One cannot stress enough the importance of maintaining a healthy gut. In recent years, the spotlight has rightly been placed on gut health and how supplementation can further enhance it. Gut health forms the foundation of overall well-being, influencing everything right from digestion to mood. Fascinating right? Let’s understand more about gut health and supplements’ role in enhancing it.
The gut microbiome
The gut, which starts from the mouth and ends at the rectum, is home to trillions of microbes, including bacteria and certain yeast strains. This world of microbes is what we call the gut microbiome. The large intestine hosts most of these microbes. As opposed to the common notion of “microbes” being infectious, some of these microbes are not harmful and are required for the overall functioning of our health; hence, they are termed the “good bacteria”, as you may have heard before.1
The gut’s delicate ecosystem aids in food digestion, nutrient absorption, and even vitamin production. When the gut microbiome is balanced, it promotes a healthy immune system and can influence mental health. However, stress, a poor diet, and antibiotics can all disrupt this equilibrium, resulting in stomach discomfort, bloating, and exhaustion. As a result, it is vital to maintain gut health, which can be accomplished by diet and gut health supplements.2,3
The Role of Supplements
A well-balanced, fibre-rich, fermented diet is essential for gut health, but when this is not possible or when there is a disturbance in gut health, supplements can help restore and maintain a healthy microbiome. Probiotics for gut health are among the most widely used supplements, providing live beneficial bacteria to the gut. These bacteria assist in restoring the microbiome, reduce inflammation, and treat digestive problems, including constipation or diarrhoea.4
Prebiotics are another important type of supplement. Unlike probiotics, which are live bacteria, prebiotics are the foods that those microbes can consume. These are usually fibres that nourish beneficial bacteria. Synbiotics, a combination of prebiotics and probiotics, are frequently the most effective for gut health.5
Choosing the Best Gut Health Supplement
When selecting the best probiotics for gut health, look for strains such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, Saccharomyces boulardii which improve the diversity of gut bacteria and have been well-researched for their health benefits such as strengthening the intestinal barrier, and the immune system. It’s also important to choose a supplement with a high colony-forming unit (CFU) count, which indicates how many bacterial cells you will receive in one dose. A common advice is to choose probiotics with at least 1 billion colony-forming units and the one with a protective coating so that the bacteria survive stomach acid.6
For prebiotics, choose products with ingredients like fructooligosaccharides (FOS) to nourish your gut bacteria.5
The Path to Improved Gut Health
Probiotic and Prebiotic supplements function best with a nutritious diet high in fruits, vegetables, and fermented foods. Food for gut health includes yoghurt, kimchi, and sauerkraut, as well as prebiotics like garlic, banana, and onions.5,6
A combination of such diet and supplementation can be extremely beneficial to your gut health. By caring for your gut, you’re investing in a healthier, happier you!
References:
- The Microbiome. The Nutrition Source. Published August 16, 2017. https://nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu/microbiome/
- de Vos WM, Tilg H, Van Hul M, Cani PD. Gut microbiome and health: mechanistic insights. Gut. 2022;71(5):1020-1032. doi:10.1136/gutjnl-2021-326789
- Oluwatobi Victoria Obayomi, Abiola Folakemi Olaniran, Stephen Olugbemiga Owa. Unveiling the role of functional foods with emphasis on prebiotics and probiotics in human health: A review. Journal of functional foods. 2024;119:106337-106337. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jff.2024.106337
- Iancu MA, Profir M, Roşu OA, Ionescu RF, Cretoiu SM, Gaspar BS. Revisiting the Intestinal Microbiome and Its Role in Diarrhea and Constipation. Microorganisms. 2023;11(9):2177. Published 2023 Aug 29. doi:10.3390/microorganisms11092177
- Davani-Davari D, Negahdaripour M, Karimzadeh I, et al. Prebiotics: Definition, Types, Sources, Mechanisms, and Clinical Applications. Foods. 2019;8(3):92. Published 2019 Mar 9. doi:10.3390/foods8030092
- How To Pick the Best Probiotic. Cleveland Clinic. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/how-to-pick-the-best-probiotic-for-you
- Syngai GG, Gopi R, Bharali R, Dey S, Lakshmanan GM, Ahmed G. Probiotics – the versatile functional food ingredients. J Food Sci Technol. 2016;53(2):921-933. doi:10.1007/s13197-015-2011-0
