Gut Health: The Best Supplements for Digestive Health
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Supplements for Gut and Digestive Health

Illustration of the digestive tract the physician is using as a teaching tool.

Maintaining a healthy digestive system is essential for overall well-being†. The gut plays a critical role in breaking down the things we eat and drink, absorbing nutrients, and supporting the immune system. However, diet, stress, and other lifestyle factors can sometimes lead to digestive discomfort. That’s where foods, nutrients, and supplements for gut and digestive health can help†. These targeted nutrients support digestion†, promote a balanced gut microbiome†, and help maintain a properly functioning digestive tract†. Several vitamins, nutrients, and supplements may help support gut and digestive health when used alongside a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle†.

Digestive health is not only essential for preventing common digestive system problems—including heartburn, constipation, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and other forms of discomfort—but it can also affect other aspects of your health†. Because the nutrients traveling through the bloodstream reach virtually every organ in your body, poor digestive health can affect the immune system, heart, and brain†.

Summary: Maintaining digestive health is essential for overall wellness, helping the body break down food, absorb nutrients, and support immune function†. Diet and lifestyle habits, including eating fiber-rich foods, staying hydrated, getting adequate sleep, and managing stress, can help support a healthy digestive system. Certain nutrients and supplements, including probiotics, prebiotics, fiber, curcumin, vitamin C, B vitamins, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D, and psyllium, may also help support digestive function and a balanced gut microbiome†.

Diet and Lifestyle Tips to Support Gut and Digestive Health

As with nearly every aspect of our health, Cooper Clinic takes a “food first” approach to disease prevention, combining diet with healthy lifestyle habits. Get plenty of uninterrupted sleep—7–8 hours for most adults—drink plenty of water each day, and lower stress by exercising regularly, meditating, and limiting alcohol intake.

Eating a diet rich in whole grains, fiber, and lean proteins ensures the digestive system gets the nutrients the body needs to function—and avoids foods that impede digestive function. Key components to a gut-healthy diet include:

  • Whole grains. Dietary guidelines recommend 25-30 grams of fiber per day to reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, hypertension, certain gastrointestinal disorders, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers†. Whole-grain breads, whole-grain pasta, oatmeal, and quinoa not only provide plenty of fiber but also deliver additional nutrients, including B vitamins and iron.
  • Leafy greens. Spinach, kale, cabbage, bok choy, and romaine lettuce are among the many leafy greens high in vitamins and minerals—including folate, vitamin C, vitamin K, and vitamin A, as well as fiber.
  • Lean protein. Avoid red meats and fried foods in favor of fish, chicken, turkey, shrimp, and egg whites to get the protein the body needs to produce energy†.
  • Low-fructose fruits. Choose low-fructose alternatives, including strawberries, peaches, blackberries, bananas, and avocados, to help avoid gas and bloating associated with high-fructose fruits†.

Best Supplements for Gut and Digestive Health†

Several supplements may help support digestive function and maintain a healthy gut microbiome when combined with a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle†. Some of the commonly used supplements for gut and digestive health include:

  • Probiotics
  • Prebiotics
  • Fiber supplements such as guar gum or psyllium
  • Curcumin (turmeric extract)
  • Vitamin C
  • B-complex vitamins
  • Omega-3 fatty acids
  • Vitamin D

Probiotics for Gut and Digestive Health

Probiotics are live microorganisms, or healthy bacteria, that can help restore the balance of microbes in the gut—the gut microbiota—by aiding digestion and helping maintain a balanced gut environment†. An imbalance in the gut microbiota is associated with digestive conditions such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, chronic bacterial infections, such as H. pylori, and general intestinal discomfort from constipation and gas†.

Package of Cooper Complete Advanced Daily Probiotic Supplement

Advanced Daily Probiotic Supplement

Support digestive and immune health for everyday wellness. A multi-strain probiotic designed to support a healthy gut.

$49.98 Add to cart

Cooper Complete Advanced Daily Probiotic contains 35 billion CFU and four strains of probiotics, including lactobacillus acidophilus, bifidobacterium longum, and lactiplantibacillus plantarum—all of which have been shown to be effective for gastrointestinal conditions, including antibiotic-associated diarrhea, constipation, and IBS, among others†.

Probiotics are often seen as supplements geared specifically for gut health†, but their role in promoting a healthy, well-balanced gut microbiota has been shown to benefit the immune system†. Studies show that the interaction between consumed probiotics and intestinal immune cells can improve immune balance and function†. Individuals with a weakened immune system should talk with their health care provider before starting a probiotic†.

