Gut health is the next frontier in the wellness industry, with products ranging from drinks to capsules. And as a registered dietitian nutritionist, I fully understand the importance of keeping our digestive tract humming along healthfully.
Not only does the health of our gut impact our digestion and nutrient absorption, but it can also impact our mood, our immune system, and even our sleep. I also know how confusing and overwhelming it can be to choose a supplement that fits your individual needs. Does the product really do what it says? How can you tell? I’m here to break it all down for you so that you can choose the best supplement to fit your digestive needs.
In this article, I’ll focus on the five best gut health supplements, exploring the pros and cons of these top options so that you can walk away confident in your choice.
Though all five supplements in this article are excellent options, spanning from powders to capsules, these top three won out for providing excellent gut health- supporting ingredients.
The digestive tract is incredibly complex, with many factors influencing its health.
While most people think about probiotics, fiber, and digestive enzymes as the primary supplements that help support gut health, the amount and variety of vegetables consumed per week also play a huge role in a balanced gut microbiome. And yet, eating veggies is where most Americans fall short in their everyday diet. This fact plays a critical role in how I, as a registered dietitian, think about gut health supplements.
Here’s a look at our five gut health supplement picks.
Live it Up is a company focused on providing high quality superfood formulas that help increase your intake of nutrient-dense and antioxidant-packed plants and the health benefits they may confer.
Price per serving (with subscription): $1.33
Live it Up claims that Super Greens aids gut health, digestion, and bloating support. It also supports immune function and energy.
Super Greens not only goes through third-party testing for microbes, heavy metals, pesticides, herbicides, toxins and allergens, but is also produced in a facility that is certified for Good Manufacturing Practices.
Additionally, this greens powder is made with all organic vegetables, helping ensure that it is free from pesticides, herbicides, and other chemicals, and is also free of fillers and preservatives; artificial colors, flavors, and sweeteners; as well as added sugar.
Vegetables. With more than 20 plants, Super Greens helps to boost vegetable intake closer to the recommended servings per day. Research indicates that people who eat a wider variety of plants each week have a more diverse and healthy gut microbiome. Since Super Greens contains plants that are not normally consumed, it can help improve plant variety in the diet, therefore supporting gut health.
Probiotics. Super Greens contains 5 billion CFU of probiotics, including Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei, Bifidobacterium bifidum, and Bifidobacterium lactis. These probiotic species have been shown to work synergistically, helping to enhance their biological activity.
Fiber. While Super Greens does not add prebiotic supplements like other greens powders, it does contain 3 grams of fiber naturally derived from its ingredients, many of which are rich in prebiotic fibers including barley and wheat grass, alfalfa leaf, and burdock root.
Digestive enzymes. Super Greens contains three plant-based digestive enzymes: papain, bromelain, and vegetable pepsin.
Nutrition Fact: Research is finding that the more plants you eat, the better your gut health. A new study shows that people who eat at least 30 different plants throughout the week have more of the ‘good’ gut bacteria, compared to those who just eat 10.
Since Super Greens is a powder, it must be mixed with a beverage or food to be taken daily. This greens powder comes in two flavors: Original with a touch of mint, and Wild Berry, with a citrus, berry zing. Both options are subtly and naturally sweetened with monk fruit.
Super Greens is our top choice because it’s the full package when it comes to gut health supplements. With more than 20 plants, an effective dose of probiotics, 3 grams of fiber that includes prebiotic sources, as well as digestive enzymes, this well-rounded greens powder is an excellent way to support your gut.
VSL has been producing quality, high potency probiotics for two decades, and their VSL#3 probiotic supplements have been extensively studied.
VSL#3 price per serving (with subscription): $1.97
The company states the VSL#3 formula is scientifically formulated to manage gastrointestinal disorders.
VSL#3 is third-party tested to ensure potency and purity and produced in a facility that is GMP certified.
