Postbiotics—Bioactive Microbial Compounds as Health-Promoting Agents
A special issue of Life (ISSN 2075-1729). This special issue belongs to the section "Microbiology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 September 2025 | Viewed by 841
Special Issue Editors
Interests: oxidative stress; bioactive food compounds; dietetics; neurodegeneration
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: molecular basis of civilization diseases; microRNA; microbiology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The human gut microbiome is emerging as an essential agent in the interaction between diet and metabolic health. Postbiotics, which are probiotic metabolites such as short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), bile acids, vitamins, tryptophan, or indole derivatives, serve as key molecular mediators between the microbiota and the host. Postbiotics play an important role in maintaining a proper intestinal barrier and the condition of the entire gastrointestinal tract, but there are also a growing number of reports on the action of these bioactive compounds in various other tissues of the body. The mechanism and effects of postbiotics on human health are not yet fully understood. More and more studies demonstrate their effect on reducing inflammation and oxidative stress, eliminating the presence of harmful pathogens or stimulating the human immune system.
Probiotic supplementation has many health benefits, but is not without drawbacks such as quality fluctuations, short shelf life, heterogeneous effects, and incompatibility with immunocompromised people. Postbiotics, meanwhile, are safer and more stable, easier to store, and are associated with a lower risk of antimicrobial resistance. Postbiotics are therefore becoming a new target for research into harnessing their health-promoting potential.
This Special Issue invites high-quality original research papers, as well as comprehensive reviews focusing on the roles of postbiotics in supporting human health and preventing various diseases.
Dr. Katarzyna Oszajca
Prof. Dr. Janusz Szemraj
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- gut microbiota
- postbiotics
- prebiotics
- microbiota-derived metabolites
- postbiotic supplementation
- postbiotics and health benefits
- dysbiosis
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