Supplements for Gut Health – A Guide

A healthy microbiome with diverse beneficial microorganisms is required for good bowel movements and digestion. A healthy digestive tract improves food absorption and makes you feel your best. You can boost the health of your gut microbiota, digestive system, and the entire body by doing a few things daily.

Consuming probiotic foods such as yogurt, sauerkraut, and kefir is a fantastic way to improve gut health. This can be supplemented by consuming high-fiber meals. Certain foods, such as fibrous vegetables, are preferred by beneficial microorganisms. They can break down meals humans cannot, providing them with the required nutrition. This is referred to as a symbiotic connection, which means that organisms (them and us) coexist and sustain one another.

Probiotic supplements

Unfortunately, life may get in the way and cause us to get ill. We might be given antibiotics to kill off infections when we are sick. This is fantastic news for humans, but it is poor news for the bacteria that live in our stomachs, as antibiotics also kill them. When this happens, a probiotic pill may be required to replenish the gut. To do this, take the probiotic supplement after completing the entire course of antibiotics or take it two to three hours after taking the antibiotics. Use them separately since they will interact with the anti-biotics, destroying the probiotics (wasting time and money) and lowering the antibiotics’ efficiency in fighting the illness for which they were given. Antibiotics can occasionally induce diarrhea, so consuming probiotics might help alleviate this.

Probiotic supplements are capsules containing billions of tiny good gut microorganisms. The capsule protects them from being broken down and destroyed by stomach acid, allowing them to enter the intestine intact. There are a few things to look for when purchasing probiotics. To begin with, broad-spectrum probiotics are preferable since they include more than one, ideally several, species. The gut must maintain a varied range of bacteria, of which there are between three and five hundred species, all of which interact with one another to improve gut health. Each species and strain of each species contributes to various elements of health.

Psyllium Husk

Psyllium husk is a soluble fiber that may be used as a supplement to improve intestinal health. It swells and forms a gel when it comes into touch with water. This gel thickens the feces and avoids constipation, making it easier to pass. Psyllium husk can also assist in preventing diarrhoea by absorbing excess water. It is available as a powder, husk, or pill. Psyllium husk can also aid in weight loss by assisting the intestines in eliminating all waste. Psyllium husk is a healthy supplement to take every day to maintain the colon and gut functioning properly. The sole negative is that psyllium husk is unpleasant because of its flavor and texture. This is because it soon transforms into a gel. As a result, combining it with plenty of water is a smart idea. You may also mask the flavor by adding a teaspoon to your everyday smoothie.

Liquorice root extract

Liquorice extract is another supplement you might wish to try. Liquorice extract is derived from the root of the liquorice plant, which has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for millennia. It is now extensively used as a flavoring in food and beverages. On the other hand, licorice extract can aid in enhancing intestinal health. Liquorice extract, for example, is excellent in lowering inflammation and promoting intestinal healing; thus, it can help minimize ulcers, particularly those induced by anti-inflammatory medicine. Moreover, licorice extract has been demonstrated to alleviate nausea and indigestion.

Nevertheless, before taking a licorice supplement, consult with a medical practitioner because it can produce significant side effects and impair the efficiency of some drugs. Lastly, if you are pregnant, avoid taking licorice extract because it has been shown to disrupt the brain development of unborn babies and induce preterm labor.

Zinc

Zinc is a mineral that is essential for the immune system, healing, and restoration. It is a beneficial leaky gut supplement because it employs those qualities to repair and strengthen the gut wall; a leaky gut is associated with the gastrointestinal ailment Crohn’s disease. With this painful autoimmune condition, zinc has also been discovered to help nourish the stomach. Zinc can be taken as a standalone supplement or in combination with other elements in a multivitamin and mineral supplement.

L-glutamine

Glutamine is an amino acid, which is a protein-building component. Protein is needed in the body to develop and repair tissues; hence, glutamine aids in the healing of the gut wall when it is leaky, damaged, or inflammatory. It then promotes the growth of healthy new cells. L-glutamine supplements are available as capsules, tablets, or powders.

Collagen peptides

Since collagen peptides are a kind of protein, they can provide the same advantages as L-glutamine. Collagen peptides, often known as gelatin, can help decrease inflammation in the stomach. This is because it has antibacterial and antioxidant properties.

Several supplements can help you improve your gut health after an illness, assist the body’s healing of the gut, maintain the health and amount of beneficial bacteria in the gut, or protect the gut against damage and inflammation. These supplements can be consumed as food or as pills on a regular basis. Having said that, nothing can substitute a nutritious diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables, moderate exercise, and restful sleep.

References

• Symbiotic gut microbes modulate human metabolic phenotypes https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.0712038105
• Taking Probiotics With Antibiotics https://www.optibacprobiotics.com/uk/learning-lab/in-depth/general-health/probiotics-with-antibiotics
• Gut Bacteria in Health and Disease https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3983973/
• Biodiversity and Functional Genomics in the Human Microbiome https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3534939/
• 7 benefits of psyllium https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/318707
• I find it difficult to eat enough fruits and vegetables. Is there any harm in taking a fiber supplement every day? https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/expert-answers/fiber-supplements/faq-20058513
• 5 easy ways to use superfood psyllium husk https://ceres.co.nz/blog/5-easy-ways-use-superfood-psyllium-husk/
• Antiulcer activities of liquorice and its derivatives in experimental gastric lesion induced by ibuprofen in rats https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/037851739400377H
• An Extract of Glycyrrhiza glabra (GutGard) Alleviates Symptoms of Functional Dyspepsia: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3123991/
• What Are Liquorice Root’s Benefits and Downsides? https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/licorice-root
• Intestinal Permeability in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Pathogenesis, Clinical Evaluation, and Therapy of Leaky Gut https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4637104/
• Zinc supplementation tightens “leaky gut” in Crohn’s disease http://bit.ly/3XMmK91
• Glutamine supplementation reduces markers of intestinal permeability during running in the heat in a dose-dependent manner https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5694515/
• Collagen peptides ameliorate intestinal epithelial barrier dysfunction in immunostimulatory Caco-2 cell monolayers via enhancing tight junctions https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28174772/
• Gelatin tannate reduces the proinflammatory effects of lipopolysaccharide in human intestinal epithelial cells https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3358810/

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