Prebiotics

Prebiotics

Investigating the potential of prebiotics to rebalance and maintain health

Task Force Information

Objectives and list of Task Force
members

Contact Information

Contact details in case you have
specific questions

Activity Overview

Overview of ongoing and
upcoming activities

Expert Groups

Objectives, output and list of experts
involved in each activity

Publications

List of publications of this
Task Force

Multimedia

Links to Task Force's related documents,
recordings and much more...

Completed Expert Groups

Details including experts involved of
each activity

Task Force Information

Objectives

The Prebiotics Task Force advances understanding of how prebiotics interact with the gut microbiota and influence human health, moving from observed benefits towards clear biological mechanisms.

Why It Matters

For public health, stronger mechanistic evidence supports evidence-based strategies that protect consumers and help people make informed choices about products intended to support health.

For companies, mechanistic evidence helps guide product innovation, identify effective prebiotic solutions and strengthen scientific substantiation of health benefits.

Task Force Members

*Scientific Advisor

Contact Information

For more detailed information, please contact Léonie Lang at llang@ilsieurope.be

Activity Overview

Ongoing

 

- Markers of the Gut Microbiota

The group aims to identify key markers for assessing microbiota improvement, focusing on measurable indicators of microbiota composition. The activity is shared with the Probiotics Task Force.

Start date: 2024 - End date: 2026

- Role of Prebiotics in Better Managing Women’s Health 

The Expert Group will aim to understand the extent and mechanisms by which prebiotics impact the women’s health in different stages of life.

Start date: 2025 - End date: 2027

- Shaping Metabolic Health: GLP-1 Receptor Agonists, Prebiotics, and the Gut-Brain Axis

The research group will explore how prebiotics support weight control, both independently and alongside GLP-1 receptor agonists. A workshop on GLP-1 analogues and health outcomes is planned for Q1 2026. The Expert Group will investigate key mechanisms, such as SCFA production, gut hormone stimulation, and microbiome modulation—with a focus on enhancing satiety, metabolic regulation, and treatment adherence. A key objective is to evaluate whether prebiotics can help reduce GLP-1–related side effects, such as gastrointestinal discomfort.

Start Date: 2026 - End Date: 2028

In the Pipeline

In 2027, the Task Force will develop a new activity proposal.

While the exact scope is still to be defined, prioritised topics include:

  • Interindividual variability in response to prebiotics: prebiotics and specific place of fermentation (from small intestine to distal colon);
  • Consumer interest and understanding of fibers and prebiotics: the role of prebiotics in GLP1-RA users and ex-users.

Expert Groups

Markers of the Gut Microbiota

Background and Objectives

Changes in the gut microbiota are increasingly linked to health outcomes, but consistent markers for measuring these effects are still lacking. This Expert Group aims to establish standardized markers for assessing improvements in gut microbiota composition and activity following dietary interventions. They will evaluate microbial composition, metabolites, enzymatic systems, mucosal integrity and immune responses to identify the most informative and predictive parameters for human health and strengthen the evidence linking prebiotic-induced microbiota changes to health benefits.

Output

Open-access peer-reviewed publication.

Expert Group Members

Role of Prebiotics in Better Managing Women’s Health 

Background and Objectives

Women’s health is shaped by complex interactions between the microbiome, immune system, metabolism and hormonal changes across the life course. This Expert Group aims to assess how prebiotics may support women’s health from puberty through reproductive years, pregnancy, menopause and ageing. They will review current evidence on prebiotic interventions and health outcomes, examine underlying mechanisms including microbial composition, metabolites, barrier function, immune regulation and estrogen metabolism, and identify key research gaps to guide more inclusive and hormone-informed future studies.

Output

Open-access peer-reviewed publication

Expert Group Members

Shaping Metabolic Health: GLP-1 Receptor Agostist, Prebiotics, and the Gut-Brain Axis

Background and Objectives

Metabolic, cognitive and mental health are increasingly linked to interactions between the gut, brain and metabolic signalling pathways. This workshop explored how GLP-1 receptor agonists and prebiotic strategies may influence appetite regulation, metabolic health, cognition and mental well-being through the gut–brain axis. Experts reviewed emerging evidence, discussed real-world clinical implications, and identified key knowledge gaps and priority research questions to guide future collaborative research.

Output

Open-access peer-reviewed publication.

Expert Group Members

 

Publications

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Multimedia

One Pagers

Research resources

Completed Expert Groups

Overview of completed activities