Essential Oils as Prebiotics

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Prebiotics are critical for gut healing.

They serve as food for beneficial gut bacteria, which help promote a healthy, balanced microbiome.

Research has found that essential oils exhibit prebiotic-like effects, making them an ideal choice for anyone who struggles to heal the gut.

What are Prebiotics?

Prebiotics are types of non-digestible fiber naturally found in plants—including herbs, spices, fruits, and vegetables—that feed the beneficial bacteria (probiotics) in your gut.

As you may know, the lining of your gut is covered in microscopic organisms and up to 1,000 different species of bacteria that create a micro-ecosystem called a microbiome. These bacteria help you digest food and absorb nutrients.

Prebiotics feed this beneficial gut bacteria, stimulating their proliferation. By nourishing different types of bacteria, you can keep your microbiome in balance. When your gut microbiome is healthy and balanced, you feel healthy and balanced, and able to function at your best. However, when this balance is off (gut dysbiosis), that well-oiled machine starts to break down.

Since your intestines can’t fully digest high-fiber plants, prebiotics bypass the digestive system and travel to your colon largely intact. There, they feed the microbes in your gut and stimulate the growth of healthy bacteria, which, in turn, promote the development of beneficial gut bacteria and influence gut microbiota composition, leading to improved digestive health and other benefits, such as enhanced mineral absorption and immune function.

When prebiotics are broken down, they create different short-chain fatty acids. These short-chain fatty acids improve your metabolic and overall health by providing energy to your colon cells, producing essential mucus, reducing inflammation, and promoting immunity. In short, think of prebiotics as fertilizer that helps good bacteria grow.

How do Prebiotics Work with Probiotics?

Prebiotics work in tandem with probiotics, laying the groundwork for their success. You might think of prebiotics like fertilizer that helps to nourish and promote the growth of probiotics. More specifically:

Prebiotics: Prebiotics “feed” the probiotics, triggering the growth of the “good” germs and enhancing the metabolism of beneficial bacteria. While not living organisms themselves (as they naturally occur in plants), prebiotics cannot be digested by the host but can be used and fermented by probiotics, helping the microbes already in your microbiome grow, survive, and thrive by providing the foods they like. When bacteria are fed what they need to stay healthy, microbial diversity can be restored.

Probiotics: Probiotics are specific living microorganisms—most often bacteria or yeast, typically certain strains of bacteria and yeasts—that are found in certain foods that may help maintain or improve the balance of good to harmful bacteria already living in your gut. Probiotics are naturally found in fermented foods and can help repopulate beneficial gut bacteria. Demonstrated efficacy in microbiome restoration.

Research shows that higher intakes of prebiotic foods can increase numerous probiotic microorganisms, including Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, L. reuteri, bifidobacteria, and certain strains of L. casei or the L. acidophilus group.

READ THIS NEXT: How Intestinal Mucosa Supports Probiotic Absorption

What are the Benefits of Prebiotics?

Prebiotics boost gut health and contribute to wide-ranging benefits, including:

Digestive health: Prebiotics promote a healthy gut microbiome and can improve metabolism and elimination.
Mineral absorption: Prebiotics may help the body absorb essential minerals like calcium.
Lower Inflammation: Prebiotics enhance the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), which benefit gut health and reduce inflammation.
Enhanced Immune Function: Prebiotic foods can result in significant changes in the composition of the gut microbiome that help improve immunity. Prebiotics also help boost immunity by improving nutrient absorption and lowering gut pH, thereby blocking the growth of potential pathogens and harmful bacteria.
Reduced risk of heart disease: Prebiotics can reduce glycation, which increases free radicals, triggers inflammation, and lowers insulin resistance, all of which can contribute to heart disease.
Electrolyte Balance: Prebiotics can balance your electrolyte and mineral levels, including potassium and sodium.
Blood Sugar Control: Prebiotics can help reduce blood glucose levels and increase insulin sensitivity.
Balanced Hormones: Prebiotics may lower cortisol levels and the body’s stress response (study)
Regulate Mood: Prebiotics can help enhance gut health and mood.
Lower Stress Response: Prebiotics can help lower stress responses by feeding the beneficial gut bacteria linked to improved mood and reduced anxiety.
Aid in Weight Loss: Prebiotics may help increase energy and weight loss.
Hormonal Balance: Stimulate the production of hormones that aid in appetite suppression.

Essential oils have prebiotic-like effects.

Plants and their derivatives, such as essential oils, have been found to promote the growth of beneficial gut bacteria and improve the gut microbiota composition, leading to improved gut health.

In nature, essential oils play an important role in protecting plants. Essential oils contain a wide variety of secondary metabolites that can inhibit or slow the growth of bacteria, yeasts, and molds.

Some essential oils, such as those from herbs like oregano and thyme, have been shown to increase beneficial bacteria, including Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. They can stimulate the production of valuable metabolites, such as short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), by promoting the growth of SCFA-producing bacteria.

Essential oils also act as antimicrobial agents, inhibiting the growth of harmful bacteria while having a less severe impact on beneficial bacteria. Research on the Effect of Essential Oils on Pathogenic Bacteria found that “essential oils possess noticeable antimicrobial, antifungal and antiviral activity.” The study further noted that “many of the antimicrobial compounds are constitutively expressed by the plants, and others can be synthesized as a mechanism of self-defense in response to pathogens.”

