Top supplements for leaky gut

 

What is Leaky Gut?  

Before we dive into the top supplements for leaky gut, let’s first define leaky gut. 

The term leaky gut is actually pretty new, and we've written a complete Guide to Leaky Gut, however, it's helpful to do a brief refresher here. 

To begin, we need to understand what’s happening inside your stomach. We all have an intestinal lining. This lining is supposed to be strong and serves as a barrier to keep away bad things like toxins, bacteria, undigested food, etc. 

If your lining becomes damaged and has a hole or gap, you can imagine how this can result in a “leak.” 

As such, a leaky gut is when toxins, bacteria, undigested food, amongst other things, break through your gut and is able to enter your bloodstream.

Yikes! 

If bad things leaking into your bloodstream doesn’t sound like a good thing, you're right, it's not! 

Now, the good news is there are products you can use to supplement your diet, which can help strengthen your intestinal lining.

There are hundreds of supplements you can try, but we will only focus on the top supplements for leaky gut. 

If You Have Digestive Issues, You May Have Leaky Gut

Perhaps you’ve had doctors diagnose you with everything under the sun: IBS, IBD, Celiac, Crohn’s, Leaky Gut, Colitis, or my favourite, “just low on fibre.” 

You may not know what exactly you have but you can learn to manage your symptoms and significantly improve your health and quality of life. 

Finally, even if you don’t suffer exactly from “leaky gut” (again, it’s a pretty new term), we'd encourage you to take a look at the supplements listed below if you suffer from ANY digestive issue as they can have much in common. 

A Leaky Gut May Contribute to Other Health Problems

Unfortunately, your problems may not stop at your stomach.

Some studies show that leaky gut may be associated with other autoimmune diseases (lupus, type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis), chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, arthritis, allergies, asthma, acne, obesity, and even mental illness. (Source) As discussed in the gut health hacks post, you want all aspects of your body to be healthy and in balance. 

That said, we do not yet have clinical studies in humans showing such a cause and effect.

Why Should I Supplement For Leaky Gut?

Truthfully, most of the products we will recommend can be found in natural foods, and we will always recommend that you eat natural and healthy food as a foundation. 

Now, you might be wondering, can't I just get everything from my regular diet then? 

Yes and no. 

You may not be able to get it all from your food based on the current state of your gut.

If your gut is seriously damaged and need long-term healing, you may not be able to get the proper amount of what you need from your regular diet. 

On the other hand, if your gut is causing just slight problems, you may not need to supplement heavily or go through different types of products, but you still may benefit by giving them a shot. While this article is focused on supplements, you may also benefit from taking some herbs for leaky gut. 

Ultimately, experimenting with supplementing is a low-effort activity, which may yield substantial results for you so you should be looking into these products. 

How Should I Supplement for Leaky Gut?

If you’re one of the readers who has been following this blog, you know that our approach is based on strategy.

Let’s face it - you’re a busy person, but you know that without a baseline healthy life, everything else falls too. Your professional and personal lives are both dependent on you being physically and mentally healthy. 

That’s why your top priority should be to fix your health. 

However, you should focus on fixing your gut problems in the quickest and most affordable way possible. 

Please note: you do not have to take all the supplements listed below. Ideally, you want to find the greatest improvements in the fewest number of products as possible.

How Should I Use The Top Supplements for Leaky Gut? 

As mentioned above, our goal is figure out which products will help us the most as fast as possible. 

We want efficiency. 

Please see below for the Top 10 Supplements for Leaky Gut based on tiers.

1. L-Glutamine powder

If you are going to buy only one supplement for your leaky gut (or any other digestive problem) - skip everything else and buy L-Glutamine Powder. It's the top supplement for leaky gut! 

The reason it is listed as the top of the list is because you will start with L-Glutamine. It just may be the only one you need. While we have written extensively about the benefits of l-glutamine for leaky gut, we'll do a recap below. 

What is L-Glutamine?

Glutamine is one of the 20 amino acids in our bodies, which form proteins to help maintain healthy tissue.

Studies have shown that Glutamine powder has a direct impact in repairing your gut. (Source)

Generally speaking, Glutamine powder has been the top supplement which has helped those who suffer from digestive issues. You can test the waters and find out very quickly if you're seeing results.

Basically, you have a leaky gut. Like with anything “leaky” in life, you want to stop and fix the leak. This is where L-Glutamine becomes powerful. Your leaky gut is a result of a gap in your intestinal lining, which Glutamine powder helps directly repair.

As this lining becomes stronger, there’s less chance for toxins, bacteria, undigested food, or any of that bad stuff to leak into your blood stream. This can stop inflammation in tracks as your stomach would be functioning “regularly.”

