Written by Shereen, Product Management Associate · Updated 22 October 2026

A few years ago, gut health probably just meant avoiding food poisoning. Now it's on every supplement shelf, and "prebiotic" and "probiotic" are often used as if they mean the same thing. They don't, and knowing the difference makes it much easier to choose what your gut needs.

Your gut is home to trillions of microbes, and both prebiotics and probiotics work through them: one adds helpful bacteria, the other feeds them. Between hawker meals, iced kopi and late dinners, a simple daily habit can help you look after both.

→ See Daily Pre+Probiotic Melts, our daily pre+probiotic for everyday digestion

What's the difference between prebiotics and probiotics?

Probiotics are the good bacteria themselves, and prebiotics are the food that helps good bacteria grow. If probiotics are your gut's workforce, prebiotics are their lunch.

• Probiotics are "live microorganisms that, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host". That is the definition agreed by the International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP), a panel of leading scientists in the field.^[1] Most probiotics in foods and supplements are strains of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium.
• Prebiotics are, in ISAPP's definition, substances that microorganisms in your body selectively use in a way that benefits your health. In plain words, they are mostly fibres that you can't digest, but your beneficial gut bacteria can.^[2] Fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS), inulin and galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) are the prebiotics scientists universally agree on.^[3]

The key difference: a probiotic adds helpful microbes to your gut, while a prebiotic feeds the beneficial bacteria, both the ones you take and the ones already living there.

How do prebiotics, probiotics and postbiotics compare?

Prebiotics feed your gut bacteria, probiotics add live beneficial bacteria, and postbiotics are inactivated microbes or their parts that still benefit health. Here's how the three line up.

Definitions: ISAPP consensus statements.^{[1] [2] [4]} Food sources: Carlson 2018, HealthHub and ISAPP.^{[3] [5] [4]} Studies: meta-analyses and clinical trials.^{[6] [7] [8] [4]}

Your gut bacteria also make helpful compounds of their own when they ferment fibre, such as the short-chain fatty acid butyrate.^[7] Postbiotics are a newer area of gut science, and our guide to what postbiotics are and how they fit with pre and probiotics covers them in more detail.

Do probiotics work?

Yes. The strongest evidence for probiotics is for regularity and digestive comfort. Benefits depend on the strain and the dose, which is why named strains on the label matter.

• Regularity: a review of 14 randomised trials, with 1,182 adults with constipation, found that probiotics shortened gut transit time by 12.4 hours, added 1.3 bowel movements a week and improved stool consistency. Bifidobacterium lactis showed the clearest effect.^[6]
• A more diverse gut: in a 17-week Stanford study, healthy adults who ate more fermented foods, such as yoghurt and kimchi, steadily increased the diversity of their gut microbiota, and their inflammatory markers went down.^[9]
• Safety: probiotics have an extensive history of apparently safe use, particularly in healthy people.^[10]

Can probiotics help with bloating?

Yes, in clinical trials, specific probiotics eased bloating within a few weeks of daily use.

• Bloating within 4 weeks: in a placebo-controlled trial, 60 adults with functional bowel disorders took Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium lactis twice a day for 8 weeks. Bloating scores were lower than with placebo after 4 weeks (4.10 compared with 6.17), and bloating severity kept improving over the 8 weeks.^[8]
• Multistrain probiotics: a 2026 review of 12 trials, with 1,303 people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), found that probiotics with several strains lowered overall symptom scores and improved bloating and satisfaction with bowel habits, compared with placebo.^[11]

If your bloating comes and goes with your hormones, our guide to how your menstrual cycle affects your gut health explains why. See a doctor if bloating is new, doesn't settle or comes with pain or a change in bowel habits.

What do prebiotics do for your gut?

Prebiotics feed the beneficial bacteria already in your gut, helping them grow and make helpful compounds, and they support regular bowel movements.

• More good bacteria: a meta-analysis of 64 studies, with 2,099 healthy adults, found that adding fibre increased Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus and raised levels of butyrate. Fructans (the family that includes FOS and inulin) and GOS had the clearest effect on both bacteria.^[7]
• Better regularity: in a meta-analysis of 5 randomised trials, with 252 people with chronic constipation, inulin improved stool frequency, stool consistency and transit time.^[12]
• Everyday sources: inulin occurs naturally in leeks, asparagus, onions, wheat, garlic, chicory, oats, soybeans and Jerusalem artichokes.^[3]

Prebiotic fibres are fermented by your gut bacteria, so add them gradually and drink enough fluid as you do.

Should you take prebiotics and probiotics together?

Yes, they work well as a pair. A product that combines live microorganisms with the substances that feed them is called a synbiotic.

ISAPP defines a synbiotic as a mixture of live microorganisms and substances that your gut microorganisms selectively use, which together benefit your health.^[13] In practice, the probiotic brings in beneficial bacteria, and the prebiotic gives them, and the good bacteria you already have, something to feed on. On a plate, that might look like yoghurt with oats for breakfast, or tempeh stir-fried with onions and garlic for dinner.

How do you choose the best probiotic in Singapore?

