2026.02.03
Expanding the Influence of Biotics Beyond Gut Health
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Transforming Perspectives on Gut Health
When discussing the biotics market, it would be difficult to exclude gut health with probiotics centered on it. Biotics have become a leading and popular approach for supporting gut health, but recent trends highlight a broader impact. They are no longer just for treating or preventing digestive and gastrointestinal issues.
According to a consumer survey in the Innova Report, people are increasingly interested in using prebiotics, probiotics, and postbiotics for benefits beyond gut and digestive health (Figure 1). These include boosting immune health, improving sleep, and aiding weight loss.1) Gut health is now recognized as a vital factor that influences the body’s overall well-being, including the immune system, expanding its role beyond merely addressing digestive concerns.
Figure 1. Consumer survey on expected benefits of prebiotics, probiotics, and postbiotics (2023, Global)
The biotics market is experiencing continuous growth, driven by evolving consumer perceptions and expanding beyond gut health. In 2024, the global probiotics market is projected to reach approximately 9.265 billion USD, with an anticipated CAGR of 5% from 2023 to 2028.2) Including the market sizes of prebiotics and postbiotics, the overall biotics market is expected to be even more substantial.
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The Growing Focus on the Gut-Organ Axis
Then, what are the main drivers of sustainable growth in the future biotics market? The answer lies in a paradigm shift focused on the “gut-organ axis”—the concept that the gut acts as a central axis impacting various organs in the body.
Figure 2. Schematic diagram depicting the influence of Gut microbiota dysbiosis on the gut–organ axis
As research continues to uncover how gut health influences specific organs, the scope of gut health has expanded beyond general or immune health to more targeted areas like the brain, liver, heart, and skin. The rising interest is evident in the number of studies on the gut-organ axis, which increased from 441 in 2018 to 1,854 in 2023, a 4.2-fold increase (Figure 2).3)
Consumer expectations for biotics are becoming more specialized beyond gut health, and biotics companies are actively addressing this trend by developing specific functional applications through research and development.
Figure 3. Number of patent publications annually on using probiotics based on gut-organ axis (Global, 2018-2023)
In the next article, we delve deeper into the gut-organ axis, focusing particularly on the gut-skin axis. Explore the rapid growth of this area and discover how biotics are unlocking new possibilities for targeted skin health solutions. Read the next article→
References
1. Innova Platform, Report on biotics ingredients and Market metrics for biotics supplements, 2024
2. Euromonitor, Market metrics for probiotics and dietary supplement, 2024
3. NIH-PubMed, 2024