Naturally, as your gut becomes stronger, you were able to build a stronger immune system to fight off other illnesses.

Benefits of L-Glutamine: 

  • L-Glutamine can help directly repair and heal your gut
  • L-Glutamine can reduce inflammation in your body
  • L-Glutamine can build overall immunity

2. Fish Oil

Start fishing for fish oil, a superpower supplement!

What is Fish Oil?

In simple terms, fish oil is oil which is found in fatty fish (such as salmon and trout) and is abundant in omega-3 fatty acids. 

Your body cannot produce omega-3 on its own, you need to get it from your diet.

So, what does this have to do with your gut?

Fish Oil is Anti-Inflammatory 

Well, omega-3 fatty acids are anti-inflammatory and there's a saying, "inflammation is the root cause of all disease."

As we know, inflammation can manifest itself through many different ailments. This can be for things such as heart health, brain health, acne, auto-immune diseases, so on and so forth. And yes, even gut health.

Omega-3s Increase Good Bacteria 

Again, we might not know what's causing our stomach problems, but omega-3 can help your intestinal health by upping the amount of "good bacteria" in your body and also be anti-inflammatory - a nice one-two punch! (Source).

Fish Oil Can Improve Your Energy and Mental Clarity 

We'd reccomend taking Fish Oil in liquid form over capsules. Some have claimed that this helps them "feel" the benefits more so than the capsule form. Also, liquid form may contain less additives. However, if you're seeing success with capsules, then continue taking them! 

Some people are put off by "fish oil" because of the somewhat fishy taste. Ironically, people who probably need to supplement with fish oil the most are the people who stay away from eating fish in the first place! Luckily, there are flavour-based fish oils on the market which you can buy. They may not be 100% fishy-taste free but it'll make it a lot easier to digest.

Benefits of Fish Oil:

  • Fish oil can reduce inflammation in your body 
  • Fish oil can help increase the good bacteria in your digestive system 
  • Fish oil can increase energy and cognitive clarity and focus 

3. Probiotics

Wait, you mean not all bacteria is bad!?

What are Probiotics? 

According to WebMD, Probiotics “are live bacteria and yeasts that are good for you, especcur body is full of bacteria, both good and bad.”

Basically, when we think of bacteria, it's usually associated with bad things. And yes, that is true to an extent, because there are "bad bacteria" but there are also "good bacteria."

Our body is a community of this good bacteria living inside of us, but sometimes, when we get sick, we lose the good ones and bad bacteria attack us. 

So, you want enough of the good stuff to get rid of the bad stuff! 

We typically lose the good bacteria after taking antibiotics to treat some issue. In fact, most people come to learn about probiotics after they're advised to take them to counteract the damage done by antibiotics.

However, you don't have to take probiotics after antibiotics, you can actually take probiotics pretty much any time, unless advised otherwise. Many people who are dealing with digestive issues may benefit by supplementing probiotics

Probiotics to Reduce Gas, Constipation and Diarrhea  

Probiotics may take a few days for your body to get used to (you may actually experience bloating and gas for a week or so, but afterward, it tends to get better so you'll want to keep this in mind before giving up early. 

In addition to supporting with constipation, some studies show that probiotics may slow diarrhea as well. (Source)

Probiotics To Help Your Mental Health

While we've mentioned the physical aspect above, there many mental benefits which also follow. 

Firstly, any time you get rid of bloating and gas, you automatically feel a lot better, right? In addition, there are soemtiems other advantages too, such as less brain fog, more energy, and more happiness. This may be as a result of just having fewer digestive issues and/or the probiotics themselves increase energy. 

Choosing Probiotic Dosage

With supplements, you'll notice that they'll have X number of strains listed on the bottle (such as "10 billion" or "50 billion"). This is because probiotics are measured in CFU, or Colony Forming Units. This is the number of viable bacteria in the sample. Please don't take this to mean "the more, the merrier" and probiotics with higher strains will be better for you. We actually covered choosing probiotic supplements in a separate post. 

You'd want to consult with your doctor and/or nutritionist first to see which one is right for you based on your issues. Generally, people start with a relatively low amount (around 10 billion CFU) and then depending on how they feel, they adjust accordingly.

Lastly, but also very importantly, you can get probiotics from diverse sources - food and in supplement form. With food, you may want to explore with some things like 

Lastly, it is important to note that you can get probiotics from diverse sources, including food and before you try with supplements, you may want to experiment with things like sauerkraut, kefir, and pickles. That said, many people with digestive problems do find that supplementation helps them tremendously.

Benefits of Probiotics

  • Support with bloating and gas
  • Probiotics can help eliminate diarrhea and/or help with the impact 
  • Available through a wide range of natural sources such as sauerkraut, kefir, yogurt, and pickles 
  • Probiotics can have a positive impact on other health issues such as mental health, photoaging, aging, acne - either, directly or indirectly (Source)

4. Zinc

Zinc is in the second tier of my recommended top supplements for leaky gut because it’s not costly and has shown to help many people with digestive problems. 

What is Zinc?

Zinc is a nutrient found in our bodies and is very important for us. However, we don’t produce zinc on our own and to obtain it through our food and/or supplement. 

Zinc Builds Your Immune System  

There has been a lot of recent talks about zinc and the immune system because of the coronavirus pandemic. It’s the same reason that zinc is often found in throat lozenges, and other over-the-counter products. Zinc builds your body’s immune system and helps fight and attack viruses and bacteria. 

Hopefully, you can already start to see a pattern here. You’re always looking to decrease inflammation and build up immunity. If your body cannot get rid of viruses, your gut will suffer. 

Is Your Body Absorbing Zinc Properly?

Those who have digestive issues may not be absorbing zinc effectively. This may be due to an issue with absorption or it can be because of your issues with diarrhea, you sometimes lose key nutrients and minerals. 

As such, you may need to supplement with zinc for a leaky gut. However, it’s important to understand that you need to strike the right balance for YOU. Too much of anything can be detrimental and zinc is no different.

Benefits of Zinc:

  • Builds your immune system and reduce inflammation
  • Fights off viruses and bacteria

5. Digestive Enzymes

Everybody knows that when you eat something, your body has to digest it. 

However, did you know that for some people, their bodies cannot digest what they eat? 

This is where digestive enzymes come into play. 

What are Digestive Enzymes? 

In simple terms, a digestive enzyme is a protein in your body which breaks down the food you eat. Digestive enzymes are actually on your saliva and are generally produced in your pancreas, stomach and small intestine. 

There are different types of digestive enzymes, but here are some main ones: 

  1. Amylase - breaks down carbs and starches. 
  2. Lipase - breaks down fats 
  3. Lactase - breaks down “lactose” (a milk sugar) 
  4. Protease - breaks down proteins 

When people say that they are “lactose-intolerant,” what it means is that their body does not do a good job of breaking down lactose (an issue with the lactase digestive enzyme). 

Can Your Body Even Digest Food!? 

While you may be looking to supplement for a leaky gut, the problem may be due to the fact that your body cannot digest food properly. 

Digestive Enzymes Promote Healthy Digestion 

Think about it like this: if your body’s digestion enzymes have problems, then how do you expect to digest your food!? 

This is exactly why it is included in my list of top supplements for leaky gut. 

Again, while this may be a reason for your leaky gut, those who suffer from IBS, Celiac, Crohn’s, or other intestinal issues may suffer similar issues. 

Generally, if you “feel” your body not being able to digest properly, you may benefit from digestive enzymes. Even if you are not sure, it’s worth experimenting. If it works, you may have found all you end. If it doesn’t, you’re out a few bucks, but that much closer to figuring out what will work.

Benefits of Digestive Enzymes: 

  • Helps break down your food
  • Supports with healthy digestion
  • Available in different types based on your specific issues (for example, if you are lactose-intolerant)

6. Collagen

Do you know provides structure to your body and makes it strong? Collagen. 

What is Collagen? 

Collagen refers to the largest group of proteins inside your body which are found in your bones, skin, muscles and various other ligaments. Simply put, collagen helps your body come together. 

Collagen and Leaky Gut

As collagen contains various amino acids, it’s said to have benefitted some who suffer from leaky gut. The main amino acids which can help your digestive system are glycine, proline, and glutamine. 

Collagen and L-Glutamine?

Now, we’ve already discussed glutamine above and it remains the single most effective supplement in my books. That said, you might be wondering, can’t I just supplement with collagen and hit *three* birds (glutamine, glycine, proline) with one stone? 

Well, the answer is maybe. 

There are debates on how effectively the glutamic acid found in collagen supplements coverts into glutamine in your body. 

So, what to do?

My recommendation would be to supplement with L-Glutamine initially only (this is why it’s the top supplement for leaky gut). If you find it helpful, stop using it and now transition into using collagen only. This works for some and doesn’t work for others. 

Benefits of Collagen: 

  • Contains various amino acids
  • Helps your entire body "come together"
  • Can strengthen your gut and supports digestion

7. A Multivitamin 

Now, we're getting into my third tier of the top supplements for leaky gut. 

Sometimes, you need a boost. Sometimes, your body isn’t getting enough vitamins from what you eat. And sometimes, because of your leaky gut, you lose vitamins! 

Terrible! 

But this is where a regular multivitamin can help you significantly! 

What is a Vitamin?

A vitamin is a substance that your needs in order to function properly. There are 13 core vitamins: 

  1. Vitamin A
  2. Vitamin C
  3. Vitamin D
  4. Vitamin E
  5. Vitamin K
  6. Vitamin B1 (thiamine)
  7. Vitamin B2 (riboflavin)
  8. Vitamin B3 (niacin)
  9. Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic acid)
  10. Vitamin B6
  11. Vitamin B7 (Biotin)
  12. Vitamin B9 (Folic Acid)  
  13. Vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin)

The Best Vitamins for Leaky Gut

So, what the best or top vitamins that help with a leaky gut?

You could experiment with some here and there. But, the fact is, you can’t go wrong with a multivitamin. These give you a little bit of everything because most vitamins DO help with digestive and gut-related problems. 

That said, the main ones to focus on are Vitamin A, the B-Vitamins, and Vitamin D. 

Vitamin A

Generally, when we think of Vitamin A, we think of vision. While it’s true that Vitamin A is important for vision, it’s also very important for your immune system, and other organs in your body. 

There are studies to show that Vitamin A helps in building your intestinal immunity by healing the lining of your stomach. LINK

Further, a specific study looked at a parasite in Brazilian children, called Giardia, and saw some positive results in treating with Vitamin A. (Source) 

The B-Vitamins 

As mentioned at the beginning, we all need vitamins to function well. The B-Vitamins are definitely a part of this process! 

B-Vitamins help us better digest our food. Specifically, vitamin B3, B6, and B7 help with absorbing fat, proteins, and carbs, respectively. This is why people talk about eating greens for digestion! 

Vitamin D 

Vitamin D is an interesting case when it comes to your gut health.

There are studies which look at the link between Vitamin D, particularly how those who are deficient in vitamin D may suffer from digestive illnesses. Interestingly, low Vitamin D levels caused severe colitis in animal studies, however, scientists are still working to understand the impact on humans. (Source)

Ironically but similar to other vitamins,, it’s also important to note that if you have gut issues, your body may not be able to absorb Vitamin D. (Source) 

 

8. Electrolytes  

While a lot of supplements for leaky gut are aimed at what to do to help you better manage during your day-to-day life. This is important but we also need to look at what happens after you have a bad episode. Enter Electrolytes! 

What are Electrolytes? 

Electrolytes are minerals inside your body which have an electric charge. They keep us hydrated, balance the acidity in our bodies, and support with nerve and muscle function. 

Similar to vitamins, we need electrolytes to survive. 

Common electrolytes include: 

  • Calcium 
  • Potassium
  • Sodium 
  • Magnesium 

Are You Losing Too Many Electrolytes? 

When we urinate or sweat, we lose electrolytes. You can imagine what happens if you lose electrolytes - your body is out of balance! You need to be running like a well-oiled machine, but won’t be able to do so and might suffer from things like cramps, brain fog, fatigue, etc.  This is why I include electrolytes on my top supplements for leaky gut. 

However, for those of us who were lucky enough to get digestive problems, we may be prone to losing more electrolytes (or more often) than the average person. This is particularly common with those with diarrhea. 

Benefits of Electrolytes: 

  • Keep you hydrated and balance your acid levels
  • Very beneficial after bouts of diarrhea
  • Helps reduce cramps, brain fog, fatigue, etc.

9. Magnesium

While we've spoken about various nutrients and vitamins, and especially how many of them can help with your leaky gut, we're adding Magnesium on its own because of its sheer importance in your body. 

What is Magnesium? 

Magnesium is one of the most abundant nutrients in your body. It plays a role in many aspects of your body, including helping with muscle and nerve function, producing energy, blood sugar, and even your DNA! 

Magnesium and Leaky Gut 

Because magnesium has such an important role to play in your body, your entire eating process begins and ends and with it! From the enzymes in your saliva, to the food making its way through your body, and ultimately, leaving your body, magnesium is involved throughout the entire process. In other words, you can’t digest properly without magnesium. This is also why it’s quite common for people who are experiencing constipation to be told to take magnesium as they may have a deficiency and are not able to digest their foods. 

As such, due a magnesium deficiency, it’s quite possible that you have a leaky gut or its symptoms. 

Magnesium Glycinate or Magnesium Citrate...?

