Gut Health: Supplements

Five supplements proven to aid in digestion relief!

A series on the topic of gut health commenced a few weeks ago on Healthy in Bulk. To date, we’ve discussed the role of the gut in promoting overall health, consuming probiotic-rich foods for a better gut, the criticality of consuming a diverse selection of high-fiber foods, and the gut health consequences of certain behaviors such as alcohol consumption.

All the above are straightforward decisions one can make (or refrain from) to better their gut health at a relatively low cost and they take little effort. Therefore, these should be seen as the ‘big movers’ and prioritized accordingly.

However, I would be remiss if I didn’t bring in a conversation on various supplements designed to improve the health of our gut that have research to back their efficacy. I’ve personally tried all of these besides #4 on the list and have received benefit from each.

Understand that each of us are incredibly unique and it will be most beneficial if you experiment and find what works for you and your gut!

Here are five supplements known to promote gut health:

1. Glutamine

This functional amino acid is unique in that the cells of our gut and immune system can utilize it as a fuel source. With this, research has demonstrated glutamine supplementation can strengthen the physical barrier of our gut leading to less ‘leaky gut’ symptoms alongside promoting immune cell regulation and viability which in turn leads to less frequent sicknesses. Downstream, research has linked glutamine with decreased inflammatory markers, a healthier gut microbiome, and improvements in digestive issues such as constipation.¹

Dosage: 5-40 grams per day on an empty stomach

I personally took 10g daily in the morning on an empty stomach and found benefit. Although I’ve momentarily stopped taking Glutamine, I plan to re-up on since I read more of the research.

Recommended Brands: Bulk Supplements, Momentous, Thorne

2. Probiotics

A brief discussion on probiotic supplementation was incorporated a while back but I thought it was important to re-visit in today’s discussion as well. Probiotic supplements currently bring in roughly 40 billion dollars annually and this number is trending upwards… here’s why.