^{Work in progress, please use the current stickied thread for contributions/suggestions.}

Prebiotics: a substrate that is selectively utilized by host microorganisms conferring a health benefit.

/r/Prebiotics

General:

Review: Oligosaccharides: a boon from nature’s desk [2016]

Review: Food Additives and Contaminants (including antibiotics): Effects on Human Gut Microbiota [2017]

Review: Impact of Dietary Fibers on Nutrient Management and Detoxification Organs: Gut, Liver, and Kidneys [2016]

Review: Resistant Starch Regulates Gut Microbiota: Structure, Biochemistry and Cell Signalling [2017]

Review: The Critical Roles of Polysaccharides in Gut Microbial Ecology and Physiology [2017]

Review: Meeting the diverse requirements of gut microbes through diverse prebiotic compounds. Isomalto-oligosaccharides, Fructooligosaccharides, Xylooligosaccharides, Galactooligosaccharides, Polyphenols, Pectin, Resistant starch, Guar fiber, Acacia, Aloe. [2017]

Chart showing effects of prebiotics from multiple studies (IE: bifidogenic), (2018): https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs12325-018-0673-5#Sec4

Synbiotics: Taking probiotics in the same meal as prebiotics can change the impact of the prebiotic.

Phages as prebiotics: /r/HumanMicrobiome/comments/6n76p9//dk7a2k4

Video visualizing how resistant starch & butyrate beneficially impact the gut and health: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NI3KtR3LoqM

Article on resistant starch with comparison chart: https://www.precisionnutrition.com/all-about-resistant-starch

General article on resistant starches: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health-and-fitness/health/boost-your-intake-of-resistant-starch-to-help-your-gut-thrive/article33618103

The role of short-chain fatty acids - a group of molecules that result from fermentation of dietary fibers by the gut microbiota.. https://fityourself.club/the-role-of-short-chain-fatty-acids-41fa3f14409f

Prebiotics (resistant starches specifically) must be accompanied by a high carb diet in order to reap the benefits, and can have detrimental impacts when accompanied by a low carb diet: /r/Prebiotics/comments/5jyr0g

In the absence of microbes, inulin and short-chain fructo-oligosaccharide (scFOS) directly promote barrier integrity to prevent pathogen-induced barrier disruptions. So prebiotic benefits extend beyond their impact on microbes: http://www.nature.com/articles/srep40820

Non-digestible oligosaccharides directly regulate host kinome to modulate host inflammatory responses without alterations in the gut microbiota: https://microbiomejournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40168-017-0357-4

Polish wild mushroom polysaccharides stimulate the growth of Lactobacillus strains stronger than commercially available prebiotics like inulin or FOS: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs00394-017-1436-9

Fiber Supplements Derived From Sugarcane Stem, Wheat Dextrin and Psyllium Husk Have Different In Vitro Effects on the Human Gut Microbiota (2018): https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2018.01618/full

Big List of Synbiotic Foods: https://archive.is/yOHxA

Whole foods > processed:

Purified soluble fibers cannot replace natural fiber rich diet (in regards to protecting mucus barrier)[1,2,3]. And supplementing a low fiber/carb diet with prebiotics can actually have detrimental effects[1].

Whole grains > brans & refined grains [1][2][3].

Gut microbiota and systemic inflammation changes after bread consumption. Systemic inflammation was only detected after industrial bread consumption. Healthy bread properties seem to depend on its ingredients and manufacture process [1].

Prebiotics found in whole foods such as seaweed^[1], mushrooms^[1], and garlic & bananas [1], can be as, or more, powerful than refined versions like Inulin & FOS.

Anecdotally, in myself, I have no problems with foods high in prebiotics, but purified versions like Inulin/FOS supplements, and blends like this one (oligo30) trigger a variety of detrimental effects for me. Though Bimuno (GOS) is mostly only beneficial for me.

FOS vs Inulin:

FOS is a type of inulin. FOS may feed harmful bacteria more than inulin. Plus additional discussion and source for pure inulin: /r/Prebiotics/comments/4zizp5

Significant variation from person to person:

The same diet has very different effects on each microbiota’s membership and function, which may in turn explain interindividual differences in response to a dietary ingredient.

Responses to dietary supplementation with resistant starch (unmodified potato starch) varies wildly.

Healthy subjects differentially respond to dietary capsaicin correlating with the specific gut enterotypes.

Variation depending on age [1][2].

Variation on impact of polyphenol supplementation in men vs women.

Inter-individual differences determine the outcome of wheat bran colonization by the human gut microbiome.

BBC Two: firm links between a person’s individual response to food, and to the gut bacteria that they have.

