Your digestive system plays a major role in your ability to live a healthy, happy, and rewarding life. It’s not only responsible for breaking food down into smaller molecules, which are then absorbed into the bloodstream, but it also eliminates all the food waste the body doesn’t need.
There are a variety of factors that impact how healthy and efficient your digestive system is — including healthy sleeping habits, eating a well-balanced diet, maintaining a regular exercise routine, learning to manage stress, staying hydrated, and ditching bad habits (smoking, etc.).
A healthy digestive system is important and necessary to the normal functioning of your body. Unfortunately, the US Department of Health and Human Services estimates that nearly 60-70 million Americans are suffering from at least one disorder of the gastrointestinal tract (GI).
What are Digestion Supplements?
Digestion supplements are designed to aid digestion, improve gut health, and ensure the normal function of the GI tract by giving your body the nutrients it needs. Most digestion supplements include some combination of probiotics, prebiotics, fiber, healthy fats, and other nutrients.
While digestion supplements can do a lot for you and your digestive health, they won’t replace the need for a healthy diet, regular exercise routine, and making the necessary lifestyle changes in your life. With that said, combining these supplements with those changes can be beneficial.
If you want a healthier gut, a digestion supplement could be exactly what you need. While they aren’t guaranteed to work, and not all digestion supplements are created equal, finding the right formula can benefit your life in a variety of ways. Continue reading to learn more!
Benefits of Digestion Supplements
The digestive system is much more important than most people give it credit for. Every organ in your body requires certain nutrients to function properly and it gets those nutrients via the bloodstream. Without a healthy digestive system, those nutrients never enter the bloodstream.
That’s why a healthy digestive system is necessary for overall health and wellness. If your body isn’t breaking food down properly, it won’t receive the proper nutrients it needs throughout the day. Of course, this can lead to a wide range of other health concerns and complications.
That’s where a digestion supplement can play a major role in your ability to live a healthy life. It helps your body break down the food you eat, eliminate the waste it no longer needs, and ensures those nutrients are absorbed into the bloodstream so they can travel through the body.
A healthy digestive system means a healthier brain, a healthier heart, a better immune system, and most importantly, a happier person. When your gut is doing its job, the rest of the body can function properly, and you can enjoy the benefits that come with it — which is a beautiful thing.
How to Choose The Right Digestion Supplement
Anyone who has started to search for a digestion supplement is aware of how many options there are in the supplement market today. There are hundreds of different formulas to choose from, and they all claim to do the same things — making your decision difficult and frustrating.
While they might all look similar, it’s important to note that not all digestion supplements are created equal. Even the best digestion supplements aren’t going to be perfect. In order to ensure you find the right digestion supplement, you have to know what to look for and what to avoid.
What to Look For
- GMP-Certified & FDA-Approved Facility
- Right Nutrient Forms
- Correct Dosages
- Probiotics, Prebiotics, & Digestive Enzymes
- Research-Backed Ingredients
- Third-Party Tested for Quality
What to Avoid
- Unwanted Side Effects
- Additives & Fillers
- Proprietary Blends
- High Cost
- Bad Reviews
- Allergic Reactions
Top-Rated Digestion Supplements
Like we mentioned above, there’s no shortage of options when searching for a digestion supplement. The market is saturated with a wide range of formulas to choose from and it’s up to you to find the one that fits your needs and lifestyle the best. Luckily, we’re here to help you out.
Instead of having you search through the hundreds of formulas out there, we’re going to narrow your options down to our top-five digestion supplements. They’re all unique in their own way, so we’ll give you the pros and cons of each one, that way you can decide which one is best for you!
DS-01™ Daily Synbiotic
by Seed
A synbiotic supplement is one that combines probiotics with prebiotics — and that’s exactly what you get with DS-01™ Daily Synbiotic. It has a prebiotic outer capsule that protects the probiotic inner capsule, ensuring you receive 100% of the probiotics with ViaCap® Delivery Technology.
Brought to you by Seed, this synbiotic formula contains four unique probiotic blends — digestive health blend, skin health blend, heart health blend, and micronutrient synthesis blend. It also contains Microbiota-Accessible Polyphenolic Precursors™️ in the form of Indian Pomegranate.
Pros
- Vegan-Friendly, Dairy-Free, and Allergen free
- ViaCap® Delivery Technology
- Probiotics & Prebiotics
- Third-Party Tested
- Made In a GMP-Certified Facility
- Free Shipping in the United States
Cons
- Proprietary Blends of Probiotics
- Don’t Know Dosages of Each Strain
Complete Probiotics Platinum
by 1MD Nutrition
Complete Probiotics Platinum® is a digestion supplement manufactured by 1MD Nutrition. It guarantees 51 billion CFUs of probiotics, though it doesn’t give you the exact dosages of each strain. The formula contains eight Lactobacillus strains and three Bifidobacterium strains.
In addition to the probiotic blend, it contains Nutraflora® — a prebiotic that helps nourish the probiotics and increases effectiveness. 1MD Nutrition is recommended by a doctor. They offer a 90-day money-back guarantee, and it is manufactured in a GMP-certified facility inside the US.
