The Top 5 Best Supplements for IBS
Many women struggling with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) find themselves asking, “Can supplements help me with my gut issues?”.
The short answer is yes. But you may not see immediate relief of your symptoms. Natural health products (NHPs) such as vitamins and minerals often replace a deficiency in the diet, so it can take some time to see results. That being said, there are several reasons the use of NHPs can be beneficial for those living with IBS.
What is a supplement?
NHPs are manufactured products that contain ingredients such as vitamins, minerals, herbs, probiotics, amino acids, and enzymes. They are intended to be used to enhance one’s diet or replace a deficiency by taking a pill, capsule, powder, tablet, or liquid.
Some NHPs have associated health claims. In order to be licensed by Health Canada, these claims must be supported by proper scientific evidence. It is important to consult with your physician, pharmacist, or health care provider before starting on any supplements to ensure safety and appropriateness. If you want to learn more about how NHPs are regulated in Canada, you can click here.
Why should I use dietary supplements?
There are many reasons why one might want to use NHPs
Modern agriculture has depleted the soils of many essential nutrients through mono-agriculture and genetically modified crops that grow faster and produce higher yields.
Increased daily exposure to pollution and chemicals places additional stress on the body, and increases nutritional requirements.
To provide your body with the essential nutrients it needs to function optimally in its day-to-day operations, and/or to overcome illness or disease.
Poor absorption of nutrients is common for individuals who experience digestive symptoms such as gas, bloating, heartburn, and indigestion.
To prevent health issues from developing.
It’s important to remember that each individual is unique in their daily nutrition requirements based on factors such as age, gender, health status, diet, stress levels, and work and home environment. When considering the use of NHPs to augment or improve your health, it’s best to work with a professional who can provide targeted advice and recommendations for your individual needs.
That being said, when considering foundational supplements to support gut health in IBS, there are a few “basics” that can get you started. Let’s have a brief overview.
Omega-3s:
Omega-3s are important for cellular health including the health of the cells that line your gut wall.
Omega-3s are a critical part of anti-inflammatory pathways in the body. This is important for IBS since emerging data suggests that inflammation may play a role in its development.
According to information published from Stats Canada, more than 40% of Canadian adults are not meeting the daily requirements for omega-3s.
Unless you eat omega-rich fish two or three times a week (e.g. wild-caught salmon, tuna, sardines, etc.), there is a high likelihood that you are lacking adequate amounts of omega-3s in your diet.
Zinc:
Zinc is required for the function of over 300 enzymes in the human body.
It is necessary for tissue and cell formation, manufacture of hydrochloric acid in the stomach and digestive enzymes, and wound healing. Considering just these few roles, it is easy to see how a zinc deficiency could perpetuate the underlying conditions of IBS.
According to most recent information from Stats Canada, 10-35% of Canadians from most age and sex groups consume zinc in inadequate amounts. The use of the birth control pill and high intake of alcohol also increases the body’s need for zinc.
Vitamin D:
Vitamin D is synthesized by the skin when it is exposed to sunlight. If you live a sedentary life and spend most of your time indoors, or if you live in a part of the world with colder climates, there is a high probability you may have a vitamin D deficiency.
Research shows that vitamin D deficiency is highly prevalent in those living with IBS, and supplementing to obtain adequate blood levels may help to decrease IBS symptoms and improve quality of life.
While its role in IBS is not well understood, vitamin D has been shown to have effects on several of the mechanisms involved in the development of IBS, such as modulating the gut microbiome, improving intestinal permeability, and gut immune function.
Vitamin D deficiency is easy to assess. Talk to your doctor about checking your blood levels and adjust the dosage of your vitamin D3 supplement according to your test results.
Vitamin C:
Vitamin C is one of the major antioxidant players in the body.
It has potent anti-inflammatory functions and plays a major role in immune health.
Vitamin C has been shown to improve gut-barrier function, and it can balance out the good and bad bacteria in the gut.
A word of caution to those with sensitive stomachs or IBS-D (diarrhea): taking too much vitamin C can cause nausea, stomach cramps, or diarrhea. This is especially true if you are supplementing with ascorbic acid, which is the form of vitamin C often found in chewable tablets. To avoid these potential adverse effects, choose buffered Vitamin C or Ester-C, which are better absorbed than ascorbic acid.
Probiotics:
In healthy individuals, the bacteria that normally reside in the gut (aka. the gut microbiome) are essential for overall digestive health:
It helps with the breakdown and absorption of food
It stimulates the rhythmic contractions of the colon that moves food through the digestive tract to promote regular bowel movements
It prevents other harmful microorganisms from reproducing in the gut.
Individuals living with IBS often have alterations in their gut microbiome so supplementing with probiotics can be very useful.
In fact, a review of 33 randomized controlled trials showed probiotics improved IBS symptoms overall and/or decreased complaints of abdominal pain. It was found that probiotics containing multiple strains of beneficial bacteria worked best. The same results were not found with those containing just one strain.
For individuals with SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth) or significant dysbiosis, it may be best to stay away from bacterial probiotics to avoid re-seeding the bugs you are trying to get rid of. Saccharomyces boulardii, a form of yeast probiotic found on tropical fruits, may be more beneficial in these circumstances.
When considering probiotic use, it may be beneficial to choose products that do not contain FOS (fructooligosaccharides). FOS is a type of sugar found naturally in several plants. It is sometimes added to probiotics to help keep the bacteria alive. However, for individuals who have an imbalance in their microbiome, it can also feed the bad bacteria. If you have tried probiotics in the past and found that they produced gas or uncomfortable bloating, this might be the reason why.
Adding these five supplements to your regime may help to restore balance in the gut and support optimal health so your gut can heal. However, supplements are not meant to replace healthy eating or a healthy lifestyle.
If you choose to eat poorly, such as a diet heavy in processed foods, refined sugars and fats, and low in whole foods, it’s unlikely you will see much benefit from the use of NHPs. In order to be most effective, it is helpful to work with a trained professional who can help you to optimize your diet and provide you with targeted recommendations for your unique needs.
If you are looking for additional support to help reduce bloating, improve digestion, and heal your gut for good, I am here to help! Check out how I help my clients here or download your free guide that covers 5 mistakes that are keeping you bloated (and what you can do instead).
