Top 16 Prebiotic Supplements Registered Dietitians Swear By

It’s also NSF-certified, meaning it’s been tested for quality and safety to ensure it meets high standards. The National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) is one of the most reputable third-party testing agencies for supplements, providing added peace of mind. We also love how no refrigeration is required, and it has a three-year shelf life, according to the manufacturer. Hirsch also notes that this product is vegetarian-friendly, but it does contain lactose. If you are lactose intolerant, it’s best to seek prebiotics labeled as lactose-free.

While this product is not third-party tested, the manufacturer independently tests their products, ensuring that they pass a series of tests before being bottled and shipped to market. They also are produced in a CGMP-certified facility, meaning the facility conforms to Current Good Manufacturing Practices, as defined by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. These regulated facilities ensure that the highest quality and safety standards are met during supplement production.

It’s important to note the dose for Biotics 8 is three capsules per day, which can be tough if you don’t like swallowing pills. Taking them with plenty of water can help them go down more easily.

Culturelle Probiotics Women’s 4-in-1 Protection contains a prebiotic blend as well as five research-backed probiotic strains to support women’s vaginal, urinary, digestive, and immune health. “Not only does Culturelle’s 4-in-1 women’s probiotic promote a healthy gut microbiome, it also helps support vaginal and urinary health,” says Megan Huff, RD, owner of Nutrition by Megan in Atlanta, Georgia.

If you’re looking for a kid-friendly prebiotic, Seed PDS-08 Pediatric Daily Synbiotic is a convenient prebiotic powder designed for children ages 3 to 7 years old. It contains two fiber-based prebiotics, inulin, and FOS, and nine research-backed probiotic strains.

SFI Health (formerly Klaire Labs) uses third-party testing to ensure safety and potency. We value the transparency of its product research, with several studies linked under the company’s FAQs section. Not all brands do this, and it adds to its trustworthiness and proof of effectiveness. This product also uses a proprietary technology called InTactic, designed to protect the bacteria in the product from stomach acid. Note: Some customers reported receiving either an empty pill box or a smaller amount than ordered, so it’s important to check the amount upon opening. The company has a 30-day money-back guarantee return policy, for any reason.

“Research shows that a balanced gut microflora plays a significant role in supporting immune function, so incorporating a high-quality supplement like Douglas Laboratories Multi-Probiotic 40 Billion is a top choice, due to its 16 strains of probiotics with prebiotics, creating a synbiotic effect that helps establish a healthier gut environment,” adds DeGore.

Douglas Laboratories has been in business for 65 years and conducts regular in-house testing, and its products are CGMP-certified to ensure good manufacturing processes.

If you don’t want to strain your wallet, Benefiber Prebiotic Fiber Supplement is a well-known brand and is the most affordable prebiotic supplement on our list. “I love Benefiber’s prebiotic powder because it’s budget-friendly and has a great reputation for supporting gut health without breaking the bank,” says Durston. When purchasing the unflavored original powder product, you can spend as little as $19.50 for a 125-day supply (roughly $6 per month). It’s also eligible to buy with a flexible spending account (FSA) or health savings account (HSA), so you can use pretax dollars to pay for it if once of these accounts is part of your insurance plan. For the most money-saving benefits, go with the original Benefiber powder in a tub, rather than the single-serving packets or gummies.

Benefiber can also be used in children ages 6 and up, with different dosages depending on age. For those 6 to 11 years old, one teaspoon with at least 4 to 8 ounces of water is recommended, three times per day, while two teaspoons three times per day is recommended for those 12 years and older. It also contains no sugar, artificial flavors, or gluten. Since Benefiber doesn’t contain probiotics, aim to get more probiotics from your diet, such as by eating yogurt, kimchi, kefir, and kombucha, or take a separate probiotic supplement, for best results.

Naked Nutrition’s Naked Gut offers a potent formula of prebiotics, probiotics, glutamine, and licorice root for daily digestive support. Naked Nutrition is known for its commitment to clean, transparent labeling and high-quality ingredients, with many of its products being free of artificial colors, flavors, preservatives, and fillers. It is also vegan, soy-free, and gluten-free.

Naked Gut contains four different prebiotic fibers:

• Acacia: 2,000 milligrams (mg)
• Citrus pectin: 1,000 mg
• iXOS (xyloologosaccharides): 1,000 mg
• Inulin (from Jerusalem artichoke): 850 mg

If you’re looking for the best prebiotic powder, Thorne’s FiberMend is our top pick for its blend of four different prebiotic fibers and easy mixability with various beverages. Thorne is a company that is well regarded by many nutrition experts. “I’m a big fan of Thorne as a brand because of its commitment to third-party testing and product quality,” says Beale. All Thorne products are free of artificial flavors and are gluten-free, dairy-free, and soy-free.

However, even though this product is said to be flavorless, some users reported an aftertaste. If you experience this, try adding a scoop to a smoothie, shake, or yogurt, rather than plain water, to help mask the taste.

The Life Extension brand has been around for over 40 years and was the top-rated catalog/internet brand in a consumer survey conducted by Consumer Lab in 2022. Consumer Lab is a leading independent consumer testing organization that vets products for safety, quality, and effectiveness.

Life Extension conducts regular testing of all its products to ensure that what’s on the label is in the product, providing an official certificate of analysis to prove its quality, potency, and purity. Since this product doesn’t contain probiotics, we suggest prioritizing food sources of probiotics in your diet, like yogurt, kimchi, kefir, fermented cheese, or tempeh, a soy-based meat alternative, or taking probiotic supplements.

Olly is a relatively newer brand, founded in 2013, but it’s making waves with its dedication to improving consumer health in various ways. Specifically, its current mission is to tackle the mental health crisis, partnering with the JED Foundation, an organization dedicated to mental health and suicide prevention in teens and young adults.

One downside is that the recommended dosage is one capsule in the morning and one in the evening, which might be a bit tricky to remember for some people. Keeping the bottle out in your bathroom or somewhere you’ll be during these times can help you remember and establish a routine.

Similar to the Seed PDS-08 Pediatric Daily Synbiotic on this list, the 24 strains in this product are categorized into different proprietary blends for targeted uses: a “digestive health blend,” a “dermatological health blend,” and a “cardiovascular health blend.” Note: The proprietary blend means we don’t know the CFUs in each strain.

Seed Daily DS-01 is third-party tested, and the company conducts extensive testing on its own for allergens, pesticides, heavy metals, and more, to ensure the highest safety and quality standards.

Having an arsenal of supplements can be overwhelming, so you may prefer to find an all-in-one prebiotic, probiotic, and multivitamin supplement. Athletic Greens (AG1) combines a greens powder, multivitamin, prebiotic, and probiotic blend into a single daily scoop of powder. Green powders are a dietary supplement that aims to help people reach their daily intake of vegetables, vitamins, and minerals — but not all of them also contain probiotics like AG1 does.

AG1 is committed to the testing and safety of its ingredients, as evidenced by its NSF Certified for Sport designation. This certification is provided by one of the most reputable third-party testing agencies for ingredient purity, lack of heavy metals, and pesticides. This certification also ensures that the product is tested for substances banned in athletic competitions.

Using a subscription supplement service like Ritual can help you be consistent when it comes to taking your probiotics. The website’s sign-up process is super simple and straightforward; you can sign up for a monthly subscription of probiotics, plus other supplements in a bundle that fits your health goals.

Ritual is third-party tested and also employs a scientific advisory board composed of medical doctors, registered dietitians, and scientists who perform ongoing research to further ensure the optimal safety, quality, and effectiveness of their products.