Probiotics are live bacteria that may impact human health when consumed in high enough doses. VSL#3 contains 8 strains of probiotics from 3 species: Streptococcus thermophilus, Bifidobacterium breve, Bifidobacterium lactis (previously classified as B. longum), Bifidobacterium lactis (previously classified as B. infantis), Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus paracasei, Lactobacillus helveticus.
VSL’s research on these live microorganisms indicate they work well synergistically, have good survival rates, and are guaranteed until the expiration date.
Additionally, a systematic review of VSL#3, published on the National Institutes of Health website, demonstrated a nearly significant overall improvement in people with irritable bowel syndrome, though there was no change in abdominal pain.
Because this product is a capsule, it is quite convenient. However, note that it must be refrigerated and taken with a cold beverage and/or food to help ensure the probiotics survive. If taking capsules does not work well for you, VSL#3 also comes in a powder, though you’ll pay more.
VSL#3 is a high-potency daily probiotic supplement backed by research that would make a great addition to the supplement routine of someone looking to focus on this individual aspect of gut health. While this probiotic supplement may meet the needs of individuals who are already getting enough fiber and vegetables, it may not be well-rounded enough for the majority of people who are missing those critical gut-benefiting ingredients.
Florastor is a probiotic supplement that has been around for over 20 years. Owned by the company Biocodex, Florastor is the only probiotic on the market that contains the yeast-based probiotic Saccharomyces boulardii, for which Biocodex owns the exclusive rights.
Price per serving (with subscription): $1.07
Florastor’s website cites several potential health benefits, including:
Florastor has been on the market for over two decades, and the yeast-based probiotic Saccharomyces boulardii that it contains has been studied for almost 70 years. With that said, it is unclear if the product goes through third-party testing, though it is produced in a GMP-certified facility.
This gut health supplement is a synbiotic, meaning it contains both probiotics as well as prebiotics. This is an important combination as prebiotics are the ideal fuel for probiotics.
Saccharomyces boulardiiis yeast probiotic. Research indicates that this probiotic has many potential health benefits and helps support health of the gastrointestinal tract. Florastor states they do not measure their supplement in CFUs because a yeast probiotic cell size is up to 10 times larger than bacteria-based probiotics. This makes between-brand comparisons more difficult. However, I was able to find out that Florastor contains about 5 billion CFU.
Chicory root fiber, also known as inulin, is a prebiotic fiber. What I like about Florastor Advanced Pre and Pro is that it contains more prebiotics than many other synbiotic supplements on the market.
Nutrition Fact: Some people have difficulty digesting fermentable carbohydrates and may experience GI symptoms such as gas and bloating after consuming them. If you’re someone with a sensitivity to fermentable carbohydrates, know that inulin falls into this category (it’s a fructan) and that you may have a reaction to supplements with this ingredient.
As a capsule, Florastor is quite convenient and portable. Plus, it does not need to be refrigerated. If you are unable to swallow the capsule, the company recommends opening the capsule by twisting the two ends and mixing with a cold or room temperature food like yogurt or applesauce.
Florastor Advanced Pre and Pro combines both prebiotics with probiotics, which gives it a leg up on solo probiotic supplements, and its use of a yeast-based probiotic is a unique feature. If you’re looking for an all-in-one gut health supplement with other elements, this one somewhat misses the mark.
Thorne prides themselves in clean, high-quality supplements aimed to help people reach their wellness goals.
Price per serving: $1.40 (monthly subscription saves 10% on refills)
FiberMend is promoted as providing a “healthy dose” of prebiotic supplement fiber to help feed and grow the beneficial bacteria in the digestive tract to help support GI wellness. Thorne also states that this product can:
Thorne is a company focused on the safety of their products, and all their products are third-party tested and GMP-certified through NSF. They also have an extensive list of ingredients they do not allow, including banned substances, fillers, additives, and allergens.
Fiber Blend.FiberMend contains several types of fiber that have been shown to help with gut health, including:
