Phagebiotics: A New Way of Thinking About Gut Health

The idea of phagebiotics comes from a simple shift in how we think about bacteriophages. Instead of viewing them only as tools to kill harmful bacteria during infection, phagebiotics consider phages as part of the normal microbial community that helps keep the gut ecosystem stable and healthy.

For years, gut health strategies have focused mainly on bacteria. Probiotics aim to add beneficial bacteria, while prebiotics support their growth. Phagebiotics add another layer to this picture. They focus on the viruses that naturally regulate bacterial populations, shape microbial diversity, and help maintain balance in the gut.

In a healthy gut, phages are not random invaders. Many are long-term residents that co-exist with bacteria, influencing which species dominate and which are kept in check. By selectively targeting specific bacteria or protecting others through mechanisms like superinfection exclusion, phages can contribute to a more resilient microbial ecosystem.

What makes phagebiotics particularly interesting is their precision. Unlike broad interventions that may disrupt many microbes at once, phages are highly specific. This opens the possibility of using them to gently steer the gut microbiome toward a healthier state without causing widespread disturbance.

Rather than replacing probiotics, phagebiotics may work alongside them. A future gut health supplement could include beneficial bacteria supported by carefully selected phages that help those bacteria establish, persist, and resist disruption. In this way, phagebiotics represent a more ecological approach to gut health — one that works with the natural dynamics of the microbiome instead of against them.

Phagebiotics are still an emerging idea, but they challenge us to rethink viruses not just as agents of disease or therapy, but as quiet contributors to long-term health. As our understanding of the gut virome grows, so too does the possibility that phages could become part of everyday strategies to maintain a healthy gut.