New Advances in Probiotics & Microbiome Health

People have asked me the question many times, "don't you have to change probiotics after a while because they stop working?" Probiotics don't stop working, but there is something to be said for using different strains. New research into our body's microbiome and probiotics has found that the greater diversity of different strains, or types of probiotics, the better to positively impact our health.

Research into probiotics and our body's own microbiome, which uncovered the unique and flourishing ecosystem of bacteria inside our body, has significantly advanced over the past 30 years. It used to be that acidophilus was the only probiotic that was really known about, and people still refer to probiotics as " "acidophilus" which is just one type in a huge list of beneficial bacteria.

The word bacteria can scare us, because we usually think of infectious bad bacteria, but inside our body, bacteria-"good" bacteria or probiotics- are actually a crucial part of our health. As crazy as it sounds, it's estimated that we actually have more bacterial cells in our body than human cells.

When you realize just how many bacteria in our body we have, it makes probiotic supplements with numbers in the billions make sense. Also, having greater amounts of different researched probiotic strains can really make a difference. Research has shown that probiotics work together as a team, each with their own strengths, and that we really need to focus on more than a handful of well-known strains to seriously impact our digestive health and health through our whole body. Think of it like a football team, the person who's the quarterback is important, but if you had only a bunch of quarterbacks, you probably aren't going to win the game.

Research in our body's microbiome has significantly advanced over the years, and the probiotics we take or should be taking continues to evolve as that research continues. It's not bad for you to take the same probiotic supplement that you took 20 years ago, but there have been still many advances and advances in our understanding of our body’s microbiome not just for a digestive health but also for impacting brain and mood and so much more, that it's worth exploring new options for probiotics. In the same way, could probably still use the Nokia phone you had 15 years ago, but it's definitely not going to be your best option.

We always try to be on the cusp of supplement research and knowledgeable about new supplements that come out that are actually better than the ones that came before. That is especially true with our new probiotic line by Vital Planet. All of us at Pass Health Foods just went to a seminar by Brenda Watson, a well known educator into digestive health and probiotics who has done quite a few TV specials on WTTW Channel 11 over the years. She is a brilliant woman who shared her expertise and research with us about new developments in probiotics and how they can make such a difference.

One thing about probiotics is that they are not meant to be taken as an aspirin like how you would for a headache and expect to see a difference. Probiotics are meant to be used daily, as a regular part of our daily supplement regimen. I might even say it's the most important part of a daily supplement regimen, more important than a multivitamin.

One of the reasons that probiotics are so important is that they help the body to better absorb the nutrients from the foods we eat. The foods we eat fuel our bodies and help us to stay alive; but it's the bacteria in our digestive tract that help the body to absorb those nutrients effectively and properly.

Also, having a diverse microbiome helps to encourage stomach lining health. When we're missing those beneficial microbes in our digestive tract, there can be damage to the intestinal lining, which over time can make it so undigested food particles can actually leak into our bloodstream, a condition known as leaky gut, which causes a host of problems, the most common of which is constant, low-level inflammation throughout the body.

I want to recommend a new line of probiotics by the company Vital Planet who is founded and developed by Brenda Watson, formerly of Renew Life (Renew Life was bought by Clorox, which is the main reason why we have reduced our shelf space for their products). She then founded Vital Planet, making probiotics and digestive products that are truly on the forefront of research in microbiome health and digestion. Science and how we understand our body evolves over time, and it certainly has with the importance of our bodies microbiome, probiotics, and proper digestion.

The new probiotics by Vital Planet have a more diverse makeup than anything else available today. They have at least 60 different researched strains per product, along with a high very high potency per pill. There is truly nothing like them available on the market today and we couldn't recommend them more. They honestly blow every other probiotic out of the water.

Now, to be that amazing and have such high potencies, they are on the pricey side. Still, even if a person took them every other day, to make them more affordable and to basically cut the price in half, since a bottle would last two months instead of one, even with doing that I’d say it would be better than taking almost any other probiotic.

Focusing on the health of our digestive tract truly impacts every aspect of our health. We like to think of our body systems as separate (and often don’t even think about them unless we have a problem), but they are all interconnected and affect each other. One way where this is becoming much more of a well-known is the connection between our digestive tract and brain function, especially for mood. It's been discovered that there are actually neurotransmitters made in our digestive tract and that our digestive tract is able to send signals to our brain, that's something known as the gut brain axis, which sounds totally crazy but has actually been confirmed by science, and that research is still ongoing.

Our bodies are truly a miracle, how they work. Stop by Pass Health Foods for more information and for more individualized attention and help. Also, the Vital Planet probiotics are on sale this month at store if you'd like to try them.

Tl;dr (too long; didn't read- quick summary): We have new probiotics by Vital Planet that are significantly better than anything else on the market. The health of our microbiome impacts so much more than just digestion, and there are impressive new advances in probiotic research.