Pros
- Non-GMO & Allergen-Free
- Made in USA, GMP-Certified Facilityecommended by 1MD Nutrition’s Gastroenterologist
- 11 Different Strains of Probiotics
- Prebiotics Improve Effectiveness
- Delayed-Release Capsules
Cons
- Proprietary Blends of Probiotics
- Don’t Know Dosages of Each Strain
Total Restore
by Gundry MD
Total Restore is a digestion supplement that’s designed to promote a healthy gut lining and encourage a healthier body overall. While it doesn’t provide the body with probiotics or prebiotics like most digestion supplements, it contains a powerful blend of necessary nutrients.
The formula contains L-Glutamine, N-Acetyl-D-Glucosamine, Grape Seed Extract, Licorice Root, Wormwood, Cinnamon, Maitake Mushroom, Cloves, Black Pepper Fruit Powder, Grapefruit Seed Extract, Marshmallow Root Powder, Zinc L-Carnosine, and Berberine.
Pros
- No Proprietary Blend
- Wide Range of Nutrients
- 90-Day Money-Back Guarantee
- Manufactured in GMP-Certified Facility
- Also Improves Joint Health
Cons
- No Probiotics or Prebiotics
- Expensive at $70/Month
- Need to Take 3 Capsules Daily
- Contains Crustacean Shellfish
Gundry MD Bio Complete 3
by Gundry MD
Speaking of Gundry MD, we can’t forget about their Bio Complete 3 formula. While the last one didn’t contain any probiotics or prebiotics, Bio Complete 3 contains both — as well as postbiotics. It’s designed to support optimal gut health and, in turn, a healthy immune system.
The formula contains three main ingredients — 1,000mg of CoreBiome (300mg of Tributyrin), 200mg of Sunfiber, and 16mg of Bacillus coagulans. It provides the body with butyrate (postbiotic), fiber (prebiotic), and healthy bacteria (probiotic) for overall gut health and function.
Pros
- Manufactured in a GMP-Certified Facility
- Probiotics, Prebiotics, & Postbiotics
- No Proprietary Blend
- 300mg of Tributyrin
- Free Shipping Inside the United States
Cons
- Need to Take 4 Capsules Daily
- Expensive at $70/Month
- Only One Probiotic Strain
Multi-GI 5
by Unify Health Labs
Multi-GI 5 is a digestion supplement brought to you by Unify Health Labs. It’s designed to improve overall gut health and digestion by combining three powerful blends together — Prebiotic Blend, Probiotic Blend, and a GI Health Blend of powerful nutrients and compounds.
The Probiotic Blend contains four Lactobacillus strains and one Bifidobacterium strain. The Prebiotic Blend contains Oligosaccharides and the GI Health Blend contains BioPerine, Berberine, Licorice Root Extract, Zinc-Carnosine Complex, L-Glutamine, and more.
Pros
- Probiotics, Prebiotics, & Other Nutrients
- Lactobacillus & Bifidobacterium Strains
- 90-Day Money Back Guarantee
- Total Gut Health Formula
- Good Customer Reviews
- Powdered Formula
- Bundle & Save
Cons
- Uses Proprietary Blends
- Don’t Know Exact Dosages
- Expensive at $70/Month
Digestion Supplements FAQ
How does the digestive system work?
In simple words, digestion is when food moves through the gastrointestinal (GI) tract — which includes the mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, large intestine, and anus. All these organs play a role in the normal functioning of the digestive system.
As food moves through the GI tract, it comes in contact with digestive enzymes, stomach acid, and bacteria. Most of the nutrients are broken down into smaller molecules and transferred throughout the body via the bloodstream, while the excess waste is eliminated from the body.
What are probiotics?
Probiotics are healthy bacteria strains that play a major role in the digestive process. They’re tiny, living microorganisms that help maintain a healthy balance of good and bad bacteria in the body. These strains are found inside the mouth, gut, urinary tract, skin, lungs, and more.
In addition to maintaining a balance of bacteria, probiotics ensure healthy functioning of the immune system and help regulate inflammation in the body. They play a huge role in the way the body processes food and are necessary for a strong and protective gut lining.
What are prebiotics?
Since probiotics are live microorganisms, they need a source of food to function at their best — just like any other living thing. This source of food comes in the form of prebiotics, which are just plant fibers that the body doesn’t digest. Prebiotics work in conjunction with probiotics.
While the body can’t digest prebiotics, this means it travels through the GI tract nearly untouched. When they make their way to the lower digestive tract, they come in contact with healthy bacteria. It’s a match made in heaven and is something your bacteria will appreciate.
How much fiber should you eat daily?
Fiber is extremely important to the healthy functioning of the digestive system. Since fiber can’t be digested by the body, it either acts as a prebiotic for the healthy bacteria living inside your body, or it helps increase the weight and size of your stool.
Women should aim for 20-25 grams of fiber every single day, while men should aim for 30-40 grams of fiber per day. It helps normalize bowel movements, maintains gut health, lowers cholesterol levels, controls blood sugar, aids weight management, and helps you live longer.
