Top 5 Supplements for Gut Health

1. Phosphatidylcholine (PC)
2. Omega-3s
3. Butyrate
4. Curcumin
5. Berberine

When it comes to taking care of your gut health, there are many amazing supplements out there that claim to boost gut health- but which ones actually have clinical evidence behind them? Let’s find out! Don’t get me wrong-I believe that high-quality food, eating strategies, sleep, stress management and exercise are the basics for one’s overall well-being, there are also some amazing supplements out there that can really boost the health of your gut.

Who are these recommendations for?
Anyone who wants to boost and maintain their gut health as quickly and cost-effectively as possible with natural compounds that are evidence-based so that they can get back to feeling vibrant, energized and nourished again.

But why is gut health so important?

We are more bacterial cells than we are human cells! Fun fact, our bodies can not digest fibre, we rely on our microbes to digest fibre for us! In return, they provide us with many benefits. Talk about a symbiotic relationship. The microbiome helps us by breaking down potentially toxic food compounds, stimulating the immune system, and synthesizing certain vitamins and amino acids, like B vitamins and vitamin K. The gut microbiome also produces neurotransmitters, like serotonin and dopamine, which have a direct effect on our brain’s neurochemistry and mental health! 🙂 The health of your gut impacts all of your other organs, and is involved in many chronic diseases- too many to list here!

Ok, you’re convinced that gut health should be one of your top priorities? Great, me too. Let’s dig into the data!

This list has been compiled with plenty of research. As a gut-health coach and data scientist with a BSc in biochemistry and neuroscience, I passionately read the latest research and summarize it to help others. So here are my top 5 supplements for supporting gut health. Enjoy!

1) Phosphatidylcholine (PC).

This is definitely my favourite overall supplement that supports many aspects of your health. It is a fat that helps make up cell membranes, which are vital to the health of every single one of your 70 trillion+ cells in your body. They allow cells to be flexible and communicate well with other cells, by allowing nutrients into the cell and escorting waste out. It’s like calling in a super janitor and communications team for all of your cells.

There is some convincing research for inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) treatment and phosphatidylcholine. Intervention studies have shown benefit in maintaining remission of IBD, as well as functional symptom improvements, and positive mucosal changes in the gut lining. Incredible! How does it do this? Choline makes up part of the mucin layer that protects the colon wall from bacteria in stool. In other words, choline helps us build up our defensive layer in the gut that helps us keep germs and toxins out of our bodies. The dosages used in these studies to achieve positive effects was quite high – greater than 1 gram, and up to 4 grams. [1, 2, 3]

Interesting statistics- Your brain is made up of 50% fats, and about half of those are phospholipids [4]. Your brain starts to lose phospholipids as early as your 20s, reaching up to 20% loss by your 80s (even if you’re healthy!) [5]. That’s why it’s so important to supplement with healthy fats like PC, especially as you age. This specific fat contains choline, which is an important nutrient for your metabolism, and is a building block of the most common neurotransmitter in your brain- acetylcholine! Your brain power potential awaits!

Food sources:
You may be wondering, where else can I find choline in my food? Some great sources of choline are found in egg yolks, organ meat, fish, shiitake mushrooms, soy, and beef. It’s also found in cruciferous vegetables (like kale, broccoli, and cauliflower), beans, quinoa and potatoes.

I started taking this product when I had a bad concussion and then again later when I was exposed to mold. Now recently learning about omega-3s and their gut health benefits, I’m It has been a huge help to me and I am grateful for the quality of body bio’s phosphatidylcholine product. I also use this for general health maintenance every day. If you want to get 15% off, use my promo code NEUROFIT.

2) Omegas

Again with the healthy fats theme, my second favourite overall gut-health supplement is omega-3 fatty acids! They are anti-inflammatory and act as prebiotics for our gut[6]!They also help improve the condition of IBD, by reverting the microbiota to a healthier composition [7]. Omega-3s could exert beneficial effects on the gut microbiota through directly altering gut microbes diversity and abundance. They have been shown to decrease the growth of certain bad bacteria and increase the growth of Bifidobacteria and Akkermansia (an amazing keystone species), and directly inhibit the inflammatory response associated with leaky gut (endotoxemia) [8]. These powerful omega-3s can also increase the intestinal mucosal thickness (yay), improve the barrier function of the intestinal mucosa (stronger barrier = better immunity), and achieve weight loss by controlling the expression of genes related to fat metabolism [9].

Fun fact: Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes are two major bacterial phyla that dominate the human gut microbiota. The Firmicutes-to-Bacteroidetes ratio (F/B ratio) is associated with obesity, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, and other diseases. An imbalanced intake of omega-3/omega-6 poly-unsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) (ie. Too much omega-6, not enough omega-3) may lead to gut microbe dysbiosis (poor balance and diversity of species), with an increase in the F/B ratio, which eventually leads to being overweight and obesity [10]. This is an interesting ratio I like to check on stool test results.

In general, we consume too much omega-6 in our processed, modern diets, and not enough omega-3, but, the truth is, we need both types for optimal health and for the development of our body’s inflammatory response. Creating a balanced ratio, and ensuring the oils remain in their pure (non-oxidized) state is key. Some other benefits you may see from taking omegas are improvements to hair & nail growth, skin looking more vibrant, and better brain and liver function.

There are many sources of omega-3’s, but the ones that I like to take are derived from plants in the form of alpha-Linoleic Acid (ALA), which the body converts to omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA. Fish oils also work well, but there is a risk of toxin accumulation like mercury when consuming large amounts of fish. Fun fact- fish get their omegas by consuming algae!

It is important to not let omega-3 supplements go rancid or oxidize, so the following tips should be taken seriously: storing it in a cool dark place, (ie. a paper bag in the fridge) checking the expiry date, and only adding it to foods after they have been cooked or heated. It is best to take this supplement with protein as it protects the sensitive oils and is a good way to try to reproduce the natural structure of foods. Oxidized fats have some detrimental effects on the body, which can happen when unstable oils are heated. This is also why I recommend people avoid cooking with seed oils, and avoid deep fried foods, especially at restaurants where you have no idea how many times they are re-using the same oil for deep-frying. Yikes.

Food sources of linoleic acid include organic raw seeds like sunflower, chia and pumpkin seeds, soy and walnuts. Food sources of omega-3s in the form of DHA and EPA are salmon, cod liver oil, shellfish, and sardines.

Recommended product links:
Balance Oil by Body Bio. You can also use my promo code NEUROFIT for 15% off here.

3) Butyrate

Butyrate is not bacteria but a short chain fatty acid (SCFA) that is made in the lower colon by bacteria, who feed on fibre. Butyrate is then taken up by the colon cells for fuel. This is important for maintaining the health of your colon and mucous lining. It is anti-inflammatory, which explains its many positive benefits. Researchers have linked low levels of butyrate to an increased risk of inflammatory intestinal disease and colorectal (colon) cancer. Butyrate has many other positive effects like signaling that you are full, burns fat, cleans the liver & gallbladder, controls ammonia, creates an environment where cancer cells are not given the conditions they need to thrive, and promotes a healthy microbiome [11]. A sodium butyrate supplement may help with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), diverticulitis and Crohn’s disease.If you want another reason to combine butyrate with omega supplementation, studies have shown that omega-3 supplementation increases the bacteria that produce butyrate (specifically Blautia, Bacterioides, Roseburia, and Coprococcus genera for any nerds out there) [12].

In one study, 66 adults with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) who took a daily dose of sodium butyrate reported less abdominal pain[13]. In another study, 9 of 13 people with Crohn’s disease reported improved symptoms after taking butyric acid every day for eight weeks [14]. Research also shows that butyrate can protect your brain and improve its ability to learn; It may help prevent or treat stroke, depression and other diseases that affect the brain, like Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease [15]. If those weren’t enough good reasons, we also see evidence that butyrate improves deep sleep as well. Dreaming about all these health benefits may become a reality!

Food Sources of butyrate:
Because butyrate-producing bacteria love to feed on fibre aka resistant starch, eating foods that are high in this type of fibre can support the production of butyrate naturally. Some common sources are skins of legumes, or under ripe bananas – not foods that are commonly consumed. However, one easy trick is to add green bananas to smoothies for an extra dose of inulin, which is one type of resistant starch. Butter and ghee are also high in butyrate, but are best consumed in moderation. Other sources of soluble fibre that feed butyrate production include artichokes, asparagus, broccoli, leafy greens, cooked and cooled potatoes and rice, kiwi, apples, pears, and raspberries.

Unfortunately, if you don’t have enough good butyrate-producing bacterial species in your colon, due to dysbiosis, which is influenced by taking antibiotics and being exposed to strong pesticides, stress etc. (see my other article that dives into this more), this can lead to an insufficient supply of butyrate. So while you are working on rebalancing your gut microbiome, this amazing supplement can directly boost the health of the colon’s environment and increase the end products of a healthy gut. Sneaky win!

When should you not take butyrate?
Butyrate has been shown to trigger symptoms in people with bloating or food sensitivities, who may do better with a low-fibre or low-FODMAP diet as a short-term treatment. It’s best to work with a trained practitioner if this is the case.

Recommended product links:
Body Bio’s Sodium butyrate Use code NEUROFIT to get 15% off
Gut + (prebiotic and post-biotic with butyrate) Use code NEUROFIT to get 15% off

4) Curcumin

Curcumin is the active ingredient in turmeric, the beautiful orange root. Curcumin has been used as a traditional herbal medicine in India and Southeast Asia for thousands of years. It is very popular for its potent anti-inflammatory effects. A large number of basic and clinical studies have shown that curcumin has the effect of treating irritable bowel disease (IBD) and also can maintain the remission of IBD [16, 17]. This is a big deal- curcumin may be able to heal (induce remission) of IBD, which includes ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease! The studies show that larger doses (>1500 mg -3000 mg) for 4-8 weeks are needed to see improvement in symptoms.