Prebiotics and Gut Microbiome Support

Common in high-fiber foods, including whole grains, bananas, and soybeans, prebiotics support the growth of probiotic bacteria and work with them to balance the gut microbiota†. They act as a fuel source to gut bacteria, helping them stay healthy†.

Microbiome Fiber and Prebiotic Digestive Support

Decreases in dietary fiber consumption over the last few centuries have contributed to a global epidemic of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers by fostering a gut microbiota inconsistent with a healthy gut†. While scientific evidence is still being accumulated, studies are uncovering the connections between fiber, the gut, and overall health†.

Made from Sunfiber® guar gum, Cooper Complete Microbiome Fiber is a prebiotic supplement for gut health†. It helps with diarrhea and constipation†. One study showed that guar gum absorbs excess liquid in those with diarrhea and softens the stool in those with constipation†. Another study found that it reduced symptoms of IBS with predominant constipation†.

Additionally, Sunfiber guar gum has been shown to increase levels of beneficial bacteria—including Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus—further promoting a healthy gut microbiota†.

(Bonus: Learn more about the health benefits of fiber†.)

Curcumin (Turmeric) for Digestive Health

One small study found that taking 500 mg of curcumin four times a day was as effective as omeprazole (Prilosec) for chronic indigestion within four weeks†. Subjects also had decreased symptoms of gas, bloating, and nausea†.

A review of several recent studies has shown that curcumin modifies the composition of the gut microbiota, thereby affecting its balance, and may also contribute to the function of the intestinal barrier, restoring its previously disrupted permeability†. The review also showed curcumin’s beneficial effects on biomarkers of gut inflammation†, though additional human trials are needed to assess its relationship with the gut microbiota†.

Cooper Complete Turmeric Curcumin Complex contains 1,000 mg of curcumin extract per daily serving of three capsules.

Vitamin C and Gut Microbiome Balance

Because of its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, researchers are interested in the effects of vitamin C on the composition of the gut microbiota†. One tiny pilot study of 14 participants had participants take a high daily dose of vitamin C for two weeks, resulting in beneficial effects on gut microbiota balance, suggesting it may help treat inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)†. (This was a pilot study, so more research is needed.)

Vitamin C also enhances the body’s ability to absorb iron†. An iron-rich digestive tract is especially conducive to the growth of proteobacteria, which play a crucial role in promoting healthy digestive function†. Vitamin C may aid absorption among those with digestive issues who are also iron-deficient†. However, adding iron to vitamin C supplements for gut health may not be a good solution for those who also struggle with constipation†. While there’s plenty of research on the health benefits of vitamin C, far more is needed to determine whether it should be considered a supplement for digestive health†.

B Vitamins and Digestive Function

B-complex encompasses all essential water-soluble B vitamins, including vitamin B1 (thiamin), vitamin B2 (riboflavin), vitamin B3 (niacin), vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid), vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), vitamin B7 (biotin), vitamin B9 (folate), and vitamin B12 (cobalamin). These vitamins serve different purposes for digestive health, but most enable the gut to break down and properly absorb nutrients from the foods consumed†.

Vitamin B1/Thiamine

B1 helps your body convert carbohydrates to energy and helps regulate appetite†. Studies examining thiamine’s effects on the gut microbiota suggest it has gut-immune regulatory functions and a potential role in intestinal-associated immune cells†.

Container of Cooper Complete Microbiome Fiber Dietary Supplement

Microbiome Fiber Supplement

Prebiotic fiber support for digestive health and regularity.

$30.48 Add to cart

Vitamin B2/Riboflavin

Produced by gut microbiota in the large intestine, B2 is involved in the body’s metabolic processes and is necessary for energy production and proper cell function†. One study showed that while riboflavin supplementation did not affect the composition of the gut microbiota, higher concentrations of butyrate did occur—the short-chain fatty acid considered a “good” bacteria that helps the body break down dietary fiber†.

Vitamin B3/Niacin

Niacin acts as an antioxidant and helps break down carbohydrates, fats, and alcohol†. A niacin deficiency can result in a disease known as pellagra, which causes severe vomiting and diarrhea. Studies show that niacin may also help improve cellular function previously impaired by acute inflammation†.