Research found essential oils sourced from herbs commonly used in the Mediterranean diet “demonstrated advantageous attributes as prebiotics”, finding that essential oils “serve as prebiotic agents, antioxidants, immunomodulators, and anti-inflammatory mediators”, noting in particular the “prebiotic effects of essential oils extracted from savory, parsley, and rosemary on gut microbiota, increasing commensal bacteria.”

Similarly, research on Lactobacillus-derived exopolysaccharide nanoemulsions for essential oils Delivery: Improving bioaccessibility, gastrointestinal stability, and prebiotic function found that essential oils offer prebiotic benefits, including prebiotic, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties, actively supporting gut microbiota.” The research observed a substantial increase in the relative abundance of the Lactobacillus genus in the gut microbiota, accompanied by higher levels of short-chain fatty acids and a reduction in trimethylamine N-oxide levels and protein oxidation in the plasma

Intestinal Mucosa Blend as a Prebiotic

Your intestinal mucosa lines your intestinal tract and works in tandem with prebiotics to help maintain the balance of your intestinal flora by nourishing beneficial bacteria. Intestinal Mucosa™ blend is comprised of essential oils derived from herbs and spices with known prebiotic qualities that help maintain an ideal environment for probiotic absorption.

Like a well-tended garden, a healthy gut lining is essential for nurturing the probiotics you introduce into your body. When consumed, probiotics can adhere to the mucosal surface, triggering local immune responses that enhance their survival and efficacy. This interaction not only supports the absorption of probiotics but also helps protect the intestines from pathogens, enzymes, toxins, dehydration, and abrasion.

When you ingest probiotics, they attach to the intestinal mucosa, prolonging the time they can interact with the gastrointestinal, immune, and microbiota systems, thereby maximizing their benefits. The ability of probiotics to adhere to the intestinal surface is a measure of their efficacy. Studies have shown that a healthy intestinal barrier is essential for effectively absorbing probiotics—the “good” bacteria known to keep your gut healthy.

Intestinal Mucosa™ blend is formulated from the following plants known for their prebiotic properties:

Cypress: This evergreen fibrous plant supports gut infections, stimulates sluggish intestines, and helps relieve intestinal spasms. Cypress oil has antibacterial, antimicrobial, and antifungal properties. Cypress essential oil is high in the compound α-pinene. It exhibits anti-inflammatory activity in research, which helps improve circulation and blood vessel contraction, making it easier to stimulate blood flow and reduce gut inflammation.

Tarragon: This hardyherbaceous perennial plant contains polyphenol compounds that may have prebiotic-like effects that support the gut microbiome. Tarragon is known for its digestive benefits, as it can stimulate the secretion of digestive fluids. Tarragon also eases digestive spasms and discomfort while promoting healthy peristalsis and calm throughout the intestines. Tarragon is also a good source of antioxidants, which can help protect the body from oxidative stress.

Nagarmotha: This perennial herb has narrow leaves and fibrous roots that contain polysaccharides, which are believed to have prebiotic properties. Nagarmotha is traditionally used in Ayurveda to support gut balance, reduce inflammation, and enhance microbial harmony. Nargarmotha supports stomach and intestinal issues. It is known for its calming properties and may help alleviate gut inflammation, discomfort, and digestive issues when applied around the abdomen.

Marjoram: An aromatic herbaceous plant belonging to the mint family, and is closely related to oregano, which is known for its prebiotic properties.

Marjoram contains phenolic compounds such as terpinene, terpineol, borneol, camphor, and pinene, which are known to support the gut microbiome. Historically, marjoram has been used to aid digestion, and some studies suggest it can positively influence intestinal health.

Cardamom: A spice derived from the seeds of a perennial, aromatic, herbaceous plant from the ginger family. This fibrous plant is a clumping species with leafy shoots that can grow up to 16 feet tall. Research on the Prebiotic potential of rambutan peel with cardamom oil found cardamom to have prebiotic properties. The study found that “Cardamom may exert multifunctional effects against inflammation, including a possible prebiotic effect as well as by reducing LPS-induced inflammation in the intestinal epithelium due to diet-induced gut microbiota dysbiosis.” Cardamom has potent anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties, which help support gut health, alleviate digestive issues such as indigestion, gas, and bloating, and fight specific bacteria and fungi. Due to its warming nature, Cardamom can help with blood circulation, relieve pain, and ease gut inflammation.

Elemi: A tree resin derived from the bark of a large, evergreen tree native to the Philippines. Known for its rejuvenating effects on tissue and cellular function, it helps protect and repair the delicate mucosal lining. Elemi contains a combination of sesquiterpenes, which possess calming properties. They can also support the immune system, protect you from harmful microbes, act as antioxidants, and assist in cellular repair. Elemi also contains monoterpenes with antifungal, antibacterial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antihistamine properties.

Wintergreen: Contains natural methyl salicylate to ease inflammation and soothe irritation in the gut wall tissues. While primarily known for its effects on muscle relaxation, it is also touted for its impact on gut health, particularly for reducing IBS symptoms such as bloating and pain.

Topically apply 2-3 drops in a clockwise circle around the belly button.

Topical application is a powerful tool for anyone with impaired digestion who may struggle to digest, absorb, and assimilate nutrients. Highly sensitive people who often cannot tolerate dietary supplements can use essential oils without adverse reaction.