Gut Health Supplements | Ramneek Bhogal

Ramneek Bhogal, Cherokee County, GA | Gut Health

Not all gut health concerns are created equal, and some are trickier than others to both discover and treat. Common digestive upset like gas and bloating is more naturally connected to GI health, but other challenges can also be linked to the gut.

Functional challenges often include occasional gut irritability that doctors are unable to solve, excess acid or acid changes, and elimination irregularities like hard and loose stools or trouble going to the bathroom.

Systemic challenges are, in many cases, more difficult to directly connect with gut health, as they aren’t necessarily linked to the digestive tract itself. For example, skin issues like itchiness, frequent reactions to environmental and food irritants, and a heightened inflammatory response in the body may signal issues with the gut.

While these concerns aren’t typically viewed or treated in conventional medicine as gut-related problems, functional medicine providers are finding gut permeability and sub-optimal gut health is an underlying factor.

4 Noteworthy Supplements for Gut Health

A whole foods diet and a commitment to a healthy lifestyle should always be the first line of defense for a healthy gut, but when you need that extra support, supplements can be a natural option.

1. Prebiotic Fiber

Probiotic bacteria depend on prebiotic fiber for growth and proliferation. Having a variety of different strains and sufficient amounts of probiotic bacteria is essential for a healthy and balanced gut microbiome, and this balance depends on the quantity of prebiotic fiber in your gut.*

Inulin is one type of prebiotic fiber, a fructose chain that provides fuel to the gut lining and enables them to produce important chemicals like short chain fatty acids.* You can find inulin in chicory root, asparagus, garlic, onions, bananas, apples, and flaxseeds.

2. Zinc Carnosine

Zinc is a mineral that has been used for its immune properties for centuries, and when chelated with the amino acid L-carnosine, allows for a slow dissociation and improved local effect.* This potent combination has been found to help stabilize small bowel integrity, promote a healthy stomach lining and environment, support the health of gastric cells, maintain a healthy gastrointestinal environment, and even help with gastric discomfort.*

3. L-Glutamine
L-glutamine is an amino acid. Amino acids are building blocks of protein that are necessary for blood sugar regulation. The body can sometimes synthesize adequate amounts of L-glutamine, but it often must be obtained from foods such as meat, dairy, eggs, beans, tofu, and leafy vegetables.

This amino acid is used in supplement form to quell sugar cravings, as well as for gut health. L-Glutamine is a fuel source for cells in the small intestine, helping them recover and even supporting healthy inflamatory response.

4. Soothing Supplements: DGL, Marshmallow Root, Licorice, Slippery Elm, Aloe Vera

Another type of gut supplement encompasses those aimed at soothing and repairing. Deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL), marshmallow root, licorice, slippery elm, and aloe vera all provide a high mucilage content, meaning they swell when mixed with liquids and provide a soothing property to mucous membranes. These supportive gut supplements can help promote a healthy inflammatory response and boost the gut’s natural immune processes.*

Many functional medicine providers are finding success with professional grade products that use a combination of supplements for gut health, like G.I. Benefits, which targets GI comfort, a stronger intestinal lining, a healthy gut immune system, regular bathroom habits, and a balanced and wide variety of beneficial gut bacteria.