Benefits:

Microbiome-driven allergic lung inflammation is ameliorated by short-chain fatty acids: https://www.nature.com/mi/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/mi201775a.html

Cravings for high-calorie foods may be switched off by inulin.

Supplementation of oligofructose, but not sucralose, decreases high-fat diet induced body weight gain in mice.

Prevent the Development of Hypertension and Heart Failure in DOCA-Salt Hypertensive Mice.

Prevent intestinal dysbiosis and obesity-associated metabolic disorders in obese individuals.

scFOS significantly reduced anxiety scores, increased fecal Bifidobacteria, and improved IBS.

GOS helps with lactose intolerance.

Resistant starches improve insulin sensitivity.

Butyrate restores HFD induced adaptations in brain function and metabolism in mid-adult obese mice.

The HDAC inhibitor, sodium butyrate, stimulates neurogenesis in the ischemic brain.

Inonotus obliquus [mushroom] polysaccharide (IOP) regulates gut microbiota composition and diversity to a healthy profile in mice with chronic pancreatitis.

Dietary Prebiotics (lactoferrin & milk fat globule membrane) and Bioactive Milk Fractions Improve NREM Sleep, Enhance REM Sleep Rebound and Attenuate the Stress-Induced Decrease in Diurnal Temperature and Gut Microbial Alpha Diversity.

Prebiotics (FOS+GOS) Have Anxiolytic and Antidepressant-like Effects and Reverse the Impact of Chronic Stress in Mice.

Inulin-type fructans improve endothelial dysfunction.

Detriments:

Review, 2018: Harms Reporting in Probiotics, Prebiotics, and Synbiotics Trials "Harms reporting is often lacking or inadequate. We cannot broadly conclude that these interventions are safe without reporting safety data." http://annals.org/aim/article-abstract/2687953/harms-reporting-randomized-controlled-trials-interventions-aimed-modifying-microbiota-systematic

UToledo research finds link between refined dietary fiber, gut bacteria and liver cancer. The new study challenges conventional wisdom that dietary fiber is good no matter how you get it. While the inulin-containing diet did stave off obesity in 40 percent of mice, many of those same mice went on to develop liver cancer at the end of the six-month study. (2018): https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-10/uot-urf101718.php - "Dysregulated microbial fermentation of soluble fiber induces cholestatic liver cancer"

Stopping or reducing dietary fiber intake reduces constipation and its associated symptoms (2012): https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3435786/

Overall, inulin did not reduce hypercholesterolemia or atherosclerosis development in E3L.CETP mice despite showing clear prebiotic activity, but resulted in manifestations of hepatic inflammation when combined with a high percentage of dietary cholesterol (2018) https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-34970-y The prebiotic inulin modulates gut microbiota but does not ameliorate atherosclerosis in hypercholesterolemic APOE*3-Leiden.CETP mice

Low FODMAP diet is a popular diet that avoids prebiotic substances, since they are known to be detrimental for people with various types of gut dysbiosis.

Prebiotic Supplementation Following Ileocecal Resection in a Murine Model is Associated With a Loss of Microbial Diversity and Increased Inflammation (2017): https://academic.oup.com/ibdjournal/article/24/1/101/4757510

Fructan, Rather Than Gluten, Induces Symptoms in Patients With Self-reported Non-celiac Gluten Sensitivity: http://www.gastrojournal.org/article/S0016-5085(17)36302-3/pdf

Acetate mediates a microbiome-brain-β cell axis promoting metabolic syndrome: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4922538/

Sialic acid (acidic oligosaccharides) may contribute to cancer formation: https://archive.is/Ag7r7

In an infectious condition, SCFAs may exert a detrimental effect on the host by inhibiting neutrophil's effector functions: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/cmi.12720/abstract

Both FOS & inulin can feed opportunistic microbes & worsen SIBO symptoms for some people: http://fixyourgut.com/dont-recommend-use-foss-improving-gut-health/

The metabolism of butyrate, known to reduce plasma glucose levels, was significantly downregulated in the GOS-fed mice, an effect potentially detrimental to the glucose metabolism of the host (2018): http://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2018/fo/c7fo01720k#!divAbstract

Fructooligosaccharide (FOS) and Galactooligosaccharide (GOS) Increase Bifidobacterium but Reduce Butyrate Producing Bacteria with Adverse Glycemic Metabolism in healthy young population (2017): https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5603605/

Increase in serum SCFAs was associated with increased tuberculosis susceptibility in HIV patients on antiretroviral therapy: https://www.reddit.com/r/Prebiotics/comments/63srx2