When looking for magnesium supplements, you will find that there are many different versions, and they each are believed to provide their own benefits. 

A few of these include: 

  1. Magnesium Glycinate - Magnesium Glycinate (formed with the amino acid glycinate), is easily absorbed by our bodies and helps inflammatory conditions and sleep
  2. Magnesium Citrate - Magnesium Citrate is magnesium bound to citric acid and because of this, it can be used to help with constipation (many use it as a laxative). It is also easily absorbed in our bodies. That said, you must be careful as similar to other over-the-counter laxatives, it may eventually lead to diarrhea.
  3. Magnesium Oxide - Magnesium Oxide is a salt that combines magnesium and oxygen. It’s generally the most “popular” type of magnesium you’ll find at the store. While it’s not as easily absorbed by the body, it can help with intestinal problems. This type of magnesium is also known to assist with constipation.

Depending on the type of gut issues you have (IBS-C or IBS-D, Leaky Gut, Crohn’s, Colitis, etc.), you may want to experiment with different types of Magnesium. For example, if you frequently suffer from diarrhea, it may not make sense to try supplementing with Magnesium Citrate right off the bat, however, if you suffer from constipation, then it may be your saving grace.

Benefits of Magnesium:

  • Support the entire digestion process from start to end!
  • Can support with constipation
  • Available in different forms to help with your specific issues

10. Psyllium Husk Powder

You've probably tried, or at the very least, have been told to try fibre to solve your problems. If you have, you probably wouldn’t be on this site looking for effective supplements, but if you have not, it is worth giving a shot. This is the final recommended product on our top supplements for leaky gut. 

What is Psyllium Husk Powder? 

Psyllium is fibre made from husks in the plantago ovata plant, mainly found in India. When it's found in the form of powder, it’s called psyllium husk powder. 

Psyllium Husk Powder and Leaky Gut 

If you particularly suffer from constipation, it’s no secret that you’d be advised to up your fibre intake or supplement to help digestion. Sometimes, you’re told that it can be through things like beans, some grains, fruits, vegetables, etc. 

Why Psyllium Husk Powder?

Now, you might be wondering, why Psyllium Husk and one of the dozen fibre supplements available on the market? 

It’s a great question. 

Again, the theme of Fix My Belly is to be effective and strategic. This means you want the best bang for your buck and your time. 

In addition to treating constipation, some have found psyllium husk powder to be beneficial for diarrhea as well. 

Further,  some studies have shown that psyllium husk may have prebiotic-type benefits (food for probiotics) as well in helping you treat your leaky gut. (Source) 

Benefits of Psyllium Husk Powder:

  • Fibre can help your bowel movements and keeping your digestive system smooth
  • Psyllium Husk may also help with diarrhea as well
  • Psyllium Husk may be a prebiotic as well, meaning, it fuels probiotics!

references

Publishing, H. H. (2018, December). Putting a stop to leaky gut. Retrieved from https://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/putting-a-stop-to-leaky-gut 

Rao, R., & Samak, G. (2012, January). Role of Glutamine in Protection of Intestinal Epithelial Tight Junctions. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4369670/

Costantini, L., Molinari, R., Farinon, B., & Merendino, N. (2017, December 07). Impact of Omega-3 Fatty Acids on the Gut Microbiota. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5751248/

Corliss, J. (2019, June 25). Probiotics may ease constipation. Retrieved from https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/probiotics-may-ease-constipation-201408217377

Kober, M., & Bowe, W. P. (2015, April 06). The effect of probiotics on immune regulation, acne, and photoaging. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5418745/#:~:text=By decreasing the counts of,effects resulting from acne therapies.

Lima, A. A., Soares, A. M., Lima, N. L., Mota, R. M., Maciel, B. L., Kvalsund, M. P., . . . Guerrant, R. L. (2010, March). Effects of vitamin A supplementation on intestinal barrier function, growth, total parasitic, and specific Giardia spp infections in Brazilian children: A prospective randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2830290/

Tabatabaeizadeh, S., Tafazoli, N., Ferns, G. A., Avan, A., & Ghayour-Mobarhan, M. (2018, August 23). Vitamin D, the gut microbiome and inflammatory bowel disease. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6116667/

Publishing, H. H. (n.d.). 9 things that can undermine your vitamin D level. Retrieved from https://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/9-things-that-can-undermine-your-vitamin-d-level

Jalanka, J., Major, G., Murray, K., Singh, G., Nowak, A., Kurtz, C., . . . Spiller, R. (2019, January 20). The Effect of Psyllium Husk on Intestinal Microbiota in Constipated Patients and Healthy Controls. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6358997