Prebiotics, Probiotics, & Lactoferrin — How To Boost Your Gut Health

What is gut health? Why is it important?

Gut health has become a buzzword over the past few years — for good reason. While there is no single clear definition, gut health generally refers to a balanced and thriving gut microbiome. It relates to the health of your gut’s ecosystem where bacteria and other microorganisms function to help digest food, support our immune system and overall health.

Gut health has been linked to:

• Improved digestion and nutrient absorption

• Better immunity from the gut

• Controlled cholesterol and blood sugar level

• Weight loss or regulation (Koutoukidis et al., 2022)

• Mental wellbeing – via the gut-brain axis (Carabotti et al., 2015)

In short, a happy gut is the foundation for a healthier you!

Prebiotics and probiotics are commonly known for their association with gut health. Besides these two ingredients, lactoferrin has also been linked to improving intestinal lining and nutrient absorption (Kowalczyk et al., 2022). 

What are prebiotics?

Prebiotics are specialized plant or fungal fibers not digested by our body that feed the living bacteria in our gut. Prebiotics promote the growth of these living bacteria, which, in turn, improve the host’s overall health. 

Although all prebiotics are fiber, not all fiber is prebiotic. Some of the common prebiotics are:

• Inulin: found in chicory roots, artichokes, and asparagus.

• Fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS): long-chain carbohydrates found in bananas, onions, chicory roots, garlic, and leeks.

• Galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS): long-chain carbohydrates usually found in human milk, dairy milk, and legumes.

• Resistant starch: carbohydrates from uncooked potatoes, rice, and beans that cannot be digested in the intestines.

• Beta-glucan: found in cereals, oats, barley, wheat, rye, mushrooms, and yeasts.

What are probiotics?

Probiotics are the good bacteria themselves. They are living microorganisms, mostly strains of bacteria and yeast that help restore and maintain a healthy gut microbiome. 

Probiotics can be found in most fermented foods:

• Yogurt: made from fermenting milk with live Lactobacillus bacteria (one of the most studied bacteria genus).

• Kefir: a tangy and drinkable yogurt-like beverage made from diverse strains of bacteria and yeast. 

• Kimchi: a spicy Korean dish made from fermented vegetables (commonly napa cabbage and radish), rich in Lactobacillus bacteria, and provides health benefits.

• Tempeh: firm and nutty-flavored fermented soybean cake from Indonesia. It’s fermented with Rhizopus mold, creating a white, fuzzy texture. It is also high in plant-based protein, which is good for tackling both gut health and muscle growth.

• Kombucha: fizzy fermented tea made with SCOBY — symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast. It’s a great and refreshing way to add probiotics into your diet.

What is lactoferrin?

Lactoferrin is a naturally occurring milk protein best known for its ability to bind with iron to regulate iron absorption in the body. This iron-binding ability helps protect the gut by locking up iron away from harmful bacteria, starving the unwanted microbes. Therefore, lactoferrin provides a protective system in your gut and supports the good bacteria to flourish. 

At Intentional, we use precision fermentation technology to produce lactoferrin through yeast. By bypassing the cattle farming and dairy extraction process, our lactoferrin is more efficient and environmentally sustainable. In fact, with this process, we omit the need for cattle, making our lactoferrin vegan-friendly. 

Prebiotics and lactoferrin in combination — IronKind

IronKind combines the benefits of our vegan lactoferrin and prebiotics to bring harmony to your gut. 

• Lactoferrin: sequesters iron away from harmful gut bacteria to promote beneficial gut bacteria growth. It also provides a sustained energy boost through iron regulation. Unlike traditional iron supplements, it's a natural and gut-friendly way to regulate iron levels without the side effects. 

• Prebiotics: help fuel the good bacteria, promoting gut health. We use mannan oligosaccharides (MOS) as our prebiotic source, which is known for promoting gut health. 

Who can benefit?

Everyone should care about their gut health. 

Your gut is directly connected to nearly every function in your body. Thus, supporting the gut microbiome can have an overall positive effect on your body. It would be wise to educate yourself and add gut-friendly options into your daily life, especially if you are experiencing these symptoms:

• Digestive issues like bloating, constipation, or nausea

• Constant fatigue or brain fog (that could be attributed to poor gut health)

• Skin concerns (acne or eczema)

• Mood swings or chronic stress

• Weak immune system

• Trouble with weight management

When will I notice the results?

Results may vary depending on how you are consuming your prebiotics, probiotics, and lactoferrin. Increasing these ingredients in your diet could kickstart the gut microbiome shift within a few days. 

One study on obesity control using prebiotics showed that the body weight reduction results come after 16 weeks (Yoo et al., 2024). Another study of daily consumption of 4g GOS saw an increase in bifidobacteria, a beneficial gut bacteria strain after 3 weeks (Walton et al., 2012). 

For IronKind, we highly recommend continuously taking our vegan lactoferrin for at least 3 months before getting the full benefits. IronKind will work with your body in 3 different phases:

• Month 1 — Building the foundation: Your body starts absorbing iron more efficiently, and good gut bacteria begin to strengthen digestion.

• Month 2 — Boosting energy and immunity: Healthier iron levels help improve energy, focus, and recovery. Your gut lining gets stronger, supporting immunity.

• Month 3 — Strengthening and sustaining: Iron stores balance out, oxygen delivery improves, and long-term gut and immune health are reinforced.

In brief, like any meaningful health habit, consistency is the key. Improving your gut health will require making habitual changes in your diet.

IronKind makes this daily habitual change easy by adding a combined vegan lactoferrin and prebiotics capsule into your routine. Ready to try IronKind?