Vitamin B5/Pantothenic Acid

Pantothenic acid is necessary for blood cell production and supports a healthy digestive tract†, as well as hair†, skin,† and eyes†. It’s used to make coenzyme A, a chemical compound that helps build and break down fatty acids and perform other metabolic functions†. Dietary supplementation with vitamin B5 also influences the gut microbial profile†.

Vitamin B6/Pyridoxine

In addition to supporting a healthy immune system and normal brain development, vitamin B6 is essential for metabolism and aids the digestive system in processing proteins†. One study showed an association between low vitamin B6 intake and the severity of IBS symptoms, while another connected low B6 intake with greater gastrointestinal distress†.

Vitamin B7/Biotin

While the health benefits commonly attributed to biotin are linked to hair, skin, and nail health, vitamin B7 also helps form the building blocks of enzymes that help the body convert food into energy†. Biotin deficiencies have been linked to several gastrointestinal disorders, including IBS†.

Vitamin B9/Folate

An amino acid critical for cell growth and the formation of DNA, folate deficiency is linked to an imbalance in the gut microbiota, potentially altering intestinal cell structure and function†.

Vitamin B12/Cobalamin

Vitamin B12 supports cell metabolism†, nerve function†, and DNA production†, and is a cofactor for gut microbes†. While the effect of B12 on the gut microbiota has not been established, evidence suggests B12 may be associated with changes in bacterial abundance and diversity, potentially affecting gut microbiota balance†.

Although these are all health benefits of B vitamins, current scientific literature does not support recommending B vitamin supplements specifically to address issues such as diarrhea, constipation, bloating, and abdominal pain†.

(Cooper Complete Advanced B Complex contains each of the B vitamins described above in each daily serving of a single vegetarian capsule.)

Photo of Cooper Complete Turmeric Curcumin Supplement bottle

Turmeric Curcumin Supplement

Turmeric curcumin support for joint comfort and mobility.

$37.48 Add to cart

Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Gut Health

Known best for supporting brain and heart health, omega-3 fatty acids have significant effects on the intestinal environment† and balance of the gut microbiota†. However, additional research is needed to identify the specifics of the changes they create†.

A study of 876 middle-aged and elderly female twins showed that omega-3 fatty acids, such as EPA and DHA, facilitate healthy digestion† and reduce intestinal inflammation†. This is being studied as it’s believed to possibly help suppress the symptoms of IBD, Crohn’s disease, and ulcerative colitis†.

Cooper Complete Advanced Omega-3 contains 720 mg EPA and 480 mg DHA in each daily serving of two lemon-flavored softgels, while Advanced Omega-3 Liquid contains 1300 mg EPA, 850 mg DHA, and 175 mg DPA per teaspoon serving. Plant-based vegan Omega-3 contains 225 mg EPA and 450 mg DHA per vegan soft gel capsule.

Vitamin D and Gut Microbiome Health

The anti-inflammatory properties† of vitamin D help regulate inflammation in the digestive tract† while promoting gut microbial diversity†. Studies suggest vitamin D supplements may be especially beneficial for people living with gut conditions such as IBS and IBD†. A review of several studies supports the role vitamin D supplementation plays in reducing the risk of colon cancer†, suggesting it may play a role in reducing colon cancer risk, though more research is needed†.

Psyllium Fiber for Digestive Regularity

Psyllium is a soluble fiber from the husks of seeds used as an ingredient in bulk laxatives†. Because of its high fiber content, it can absorb water in the intestines, making stool easier to pass†. Research supports psyllium’s role in relieving constipation, and when added gradually to the diet, it can promote regularity†. People allergic to English plantain pollen, grass pollen or melon could have a serious allergic reaction when taking psyllium.

Deglycyrrhizinated Licorice (DGL) and Digestive Support

Actual licorice root—not the more commonly known artificially flavored candy—is available in supplement form and has long been used to treat symptoms of indigestion†, heartburn†, and acid reflux†. However, these uses are not backed by scientific evidence. In its unpurified form, licorice can also have side effects, including increases in high blood pressure and decreases in potassium levels†.

It is always important to consult your physician before adding any new supplement to your regimen, and supplements for gut health are no exception. Your physician understands your health profile best, so talk with them about which supplements are best for you and any medical conditions you may have.

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About the Author: Cathy Sides is the Director of Customer Relations for Cooper Complete® nutritional supplements. Since joining Cooper Aerobics in 2007, she has helped customers make informed decisions about supplements. Cathy also contributes blog content focused on vitamins, supplements, and healthy living.

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