7 Best Gut Health Supplements

Gut health is vital for overall health and wellness. An unhealthy and disturbed gut not only causes severely disturbing and embarrassing symptoms but becomes a risk factor for other severe conditions, e.g., irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), diarrhoea, constipation, gut cancer, etc.

Protecting gut health requires a comprehensive program involving a healthy diet and physical activities. A healthy diet is paramount, but sometimes dietary supplements are necessary, particularly for people with poor immunity, the elderly, children and those recovering from diseases.

Choosing the best supplement for gut health

A wealth of fantastic gut-friendly supplements are available in the market. However, there are a lot of ineffective supplements, too and making a well-informed decision is vital for gut health. Two essential criteria for choosing a healthy gut supplement are;

• Budget: The cost of each pack of the supplements and how many pills or capsules are available in each pack are essential considerations. The most effective supplements are those that boost the beneficial bacteria present in the gut. 
• Probiotic strains and CFUs per serving: Probiotics are live yeasts and valuable bacteria with gut-healthy properties. The CFU means colony-forming units. It is a way to quantify the live bacteria or yeasts in the probiotics. A supplement with more probiotic strain and a high CFU count is a good choice for young people. In contrast, a supplement with average CFU and having specific probiotic strains is suitable for older people, children and people with poor immunity.
• Presence of other ingredients: Other valuable ingredients, e.g., prebiotics (high-fibre foods used by beneficial bacteria to grow), postbiotics (metabolites and components of probiotics) and gut-friendly vitamins and minerals are other plus points.

Best Gut Friendly Supplements

Here are the top 7 picks from the market based on these criteria. Including personal factors and professional guidance in decision-making is still better. 

Gut Health Synbiotic+

Supplement facts

Price: 54$

Servings/ pack: 30 capsules

CFUs per serving: 11 billion

Number of bacterial strains: 2

Other ingredients: PreforPro® 15mg (prebiotic), Tributyrin 300mg (postbiotic) 

Money back guarantee period: 30

It is offered by RITUAL and contains an excellent blend of probiotics, prebiotics, and post-biotics. The probiotics are well studied for their efficacy and safety. Each of the ingredients is verified to be gut-friendly. However, CFUs per serving are lower than those of many other products. The dosages are well-researched and studied and have proven effective and safe. The prebiotic blend clears harmful bacteria from the gut and allows the probiotic strains to proliferate. The post-biotic compound provided additional benefits, e.g., balancing the gut bacteria, appetite regulation and increased absorption of nutrients. 

At least two studies have confirmed its usefulness. The first trial noted a significant improvement in microbial diversity and the growth of beneficial bacteria. The second study indicated that most probiotic strains could cross the stomach and small intestines and reach the colon alive.

Probiotic 40 

Supplement facts

Price: 20$

Servings/ pack: 60 capsules (2 capsules per serving)

CFUs per serving: 40 billion

Number of bacterial strains: 4

Other ingredients: Prebiotics

Money back guarantee period: N/A

It is offered by NAGUNA Labs and is a cost-effective combination of probiotics and prebiotics. The company provides a two-month money-back guarantee. However, there are no user reviews available. Inside the capsule's casing is only a prebiotic and some strains of probiotic bacteria. The four strains of probiotic bacteria provided 40 billion CFUs per serving, making it one of the most potent products on the market. NAGUNA Labs offers the product in Multiple deals that further improve its cost-effectiveness. 

YourBiology Gut+ 

Supplement facts

Price: 79.99$

Servings/ pack: 90 capsules 

CFUs per serving: 20 billion

Number of bacterial strains: 10

Other ingredients: 2 Prebiotics, 3 digestive enzymes, vitamin D3

Money back guarantee period: 60

It is offered by Yourbiology and is specially prepared for women's health by the top nutritionists. However, it is not optimised for men. Its patented technology ensures the survival of bacteria through the stomach acids, and the prebiotic fibre supports the growth of beneficial bacteria. Its formula is relatively simple and contains only a few ingredients, but they are well studied and tailored to their health needs. The ten strains of beneficial bacteria provide 20 billion CFUs per serving, and the prebiotic fibre feeds these bacteria and allows them to be firmly established in the digestive system. 

Using patented technology, the capsules made from brown seaweed survive while passing through the stomach. Men have no contraindications; however, they are advised to use more suitable products for their health.

Pure Essence CandexTM 

Supplement facts

Price: 39.16$

Servings/ pack: 40 capsules (20 servings)

CFUs per serving: N/A

Number of bacterial strains: N/A

Other ingredients: Digestive enzymes (hemicellulase, cellulase, amylase, glucoamylase and invertase)

Money back guarantee period: N/A

It is offered by Pure Essence Labs, and its generalised formula makes it a fit choice for men, women, children, and pets. It is, however, not a probiotic and is designed to control the levels of yeasts. It uses a different approach to support the gut and uses digestive enzymes instead of probiotic bacteria. Each serving (2 capsules) contains a mixture of 5 digestive enzymes at suitable strength. These enzymes curb the growth of harmful Candida and harmful bacteria by breaking different components of bacterial and fungal cell walls. It promotes the development of beneficial bacteria and helps in digestion. It is specially formulated to control the growth of pathogenic yeast candida that causes yeast infections.