New Affordable Probiotics by Natural Factors

We’ve brought in some great new probiotics that will be on sale every day, making them very affordable for a daily use probiotic. They're by Natural Factors, and most of them offer a two-month supply. They're great everyday probiotics, with good dosages for everyday use. Our favorite, their 12/12 probiotic, offers 12 billion probiotic strength over 12 different well researched strains, that we have on sale for $23.99 for a two-month supply. I feel like it's a good potency and a nice daily use probiotic. We still have a number of high potency products (True Grace's wonderful 90 billion strength probiotics for example), for people experiencing digestive issues or if you've been on antibiotics and need to replenish the good bacteria in your microbiome. I don't know that everyone needs to be taking a super high potency probiotic every day, however. It's certainly not a bad thing to do, but I think it's more important to have an affordable probiotic that has decent potency that can be used consistently.

I really like Natural Factors. They don't have the fanciest bottles or labels, but they really focus on quality. They have tons of top tier certifications for purity and transparency, and I honestly feel like they could price their products much higher than they do. They also work well with small businesses like us and are willing to offer us sales that we can pass on to our customers to further lower the prices.

I genuinely do believe in probiotics, but most of the benefits that I’ve read about talk about probiotic use over the long term. It's hard to spend a ton of money on a probiotic when the benefit is usually more far reaching versus something that you see right away like curcumin or theanine. I like these new probiotics by Natural Factors because I feel like they’re reasonable priced and are a good product that can be used every day without breaking the bank.

We should have these new probiotics on sale for at least this next 6 months, and hopefully we can continue the sale indefinitely. The 12/12 probiotic with 12 billion per capsule and 12 different strains is our favorite, but they also have a senior formula, a women's formula, and a whole variety of great probiotics that we brought in. The senior formula is really unique since it contains specific strains made to be beneficial for our digestive systems as we get older, since many feel like their digestive health can dramatically change as they get older.

Probiotics are great for digestion and the immune system which is what they're most known for, but new research is constantly coming out about the connection of digestion and our microbiome affecting so many different aspects of our health, from brain function and depression to even a new study I read today saying that probiotics helped with blood sugar control for people who were taking the prescription metformin. They're a really great thing for our overall health, and I would definitely recommend adding them to your daily regimen. Stop by the store so we can help you find the right product for your individual needs.

Probiotics for Disease Prevention [New Research]

I wanted to briefly write about probiotics since in the past few months, numerous new studies have come out showing previously unknown benefits of probiotics for disease prevention. I’ll link a few of the articles below:

New research underscores the link between multiple sclerosis and the gut microbiome

Gut bacteria trigger immune defense mechanism to protect against viral infections

Gut microbiome link to deadly chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Study offers "indisputable" link between Alzheimer's and gut microbiome

Microbiome study could change the way doctors diagnose depression

We don’t often think of our digestive system unless it’s giving us trouble, and then usually we’re just looking for a fix for those symptoms, but our digestive system and specifically our body’s unique microbiome (or the trillions of bacteria and microorganisms that live in our digestive tract) affect our health far beyond our stomach.

A healthy balance and variety of good bacteria in the body is incredibly important for overall health, but it’s easy to be ignored since many people can take probiotics and not feel very different. Part of the benefit of probiotics are more overreaching, affecting our health long term for the better. It’s similar to giving a car an oil change- generally, the car doesn’t drive very differently after having one done, but it’s important to keep the vehicle running properly in the long run.

We have lots of great supplements at the store, which have benefits for an assortment of issues, but realistically a person can’t take 100 pills a day. So as you choose the supplements that are most important to your personal health, we’d really recommend adding (or continuing to take) a quality probiotic with a variety of well-researched strains. Stop by the store because we’d love to help you choose the product that’s best for you. A favorite of mine are Solaray’s line of refrigerated Mycrobiome probiotics. They have specific formulas for a variety of needs including a women’s probiotic, a 50+ formula, and one specifically for colon health. I like them because in addition to being high potency products with a variety of effective probiotic strains, they also contain prebiotics, which help the good bacteria in your digestive tract and in the supplements you take to flourish.

Natural Help for Colitis- Backed by Scientific Research

Q: I have a family member with colitis who has been having a really difficult time. He has awful stomach pains and frequent diarrhea which makes living difficult. Do you have any suggestions of supplements that could make a difference for him?

A:  Colitis is an inflammatory bowel disease with a variety of symptoms which can include extreme weight loss, pain and tenderness in the abdomen, diarrhea and constipation, and loss of appetite. It can be a difficult thing to live with, so thankfully there are a number of science backed supplements that may help with colitis.

