Thursday, 16 October 2025
A new study led by experts at the University of Nottingham has found that kefir combined with prebiotic fibres is more effective than single-source supplements in reducing inflammation and supporting immune health.
The findings, published in the Journal of Translational Medicine, show that a synbiotic - a combination of naturally fermented kefir and a diverse prebiotic fibre mix produces stronger anti-inflammatory effects compared with inulin fibreand omega-3 supplements.
The kefir and prebiotic mix was provided by Chuckling Goat Ltd. The kefir contains a mix of naturally occurring probiotic bacteria and yeasts, which form during the traditional fermentation of goat’s milk with live kefir grains. These grains are living cultures that house dozens of beneficial microbial species. The prebiotic fibre blend contains 18 different prebiotic fibres all derived from natural food sources.
When you combine kefir (rich in live beneficial microbes) with a diverse prebiotic fibre (which feeds them), you get a synbiotic effect — the fibre nourishes the microbes, helping them thrive and produce beneficial metabolites like butyrate, which has anti-inflammatory and immune-modulating effects throughout the body.
Over six weeks, healthy participants taking the synbiotic saw the broadest reduction in inflammation-related proteins compared to those taking omega-3 or fibre alone. The findings suggest that pairing beneficial microbes with prebiotic fibres could help support immune and metabolic health more effectively than single supplements.
Systemic inflammatory markers are signals in the blood that show how much inflammation is happening throughout the body, not just in one specific area like the gut or an infection. The findings of the study showed that the participants’ overall levels of inflammation across their whole body went down, suggesting an improvement in general immune balance and lower risk for conditions linked to chronic inflammation (like heart disease or other metabolic conditions).
The next stage of the research would be to test the supplements on people with certain conditions to see the effectiveness.
The study was led by Dr Amrita Vijay in the School of Medicine at the University of Nottingham.
Our study shows that while all three dietary approaches reduced inflammation, the synbiotic — combining fermented kefir with a diverse prebiotic fibre mix — had the most powerful and wide-ranging effects.
This suggests that the synergestic interaction between beneficial microbes and dietary fibres may be key to supporting immune balance and metabolic health.
The full study can be found here.
Story credits
More information is available from Dr Amrita Vijay in the School of Medicine at amrita.vijay@nottingham.ac.uk or
Notes to editors:
About the University of Nottingham
Ranked 97 in the world and 17th in the UK by the QS World University Rankings, the University of Nottingham is a founding member of Russell Group of research-intensive universities. Studying at the University of Nottingham is a life-changing experience, and we pride ourselves on unlocking the potential of our students. We have a pioneering spirit, expressed in the vision of our founder Sir Jesse Boot, which has seen us lead the way in establishing campuses in China and Malaysia - part of a globally connected network of education, research and industrial engagement.
Nottingham was crowned Sports University of the Year by The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024 – the third time it has been given the honour since 2018 – and by the Daily Mail University Guide 2024.
The university is among the best universities in the UK for the strength of our research, positioned seventh for research power in the UK according to REF 2021. The birthplace of discoveries such as MRI and ibuprofen, our innovations transform lives and tackle global problems such as sustainable food supplies, ending modern slavery, developing greener transport, and reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
The university is a major employer and industry partner - locally and globally - and our graduates are the third most targeted by the UK's top employers, according to The Graduate Market in 2024 report by High Fliers Research.
We lead the Universities for Nottingham initiative, in partnership with Nottingham Trent University, a pioneering collaboration between the city’s two world-class institutions to improve levels of prosperity, opportunity, sustainability, health and wellbeing for residents in the city and region we are proud to call home.
More news…