Biotics 8

Supplement facts

Price: 69.99$

Servings/ pack: 40 capsules

CFUs per serving: 20 billion

Number of bacterial strains: 10

Other ingredients: Prebiotics (Chicory root), digestive enzymes, vitamin D

Money back guarantee period: 60

It is a high-performance probiotic formula for men and provides a vast spectrum of benefits for performance and health. It contains ten strains of beneficial bacteria, prebiotics, digestive enzymes and Vitamin D. It is, however, not optimised for women. The evidence-based, high-quality ingredients ensure health and wellness as the eight bacterial strains provide 20 billion CFUs per serving. 

Chicory root fibre is added as a prebiotic that supports the growth of helpful bacteria. Although the ingredients are beneficial for women too, the product's primary target is men's health, and women are advised to use more suitable products for their health. The pack has 90 capsules per pack, and the company offers a money-back guarantee of 60 days.

Clear Gut and Immunity

Supplement facts

Price: 69.30$

Servings/ pack: 60 capsules

CFUs per serving: 20 billion

Number of bacterial strains: 2

Other ingredients: Reishi Mushroom, slippery elm bark

Money back guarantee period: 365

It is offered by Clear Wellness 360 and boosts several useful ingredients. It contains Reishi mushroom that boosts cardiovascular health and immune systems and slippery elm bark that soothes acid reflux and irritated bowels. The delayed-release capsules protect the stomach acid during their passage through the stomach. Its formula, however, has no prebiotic. The two probiotic bacterial strains provide 20 billion CFUs, lower than many brands but enough to boost the immune and digestive systems. Each pack has 60 capsules, and the company offers a money-back guarantee of 365 days. 

Future Kind + Vegan Probiotics digestive supplement 

Supplement facts

Price: 29.99$

Servings/ pack: 30 capsules

CFUs per serving: 30 billion

Number of bacterial strains: 10

Other ingredients: No

Money back guarantee period: 30 days

It is offered by Future Kind and its recyclable packing and being free from allergens make it an excellent choice for vegans. Additionally, ten strains of beneficial bacteria make it one of the most potent products. There are, however, no additional healthy ingredients in it. The probiotic strains of bacteria together provide 30 billion CFUs. The number is significant given that the standard dose is just one capsule, which is suitable for those people who don't love the capsules. 

It, however, doesn't contain other valuable ingredients like digestive enzymes, vitamins, prebiotics and post-biotics. It may be disappointing for many, but it is still a healthy choice, given the high number of CFUs it offers in a single pill. Each bottle has 30 servings, and a money-back guarantee is available for 30 days.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best supplement for gut health?

The best supplement for gut health is subjective and has many personal variations. The best supplement must have a research-based composition and be proven effective in large-scale population studies. The essential ingredients of gut-friendly supplements are prebiotics, probiotics, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin E, vitamin C, L-glutamine, and beta-carotene.

What are the vitamins that heal the gut?

The best vitamins with gut-healing properties are vitamins C, E, D, zinc, and magnesium. These ingredients help maintain the microbial balance in the gut.

Is milk good for gut health?

Yes, milk and milk products like cheese and yoghurt are good for maintaining microbial balance in the gut. The yoghurt, in particular, is a natural probiotic. Milk provides essential nutrients like vitamins, minerals, and proteins, allowing the probiotic bacterial strains to increase.

Is zinc good for gut health?

Yes, zinc is good for gut health and has gut-healing properties. It has a soothing effect on the digestive system and maintains the integrity of the cells in the gut. Zinc supplementation reduces the risk of colon cancer. 

Which product is best for gut health?

The products containing the best probiotic bacterial strains, gut-healthy vitamins and minerals, digestive enzymes, and fermented products are suitable for digestive health. Such products boost the beneficial germs in the gut and curb the growth of harmful germs. 

Which herbs are good for gut health?

Many commonly used herbs and spices are good for digestive health. They include oregano, liquorice root, peppermint, cinnamon, ginger, and turmeric. These spices have anti-inflammatory properties. Additionally, including a wide variety of foods in your diet is crucial. 

Which is the fastest way to improve gut health?

Improving digestive health needs a comprehensive program involving eating a diverse variety of foods, incorporating more fibre into the diet, drinking a lot of water, eating slowly, eating fermented foods, and getting healthy sleep. For more guidelines, healthcare providers must be consulted.

Which drinks are good for gut health? 

The drinks, including water, coffee, fennel tea, peppermint tea, lemongrass tea, and ginger tea, are good for digestive health. 

What to avoid for good digestive health?

Processed foods, foods containing artificial sweeteners, alcohol, fried foods, sugar, sugary soft drinks, red meat, and alcoholic beverages are not gut-friendly. They must be eaten cautiously.

Conclusion

Gut-healthy supplements are a good option whether a person is looking for good digestive health or wants to boost overall wellness. An excellent probiotic digest affects e-health, e.g., enzymes, prebiotics, postbiotics. Post-biotics criteria, the best options available in the market, are reviewed as excellent options. However, it is better to include professional nutritionists and GPs in the decision-making to make well-informed decisions.