Best Gut Health Vitamins
The following vitamins and supplements can also nourish your gut with the nutrients it needs for optimal function.
Fiber Supplements
The first thing your gut needs is fiber! Without adequate fiber in the diet your gut motility can suffer and you can end up with sluggish, uncomfortable digestion or difficulties going to the bathroom.
Additionally, fiber, specifically prebiotic fiber, is a main food source of the important microbiome, which we’ll discuss in more detail below. Adults are recommended to get between 25 and 30 grams of fiber every day, though historically we likely consumed much more than this on a daily basis.
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If you struggle to meet your daily intake you can try taking a fiber supplement, there are many great ones on the market, or add a tablespoon or two of chia seeds, flax seeds or psyllium to your daily diet. If you are looking to specifically nourish your gut microbiome, you can purchase specific prebiotic fiber supplements such as inulin or acacia gum.
Just make sure you drink lots of water since fiber can bind to water and if you increase your fiber intake without increasing your water intake you could end up constipated.
Probiotics
The microbiome refers to the community of bacteria and yeasts that live in your digestive tract and help you digest and assimilate your food. They can also help train and modulate the immune system and even communicate with your nervous system.
Keeping them balanced so that you have about 80% commensal or beneficial bacteria and 20% what can be considered negative bacteria if they grow out of balance is important for overall health.
Enjoying fermented foods is a great way to increase your probiotic intake, but not everyone loves them or can access them regularly. That’s where investing in a high-quality probiotic supplement can make a big difference to your gut health. You will want to look for brands that have 20 billion colony-forming units (CFUs) or more and contain a variety of research-backed strains.
They will often have numbers and letters after their name such as Lactiplantibacillus plantarum HA-119. Make sure you are consuming enough prebiotic fiber in your diet to help nourish your bacteria and encourage them to colonize your digestive system.
Magnesium
If you struggle with constipation, magnesium can help move things along as a gentle laxative. The best forms for this treatment are typically magnesium citrate or magnesium oxide. Magnesium glycinate, malate or taurate are better absorbed and don’t tend to have this effect on the gut.
However, it is important to note that magnesium helps relax smooth muscle, so there is some indication that when taken long term it can actually slow down gut motility. Work with your doctor or natural health care provider to find the dosage and type that’s right for your needs.
Eating a diet rich in foods that make you feel good and don’t irritate your gut is the first step to keeping it healthy and happy. Everyone’s diet is going to be unique based on their nutrient needs and the foods they may react poorly to.
If you struggle with digestion, working with a nutritionist or registered dietitian can help you troubleshoot and create the best diet you can use as your gut health foundation.
What is the Gut and Why is it Important?
When we refer to the gut, we are specifically talking about the small intestine and the large intestine. The gut is key not just for properly digesting and assimilating the food you eat, but it also plays a key role in modulating your immune system and producing neurotransmitters that support mental health.
The gut is home to about 70% of the immune system because technically things that are moving through our digestive system are considered outside of our body until they are absorbed by the villi and microvilli in our small intestines and transported through our bloodstream throughout the body. Since the gut makes up such a large surface area, there is a lot of space and opportunity for pathogens, debris, and undigested food particles to pass through, which is why the immune system is there ready to keep them out to prevent inflammation and illness.
We also produce about 90% of our serotonin in our gut and approximately 50% of our dopamine. Both of these neurotransmitters are required for optimal mental health functioning. As you can see, if our digestion and guts are not working optimally, it can impact our whole body system. That’s why incorporating gut health vitamins can be a great addition to any wellness plan.
Boosting Your Gut Health
As a nutritionist, I have been sharing the importance of supporting your gut for better health for as long as I have been in practice–over ten years! Luckily, our understanding of what we need to nourish and protect our guts has come a long way since I first started working with clients and there are now many amazing gut health vitamins readily available to help you support this important organ.
As always, make sure you consult with your doctor or other qualified healthcare practitioner before taking any supplements to avoid any possible negative interactions with medications or health conditions.
Hopefully, these simple gut health vitamins will give you the extra boost you need to nourish your gut and enjoy better health!
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