The best probiotic is one with named strains, a clear dose, added prebiotics and a format you'll take every day. Check the label for these:

1. Named strains. Benefits are linked to specific strains, such as Bifidobacterium lactis for regularity, so look for the genus and species on the pack.^[6]
2. A clear dose in CFU. CFU (colony-forming units) tells you how many live bacteria are in each serving.
3. Added prebiotics. FOS, inulin or GOS give the probiotic something to feed on.^[3]
4. Protection on the way down. Probiotics need to reach your gut alive, so look for a format designed to survive stomach acid.
5. A habit you'll keep. Trials gave probiotics every day, so choose a format that fits easily into your day and suits Singapore's heat when you store it.

Daily Pre+Probiotic Melts ticks each of these boxes. Each sachet gives you 15 billion CFU of 7 patented probiotic strains, including Bifidobacterium lactis, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Lactobacillus reuteri, with 85 mg of two prebiotics: 75 mg of polydextrose and 10 mg of fructo-oligosaccharides. A four-layer granule coating is designed to help the live strains survive stomach acid and reach your gut. It's a cranberry-flavoured melt that you pour straight onto your tongue, no water needed, and it's best taken after a meal. It contains milk.

If you're pregnant, breastfeeding, on medication or have allergies, check with your doctor first.

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How can you get more prebiotics and probiotics from food?

Add probiotic foods every day and build fibre into every meal. Local food makes both easy:

• Probiotic foods daily: low-sugar or no-sugar-added yoghurt, live-culture drinks, tempeh and kimchi.^[5]
• Fibre at every meal: aim for about 25 to 30 g of fibre a day.^[14] Easy swaps include brown rice instead of white, wholemeal bread instead of white, and half your plate as vegetables.^[5]
• Prebiotic-rich extras: onions, garlic, leeks and asparagus in your stir-fry, and oats at breakfast.^[3]
• Fluids through the day: HealthHub suggests 6 to 8 glasses of fluid a day, about 2 litres, and barley drink, chrysanthemum tea and soup all count.^[5]

Related reading: Postbiotics explained: the next step after pre and probiotics · 5 signs your gut needs attention · Constipated? What actually helps, beyond more fibre

Frequently asked questions

Can you take probiotics every day?
Yes. The trials that found benefits for regularity and bloating gave probiotics every day, and probiotics have a long history of apparently safe use in healthy people. If you have a weakened immune system or a medical condition, check with your doctor before you start.

How long do probiotics take to work?
In a bloating trial, people taking probiotics felt less bloated than the placebo group after 4 weeks of daily use. Give a probiotic at least 4 weeks, taken every day, before you judge how it suits you.

Is yoghurt enough, or do you need a probiotic supplement?
Fermented foods such as yoghurt, tempeh and kimchi are a great daily habit, and a fermented-food diet increased gut microbiota diversity in a Stanford study. A supplement adds a known dose of named strains, which makes it easier to get the same amount every day. Many people do both.

Do probiotics need to be kept in the fridge?
It depends on the product, so follow the storage line on the label. Daily Pre+Probiotic Melts is stored in a cool, dry place, so keep it away from direct sun and hot cars in Singapore's heat.

When is the best time to take a pre+probiotic?
Take it at a time you'll remember every day, because daily use matters more than the exact hour. Daily Pre+Probiotic Melts is best taken after a meal, straight from the sachet.

References
[1] Hill C et al. Expert consensus document: the International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics consensus statement on the scope and appropriate use of the term probiotic. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2014.
[2] Gibson GR et al. Expert consensus document: the International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) consensus statement on the definition and scope of prebiotics. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2017.
[3] Carlson JL et al. Health effects and sources of prebiotic dietary fiber. Curr Dev Nutr. 2018.
[4] Salminen S et al. The International Scientific Association of Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) consensus statement on the definition and scope of postbiotics. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2021.
[5] HealthHub (Ministry of Health Singapore). Constipation in adults: causes and prevention.
[6] Dimidi E et al. The effect of probiotics on functional constipation in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Am J Clin Nutr. 2014.
[7] So D et al. Dietary fiber intervention on gut microbiota composition in healthy adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Am J Clin Nutr. 2018.
[8] Ringel-Kulka T et al. Probiotic bacteria Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM and Bifidobacterium lactis Bi-07 versus placebo for the symptoms of bloating in patients with functional bowel disorders: a double-blind study. J Clin Gastroenterol. 2011.
[9] Wastyk HC et al. Gut-microbiota-targeted diets modulate human immune status. Cell. 2021.
[10] National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NIH). Probiotics: what you need to know. Updated August 2019.
[11] Anwar DFF et al. Effect of multistrain probiotics on symptom severity in irritable bowel syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis of irritable bowel syndrome-symptom severity score outcomes. Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2026.
[12] Collado Yurrita L et al. Effectiveness of inulin intake on indicators of chronic constipation; a meta-analysis of controlled randomized clinical trials. Nutr Hosp. 2014.
[13] Swanson KS et al. The International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) consensus statement on the definition and scope of synbiotics. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2020.
[14] HealthHub (Pharmaceutical Society of Singapore). Constipation.

These statements have not been evaluated by any regulatory authority. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Individual results may vary. Consult a healthcare provider before use if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or on prescribed medication.