Curcumin can also inhibit the growth of various tumor cells and prevent the occurrence of gastric cancer, duodenal cancer, colon cancer, breast cancer, and skin cancer in rats. In human studies, we see reduction of joint pain in people with osteoarthritis [18]. Curcumin also has many brain health neuroprotective effects in relation to memory and cognition [19].

Curiously, the absorption of curcumin into the body is quite low, yet we are finding so many positive effects from it. How is this possible? I agree with Dr. Will Davis who explains in his book Super Gut, that it is becoming clearer that the bulk of curcumin’s beneficial effects are due to its intestinal effects such as suppression of fungal overgrowth, effects on bacterial species (ie. ones that are overgrown in small intestinal bacterial overgrowth aka SIBO), increasing species diversity, and reducing intestinal lining permeability, otherwise known as ‘leaky gut’. By healing leaky gut, this has a downstream effect of reducing systemic inflammation that occurs when bacterial LPS ‘leaks’ into the bloodstream. So curcumin really shines via its ability to reduce inflammation and strengthen the mucous defensive barrier, thereby decreasing intestinal permeability [20]. Turmeric to the rescue!

You may have heard that it’s best to consume turmeric or curcumin with a bit of plack pepper, because it increases the absorption of turmeric into the bloodstream. Did you also know that adding fenugreek to this mixture will also increase absorption into the cells? While this is interesting, when it comes to cleaning up an inflamed gut, we want the curcumin to stay in the intestines, and aren’t worried about absorption, so it is best (and more affordable) to find a supplement that does not have any fancy nanoparticle preparations or bioperine (pepper) that is added to increase absorption. As with anything, getting the right dosage is important. Consult a trained practitioner to help you introduce these supplements with the right timing and dosage. One word of caution- Whole turmeric is known to inhibit iron absorption in humans by 20-90% [21]. So if you haven’t had your iron levels checked in a while, it would be a good idea to do so before taking a high-dose turmeric supplement.

Recommended product links: Organika Curcumin

5) Berberine

Berberine is a compound found naturally in many plants. Berberine has a long history (3000 years) in traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurveda, where it has been used to treat various ailments. A 2014 study conducted at The Johns Hopkins Department of Internal Medicine, found that Berberine was shown to be as effective as Rifaximin (a strong antibiotic drug usually prescribed for SIBO) in reducing bacterial overgrowth, as well as eliminating archaea (the culprit usually behind IBS-C and constipation), but without the side effects [22]. Another 2018 animal study showed that berberine not only destroys harmful bacteria in the gut microbiome, but also was shown to boost healthy gut microbes with positive health effects [23]. Berberine is anti-cancer, anti-fungal, anti-viral, anti-microbial, anti-diabetic, and liver protective [24, 25]. While the herb is poorly absorbed into the bloodstream on its own, it still has many positive effects on the microbiome.

Berberine has many other healing qualities which include lowering blood sugar, and lowering cholesterol. It’s also great for weight loss because it activates the AMPk pathway — the metabolic master switch. By activating AMPK, this increases cellular uptake of glucose and improves insulin sensitivity (26). Berberine has been branded as “nature’s Ozempic” for its weight loss effects. It’s easy to fall in love with berberine for its many health benefits! However, begin with caution (small doses) as some people experience negative side effects, and there is a long list of drugs that could possibly interact with berberine.

Recommended product links:
Wellthy Life Berberine Elite. (New formula that uses Dihydroberberine which is more gentle on the digestive tract and is time-released.)
Solaray Berberine Root Extract

Honorable Mentions

Some honorable mentions that didn’t make the top 5 are magnesium glycinate, digestive enzymes, bioavailable minerals (via humic and fulvic substances), and electrolytes.

Overall, these are my top five favourite supplements for maintaining gut health that can also be used for addressing gut imbalances with the help of a skilled practitioner. There are many more that I like, but for the sake of not overwhelming you (if I haven’t already), I chose the 5 most well-studied and promising supplements for maintaining general gut health. There are many more supplements that I like to use in different scenarios and talk more about inside of my IBS breakthrough program.

What about probiotics?
You may be wondering… The short answer is yes, probiotics can be helpful for restoring and maintaining gut health if used at the right time. However, there are a lot of poor quality probiotics on the market, and if they are over-used can actually induce more issues and dysbiosis. I plan to write a whole article on probiotics for gut-health interventions, but that is a much more nuanced subject, as there is still conflicting research around probiotics and when they are supportive vs. harmful. The timing, dose and strains are also important factors in supporting one’s health and wellbeing. If you want part 2 on my favourite probiotics for optimizing gut health, send me a message on instagram @heather_neurofit or email me at neurofitforlife@gmail.com and let me know!

Trust your gut,
Heather

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