Your body is a diverse microbiome with trillions of tiny living organisms, most of which are beneficial. The dense microbe population is in your gut, where they play an essential role in digestion, immune function, and weight regulation. The diverse microbial community in your gut works together to help your body get nutrition and protect it from invaders. So it’s important to have the right balance of microbes in your digestive tract. Your gut health affects pretty much everything in your body. Also, it’s affected by almost everything you do to your body.
Eating a diet rich in whole foods and avoiding processed food and refined sugars help build a thriving ecosystem in your gut. However, your body isn’t always able to break down and absorb nutrients. As a result, inflammation and digestive system problems such as heartburn, gas, bloating and constipation occur. If your diet leaves much to be desired, you might consider taking supplements that will give you a helping hand and aid in the breakdown and digestion of your food. Gut health supplements help fill the gaps in your diet, maintain good gut bacteria, boost your immunity and reduce bloating.
If you want to keep your gut microbiome at the top of its game, keep reading for details about how to choose the right digestive supplement for healthy digestion. Also, you will understand how the best digestive supplements actually work.
Choosing Digestive Supplements
You can eat the healthiest and most nutrient-dense food in the world, but that doesn’t mean much if you aren’t digesting it. That’s where digestive supplements come in. If you have frequent gastrointestinal discomfort, taking digestive health supplements may provide relief. These catalyst enzymes will assist in enhancing the function of your gut flora, support optimal nutrient absorption and alleviate gastrointestinal symptoms. However, finding the right one for you can be tough. When looking for a gut health supplement Australia wide, you will find so many products promising to be the greatest digestive enzyme supplements. You need to make sure any gut supplement you buy is of good quality before you buy it. Here’s what to look for when choosing gut supplements:
Type of Enzyme
The type of digestive enzyme included in the supplement is among the essential factors to look upon. Different enzymes are used for breaking down different types of foods: carbohydrates, proteins, and fats into smaller molecules that can be easily absorbed. Basically, there are three main types of digestive enzymes, namely, proteases, lipases, and amylases. Proteases are enzymes that break down protein into small peptides and amino acids. Lipases break down fat into three fatty acids plus a glycerol molecule. Whereas amylases break down carbs like starch into simpler sugars. If your digestive system has a problem breaking anything, you need to make sure the supplement you buy has the appropriate enzyme that can help you break it down.
Source
Some gut health supplements are made with plant-based ingredients (pineapple or papaya), while others come from animals such as cattle or pigs. Even some supplements are broad-spectrum, combining multiple enzymes to cover all your needs. Each source has certain advantages. If you are vegetarian or vegan, consider taking plant-based enzyme supplements. These supplements help target gut health with low-to-moderate acidity (4.5 – 9.8 pH). Animal-based supplements are typically available in coated capsules otherwise they will not survive the low stomach acid levels. Always check the labels to make sure you are buying plant-based enzymes specifically for vegetarians or vegans, or look for a supplement label that says “enteric-coated capsules”.
Best Gut Health Supplements
Now, what are some of the best supplements for gut health and digestive support? Probiotics of course. Probiotic supplements help nourish your gut microbiota and enhance your overall wellness. Prebiotics, collagen protein, L-glutamine, and zinc carnosine supplements also provide the nourishment your digestive bacteria need to do their job. Let’s take a closer look at how all these gut health supplements actually work.
Probiotics
Probiotics are the good bacteria that naturally live in your body. Their main job is to maintain a healthy balance by fighting off the extra bad bacteria, hence helping you better. You can feel the benefits of probiotics by eating probiotic-rich food like yogurt and kefir, or kombucha, but these foods don’t work for everyone. And that’s where probiotic supplements come in. They are safe and it’s usually recommended to take them daily, usually in the morning on empty stomach. Research shows that regular taking of probiotic supplements helps with chronic constipation, diarrhea, poor eating and sleeping habits that can cause inflammation in your gut microbiome. Probiotic supplementation can reduce inflammation and help healthy bacteria flourish. A high-quality probiotic should contain live strains of Lactobacillus plantarum, Bifidobacterium, and Bacillus coagulans. So when choosing a supplement to meet your health needs, make sure your probiotic contains these beneficial strains.
Prebiotics
Prebiotics is what actually feeds probiotics. They are a source of food for the healthy bacteria in your gut. Basically, they act as food to help your gut’s healthy bacteria grow. You will find prebiotic fibres in many fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, but you can also find them in supplement form that goes to work specifically for your gut health. Some studies suggest that prebiotics can help manage gut diseases such as irritable bowel syndrome as well as they might play a role in controlling obesity, given the fact that probiotic fibres help you feel fuller, longer.
Collagen Protein
Collagen is the main structural protein that makes up your body, including your digestive tract. Your body naturally makes collagen. But unless you eat plenty of organ meats and bone broth, it’s likely that you aren’t giving your body enough amino acids to produce enough collagen protein. That’s where collagen protein supplements come in. Available as powders or pills, these supplements support a healthy gut microbiome, reduce gastrointestinal inflammation, and aid digestion.
L-Glutamine
Glutamine is an important amino acid with many functions in your body, but it’s especially crucial for your intestinal health. It helps repair the injuries in the intestinal wall to keep it strong. Your body naturally produces glutamine and is also found in many foods, including beef, chicken, fish and eggs, leafy greens, and fermented foods. You might consider taking L-glutamine supplements for optimal gut health, which are typically available in powder form. Studies show that taking glutamine supplements can improve nutrition absorption.
Zinc Carnosine
Zinc carnosine is a dietary supplement that stabilizes small bowel integrity and stimulates gut repair. This compound form of zinc and carnosine is pretty amazing for maintaining strong intestinal lining. Scientific evidence that underlines these claims is limited, though.
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