Gut health is one of the most important aspects of a healthy functioning body. In fact, the gut microbiome plays a huge role in host health and protection, and an imbalance in this micro-system can result in bloating, constipation and inflammation.
If you’re feeling bloated, sluggish and lacking energy, it could be an indication of a disruption in your gut microbiome. Keeping the gut healthy can be accomplished by eating the right diet – high in natural plant fibers and low in sugar to support a healthy balance between good and bad bacteria.
However, cleansing the gut, with these supplements can also help improve digestion, bloating and restore a healthy gut microbiome too!
Bromelain
Bromelain is a group of several phytocompounds, including protein-digesting enzymes known as peptidases that are extracted from pineapple. Peptidases have many essential functions in various processes, including digestion, regulation of protein synthesis, and protein degradation. Peptidases belong to the class of hydrolases, that hydrolyze or break the peptide bond in amino acid chains.
Bromelain can also act as an antibacterial agent by inhibiting the growth of ‘bad’ intestinal bacteria. Bromelain induces enzymatic protein breakdown in the surface membrane of bacteria, which ultimately weakens the cell wall, leads to cell leakage, swells, breaks down in the bacterial membrane, and damages the cell.
Bromelain may also have anti-inflammatory action, reducing gut inflammation and bloating. It is thought that bromelain exerts a systemic response through the modulation of multiple inflammatory mediators.
How to Take: Use 500 mg of bromelain extract, with a GDU (Gelatin Digestive Units) of 2400, take 1 to 2 times per day between meals.
Aloe Vera Powder
Aloe vera powder – from the inner part of the Aloe has been shown to have laxative, antimicrobial and prebiotic activity and has been promoted for use in constipation and gastrointestinal disorders. Aloe vera may improve intestinal motility, increase faecal volume, and help to normalize body weight. Aloe vera extract works by increasing intestinal motility due to the presence of the active anthraquinone.
Anthraquinones act as potent laxatives by stimulating mucous secretion, increasing intestinal water content and speeding up intestinal transit time. Active anthraquinones can be metabolized by colonic flora, to reactive compounds including aloe-emodin and aloin, which have been linked to aloe’s purgative action.
Aloe also contains the prebiotic fructan, acemannan, which can slow down the digestive process and increase the production of healthy gut bacteria, by increasing the amount of short chain fatty acids (SCFA).
How to Take: Supplement with aloe vera inner leaf powder at 250 mg per dose or as a gel/liquid using 2 to 4 oz. Aloe vera can be taken 1 to 2 times per day, or as needed.
Green Smoothie to Reduce Bloating Quickly!
Slippery Elm Bark
Slippery elm bark has been used in traditional medicine to treat inflammatory conditions of the gastrointestinal tract. Slippery elm bark is a demulcent and emollient for the gastrointestinal tract to treat hyperacidity, inflammation, ulcerative and colitis conditions.
It has been shown to have a positive effect on the gut microbiome, increasing the amount of healthy bacterial species in the gut and increasing bile acid biosynthesis.
Slippery elm bark has also shown to have gastroprotective effects, showing significant antioxidant activity, providing protection against gastritis and gastric ulcers, as well as providing protection against liver damage.
How to Take: Slippery elm bark can be used a powder put into a drink, or in a capsule format. Doses range from 500 mg to 1 g and can be taken 2 to 3 times per day or as needed and is completely dependent on need.
Sophora Japonica
Sophora japonica is a tree species, from Asia, also known as the pagoda tree. It has traditional medicinal use for reducing intestinal inflammation. The main active ingredient is rutin, but it also contains other flavonoids and alkaloids.
The mechanism of sophora is not completely understood, but it has shown therapeutic benefits for reducing inflammation in animal models of colitis and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). They’ve also shown potential for helping balance the gut microbiome.
How to Take: Use pure rutin extracted from Sephora Japonica at a dose of 500 mg per day.
Rhubarb Powder
The active ingredient in rhubarb, similar to aloe is the anthraquinone compounds including the sennoside and other dianthrone derivatives, which are metabolized by β-glucosidase of enterobacterial origin and are converted into rhein anthrone, which produces the purgative activity.
Rhubarb has strong antibacterial activity and a wide antibacterial spectrum, that can restore ecological balance of intestinal flora, thus playing a positive role in inflammation, bloating and gut health.
Rhubarb can maintain the balance of gut microbiota, make the disturbed flora return to normal and prevent the gut microbiota from shifting. It can also ameliorate mucosal damage through modulating intestinal permeability by increasing the expression of junction proteins.
Rhubarb can regulate the immune function of the intestine – increasing expression of immunoglobulin. It can restore barrier function – promoting secretion of mucus in the mucosal barrier forming a mucosal layer. Rhubarb can regulate gastrointestinal motility disorders increasing intestinal blood perfusion, clearing gastrointestinal oxygen free radicals, and eliminating inflammatory factors.
How to Take: Can be used as a powder mixed with a liquid or as a tea made from the root and leaves. Can also be used as a powder
Magnesium
Magnesium is an essential mineral for optimal metabolic function in the body. Magnesium is involved in many metabolic processes including muscle contraction, energy production and thyroid hormone production. Magnesium supplementation has also been used in the treatment of constipation.
Magnesium is converted into magnesium bicarbonate Mg(HCO3)2 by sodium hydrogen carbonate (NaHCO3) from pancreatic secretion in the duodenum, and into magnesium carbonate (MgCO3).
Mg(HCO3)2 and MgCO3 increase the osmotic pressure of the intestinal lumen fluid, thereby promoting the transfer of water to the intestinal lumen and increasing the water content and volume of stool. In addition, the swollen stool stimulates the intestinal wall and intestinal propulsive motor activity.
How to Take: Use 200 to 400 mg of highly absorbable Magnesium Chloride or Citrate, 1 to 2 times daily.
Bacilius coagulens
Bacillus coagulans are a lactic acid, spore forming bacteria, known as a probiotic. Probiotics encourage the growth of ‘good’ or beneficial bacteria, this helps keep the harmful, ‘bad’ bacteria from over taking the gut. These good bacteria help encourage the production of immune cells and natural anti-bodies that can help bolster the immune system, reduce inflammation, bloating and help improve nutrient absorption.
B. coagulans have been shown to aid in the digestion of carbohydrates and protein, including increasing the absorption of key branched chain amino acids. This increased absorption has been associated with a reduction in muscle soreness and muscle damage, as well as an increase in recovery, strength, and power.
How to Take: There is no standard dose for B. coagulans, but dosages between 300 million and 1 billion colony-forming units (CFU) have been studied in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome.
These top supplements for bloating can be found on their own, or combined in a gut health, cleanse or detox product!
Until Next Time,
Be Fierce & Rule the World,
Lauren Jacobsen
