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Aug 08, 2023

Making sense of gut health foods and supplements

Yogurt? Licorice root? Zinc? When it comes to your digestive health, there are a lot of options. Jul. 30, 2023 6:00 am Few things can disrupt well laid plans like upset stomach, feelings of fatigue or

Yogurt? Licorice root? Zinc? When it comes to your digestive health, there are a lot of options.

Jul. 30, 2023 6:00 am

Few things can disrupt well laid plans like upset stomach, feelings of fatigue or frequent digestive problems.

Almost everyone experiences some of these symptoms from time to time. For some, the symptoms are more persistent. In any case, the crux of the issue is often gut health. That is why a “gut feeling” is a good indication that something needs to change in a person’s diet.

A 2022 survey from the American Gastroenterological Association found that about 40 percent of Americans have been deterred from partaking in activities because of digestive problems. Up to 70 million have a gastrointestinal disease that causes frequent disruptions to daily life. Yet many are slow to sound the alarm to a medical professional.

The digestive system is responsible for breaking down foods to absorb their nutrition through bacteria that lives in the stomach.

According to Nicole Johnson, a registered dietitian with Hy-Vee based in Cedar Rapids, the heart of symptoms like general stomach discomfort and malaise can be traced to what a person is or is not putting in their body. She said about 93 percent of American adults are lacking fiber, a basic component of healthy digestion.

Adults should intake between 25 and 38 grams of fiber per day, but Johnson said most people consume about 12 grams.

“Fiber is considered a prebiotic – a food that feeds probiotics which are the friendly bacteria that live in our gut,” Johnson said. “Whole grain oats, apples, barley, asparagus, onions and bananas are examples of prebiotics.”

Johnson and other digestive health experts cited several staple sources of probiotics, including fermented foods like yogurt, kefir, miso soup, kimchi and sauerkraut.

While yogurt is a very common choice for healthy eating, Johnson warns that not all yogurts are alike. The important text to look for on the label is “contains live and active cultures.” It is also important to look for brands that do not have a lot of sugar added as sugar can contribute to poorer gut health.

“Whenever we talk about increasing fiber we want people to do it slowly,” Johnson said. “Another thing that most people don’t get enough of is water. That will also help.”

More and more products have emphasized “added fiber” in their marketing and labeling. However, a label like this does not always mean the product is necessarily a healthy choice.

Convenience foods that are high in fat and sugar have also added these labels, yet they are still not considered nutritious options.

Johnson advises seeking out foods that naturally contain fiber.

Supplements can fill gaps in a person’s diet or address specific digestive health issues. For example, deglycerized licorice or DGL can quell the symptoms of ulcers or general gastric discomfort, according to Alicia Freese-Beck, wellness consultant for Health Hut in Cedar Rapids. DGL is a common over-the-counter dietary supplement.

Other supplements that Freese-Beck said may offer specific benefits include ginger and peppermint, which can settle your stomach and help with inflammation; fennel, which can help with digestion and settle your stomach; and glutamine, which can reduce irritation in the intestines.

Before beginning a regimen with any of these supplements, you should speak with a physician.

“Always do your research. Understand by asking a pharmacist if something could interact with any medications you may be taking,” Freese-Beck said. “Use companies that are third-party tested and produce in [good manufacturing practices] facilities.”

Lisa Scranton, nutrition specialist with Scranton Functional Nutrition Therapy, notes that over-the-counter supplements are not “tightly regulated” by the Food and Drug Administration like pharmaceutical medications are. This also applies to various vitamins.

“Natural herbals can contain toxic compounds. Licorice contains glycyrrhizic acid, which can increase blood pressure and decrease potassium levels,” Scranton said. “I urge people to work with a knowledgeable health care provider before supplementing. Your doctor can test levels of vitamin D and some B vitamins in your blood to see if you need to supplement these nutrients.”

Freese-Beck expanded on the role medications can play in upsetting the balance of good stomach bacteria, saying they can destroy bacterial strains. This is where supplements may be beneficial to restore that balance.

Over-the-counter products that offer quick fixes to stomach symptoms may also do more harm than good with prolonged use. Eric Cohen, senior brand manager for Vitamin Shoppe, which has locations in Council Bluffs and Davenport, said chronic use of laxative-type products and antacids can reduce the absorption of nutrients, including calcium, iron and B-12 .

“Additionally, by reducing stomach acid, antacids can also affect the overall microbiome which can negatively impact digestive health and immune health,” Cohen added.

Rather than relying on quick fixes or temporary solutions, the best path to good gut health is making healthy dietary choices, Johnson said. Supplements are just that: supplementary. They should not be the sole source of any nutrients.

Johnson said this is because naturally nutritious foods deliver broad benefits and interact with the body in ways that supplements cannot. Nutrition cannot be compartmentalized into small, isolated categories.

“Whenever you can get it from a food you’re going to get more benefits from nutrients than getting it in pill form,” she said. “If you’re feeling fatigue, you’re not feeling great, you’re feeling bloated, having issues with constipation or diarrhea, that tells you something is going on. Being mindful of how you are feeling overall can give you a gauge to consider needing to make a change.”