7 Best Supplements for Gut Health

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In recent years, the awareness around gut health has surged significantly, leading many to explore the benefits of gut health supplements. These products, often rich in probiotics, prebiotics, and various nutrients, are designed to support and maintain a balanced gut microbiome. A healthy gut plays a crucial role in overall well-being, influencing digestion, immune function, and even mental health. With a diverse range of supplements available, individuals are empowered to choose options that align with their specific health needs, making gut health supplementation an integral part of modern wellness routines.

You don’t want to be putting just anything in your body, hoping for beneficial, measurable results. Therefore, many better-for-you brands have begun rolling out gut health supplements that are not only third-party tested for toxins, allergens, and supplement levels but are also transparent in how their particular prebiotic and probiotic strains are going to help you attain your ultimate health goals. The gut predicts so much of our overall health, so it’s worth ensuring that you’re ingesting only the best.

What are the best supplements for gut health?

Best Overall: Irish Sea Moss Supplement by Double Wood Supplements

Irish Sea Moss – popular since the days of the Irish Potato Famine – contains a plethora of vitamins including A, E, F, and K, and most importantly, this particular seaweed is high in dietary fiber. The fiber found in Double Wood’s Irish Sea Moss acts as polysaccharide fodder for the bacteria in our gut, acting as a prebiotic to promote a healthy, diverse gut microbiota. Additionally, this supplement is third-party tested with clear, transparent results, and Double Wood is proud to display its Certificate of Analysis (COA), accessible via its website.

Best Daily Supplement: Balance Probiotic by Organifi

The role of probiotics in the body can’t be understated. From regulating digestion to staving off obesity, probiotics contain a slew of health benefits. Organifi’s “Balance” probiotic blend supports health through the inclusion of 5 different probiotic strains: Bacillus Coagulans (Spore-Forming), Bacillus Subtilis DE111 (Spore-Forming), Lactobacillus Rhamnous, Saccharomyces Boulardii, and Lactobacillus Acidophilus. These vegan capsules are third-party tested and certified glyphosate-free, ensuring that you get the most out of your supplement.

Best for Women: Once Daily Women’s by Garden of Life

Once Daily Women’s Probiotic capsules are designed specifically for women. These vegetarian-friendly capsules contain 16 probiotic strains including L. Reuteri and L. Fermentum, both of which have been shown in scientific studies to help stave off infections including yeast infections. These capsules are guaranteed to contain 50 billion CPU (colony-forming units) per serving. Additionally, this supplement is certified non-GMO, gluten-free, soy-free, and Garden of Life is a certified B-Corp, for those on the lookout.

Best for Bloating and Gas: Synbiotic+ by Ritual

Synbiotic+ by Ritual is a highly transparent, clean, and rigorously studied supplement that contains probiotic strains LGG® & BB-12®, both of which have been thoroughly studied and proven to aid in a healthy digestion tract, leading to relief from gas, bloating, and inflammation. On the Ritual website, you can see exactly where these strains were manufactured, and each capsule is designed for a delayed release so that these probiotics can work their magic in the colon rather than the stomach.

Best for IBS: Probiotic Medical Food by VSL

VSL’s Probiotic Medical Food (VSL #3) is specifically formulated to help ease the symptoms of those suffering from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and/or ulcerative colitis. This medical-grade formula contains 8 probiotic strains with 112.5-900 billion CPU per serving. Notably, a 2021 clinical study showed VSL’s Probiotic Medical Food may be used as an alternative to a Low-FODMAP diet. As this supplement is labeled a “medical food,” it’s a good idea to check with your healthcare provider before taking it – the same goes for all supplements.

Best Gummy: Probiotic + Prebiotic Gummies by Jarrow Formulas

You can satisfy your gut health and sweet tooth with Jarrow Formulas’ Probiotic + Prebiotic gummies! These vegetarian, blackberry-flavored gummies contain 2 billion live cells per serving. These gummies feature B. coagulans and B. subtilis, both of which have been heavily studied as non-competing strains that decrease unwanted gastrointestinal symptoms and promote a diverse gut flora. These gummies have also been third-party tested, achieving USDA-organic certification as well as Good Manufacturing Practices and Quality Assurance International certifications.

Best for Gut + Skin Health: Advanced Daily Probiotic Skin Complex by Tula Skincare

There is a well-known and well-studied relationship between the gut microbiome and skin health – aka, the gut-skin axis. Tula Skincare’s Advanced Daily Probiotic Skin Complex is specifically formulated to not only boost gut microbiota but also aid in overall skin health. Made with 4 probiotic strains, vitamin C, spinach enzymes (which contain vitamin A), beetroot prebiotic fiber, and rice-derived ceramides, this supplement is a skin-health powerhouse.

Best Supplements for Gut Health FAQs

What type of supplement works best for gut health? 

Although you may be disappointed to hear the age-old answer of “it depends,” this is actually a very good thing, as probiotics – no matter the strain – are going to aid in colonizing your gut with beneficial bacteria for ultimate gut health. Different strains, however, may cater to particular needs – i.e. LGG® & BB-12® which aid in relieving IBS symptoms, or Lactobacillus reuteri which helps stave off vaginal infections. That being said, if you’re experiencing a particular symptom or would like to take a supplement to ward off unwanted side effects, it’s important to speak with your healthcare provider to ensure that you’re receiving the right strains.

Is it OK to take supplements to improve gut health?

For most people, taking supplements to improve gut health is a-ok. However, this isn’t the case for all individuals. If you are immunocompromised or are experiencing a severe illness, including pancreatitis, it’s imperative that you speak to your healthcare provider before starting a gut health supplement regimen. Additionally, supplements can trigger an allergic reaction as with any other medicine or food source.

What are the benefits of taking gut health supplements?

Gut health supplements can contain a slew of beneficial health outcomes. Gut health supplements can aid in colonizing the gut with “good” bacteria which are often wiped out after a strict antibiotic regimen or even due to an improper diet and lifestyle. This gut microbiome, as it’s known, is responsible for the regulation of many health factors throughout the body including mental health, heart health (through the potential lowering of “bad” cholesterol), and skin health. Gut health supplements can also help those living with IBS, Crohn’s Disease, and ulcerative colitis feel reduced symptoms and greater relief. 

How do supplements improve gut health?

Gut Health supplements include one of (or a combination of) three different biotics: prebiotics, probiotics, and sometimes postbiotics, all of which work to help the gut microbiome flourish. To begin with, probiotics are live bacteria and yeasts that bypass the stomach and thrive in the gut/colon, where they improve microbial balance. Prebiotics, on the other hand, are what feed this microbiota, and in the fermentation process, other beneficial byproducts are released into the body including short-chain fatty acids. These byproducts are called postbiotics.

How should I take my supplements for gut health?

There’s no “best” way to take gut health supplements, and it depends on the specific needs and tolerance of each individual. Whether you’re taking a capsule or gummy, there’s no particular time of day that helps nutritional absorption, nor does a gut health supplement need to be taken with food. One older study claims that Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium survive best when consumed about 30 minutes (or less) before a meal, but there have been few other claims to back this up. However, taking your supplement with a meal can potentially ease any unwanted side effects such as stomach discomfort, although these symptoms are rare.