summarized by ScienceDaily.

Serum butyrate, a compound associated with gut health, was found to increase in participants who received the synbiotic. This increase in butyrate levels was inversely correlated with IL-6, a protein marker of inflammation, during the study period.

What the numbers show

• The trial lasted six weeks and involved healthy adults
• Three supplement groups: synbiotic (kefir plus prebiotic fiber), omega-3, and prebiotic fiber alone
• Multiple inflammation-related proteins, including IL-6 and IFN-γ, were measured

ScienceDaily reported that the kefir-plus-prebiotic fiber synbiotic outperformed both omega-3 supplements and prebiotic fiber alone in reducing whole-body inflammation markers over the study period. The synbiotic approach is considered to support beneficial gut microbes, which can produce butyrate and other compounds that help maintain immune and metabolic balance.

The study received funding from Chuckling Goat Ltd, as stated by Verywell Health. According to the same report, the synbiotic supplement demonstrated the most pronounced anti-inflammatory effect among the interventions tested.

Researchers designed the study to compare the systemic effects of these dietary supplements in a controlled setting. The findings suggest that combining fermented foods with prebiotic fiber may have a greater impact on inflammation-related proteins than either omega-3 fatty acids or prebiotic fiber alone.

The research team published their results in a peer-reviewed journal, providing new data on the potential benefits of synbiotic supplements for healthy adults. The study adds to the growing body of evidence on the relationship between diet, gut health, and inflammation.

* This article is based on publicly available information at the time of writing.