The first suggestion would be probiotics, since they help with normalizing digestive functioning and work to crowd out bad bacteria in the digestive tract. There are many different probiotics on the market, but I’d recommend one that is specifically geared towards people with digestive issues called Probi 30 by a company called Solgar. Here is a feature on that probiotic from a previous issue of our newsletter.

They did a study on the specific strain in the Solgar’s Probi probiotic on people with IBS that said that the study found an improvement in 95% of IBS patients who took the specific probiotic strain found in Solgar’s Probi 30. Every participant who took that LP229v strain of probiotics had a reduction in abdominal pain. Another found that the LP229v strain of probiotics reduced intestinal inflammation (linked here).

Another probiotic idea is a probiotic supplement called saccharomyces boulardii. It is a probiotic used for helping with diarrhea from a variety of causes, and is actually taken preventatively for people going to Mexico or on a cruise to prevent diarrhea from bacterial infections. It has been studied with positive results however for colitis (you can see the study here). Of the people with colitis that took the saccharomyces boulardii, 24 patients who completed the study and 17 attained clinical remission, which was confirmed endoscopically.

Both probiotics could be used together, though it may not be a bad idea to take them one at a time to see the results of one over the other. 

Additionally, something that may be helpful is taking aloe vera gel internally. Aloe is very soothing and healing to the entire digestive tract, although the more common aloe vera juice naturally contains an ingredient that can have laxative effects. Aloe gel has the healing effects of the juice without the laxative effect. Here is a link to a placebo controlled study on Pub Med about aloe gel and colitis.

Most people do a ¼ cup of aloe morning and night, though the colitis study linked above gave them 100ml twice a day, which is a little less than half a cup. We have aloe gel at the store that is meant for internal use- it is different from aloe gel in a tube that is meant for topical use.

Something else that may be beneficial, depending on one’s specific issues, are peppermint gels. They can be helpful for reducing intestinal cramping. Here is a link to an article with more information on peppermint gels. Again, it’s talking about for people with IBS, but the benefits could also help with someone dealing with colitis if that is a symptom they’re experiencing. 

Finally, I’d recommend turmeric supplements, and one turmeric supplement in particular by the company Solgar called their Full Spectrum Curcumin. Turmeric is the yellow spice often found in curry powder, and it has strong anti-inflammatory effects. Curcumin is the active ingredient in turmeric, but turmeric contains only 4% curcumin, and even in a curcumin extract, it is difficult for the body to absorb.

This company Solgar has made a curcumin extract that has been shown in research to be absorbed 185 times better than standard curcumin or turmeric supplements, so I would recommend that product specifically. Turmeric and curcumin are great anti-inflammatories and can help with a variety of issues. This curcumin supplement can be especially helpful for inflammatory digestive issues since because it is so well absorbed, it does not need to be in a mega dose, which is good because turmeric or curcumin in high doses can be irritating to the stomach.

In regards to diet, doing an elimination diet may be helpful since different foods can be triggers to digestive problems, which can be different for each person. This link has more information on how to do an elimination diet.

Following a “gastritis diet” may also be helpful, which eliminates all irritating foods from the diet for a time. Doing this can sometimes help calm an irritated digestive tract and help things to get back to normal.

One step further from a gastritis diet would be the BRAT diet, which stands for bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast. The BRAT diet uses foods which are very bland and can help with calming the digestive tract.

With all of the above diets, they are not meant as a forever thing, but to be used for a time especially during a flare up of symptoms to help calm and soothe the digestive tract.

Unfortunately with colitis or other inflammatory bowel diseases, sometimes it takes a bit of trial and error to discover what may help. Please stop by the store so we can help you further.

A New Approach for Managing GERD and Heartburn

This month I wanted to write about a unique and little known supplement for heartburn and GERD. Digestive enzymes, probiotics, and DGL licorice are all helpful for managing GERD, but there is another supplement ingredient I’ve discovered and have been doing some research on which I believe could be a great help for GERD and heartburn sufferers.

The ingredient I’m talking about is called alginate, also known as algenic acid. It’s an extract from brown algae that absorbs many times its weight in liquid, making a natural gel substance. When that algae gel is combined with natural buffers like sodium bicarbonate and calcium carbonate and used after a meal, it is actually able to make a gel-like raft that blocks acid reflux into the esophagus.

When the alginate reaches the acids in the stomach, it makes a pliable gel. At the same time, the calcium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate (also known as baking soda) produce bubbles in the algae gel which make it rise to the top of the stomach, so it is literally floating on top of the contents of your stomach.

By making this floating stomach acid raft, it prevents those stomach acids from coming back up the esophagus, which is what happens in acid reflux, GERD, and heartburn.

It sounds a little strange, and but if you think about it, it makes sense. One of the main reasons so many people suffer from acid reflux is that naturally as we age, the muscle at the bottom of the esophagus known as the esophageal sphincter can weaken, so it doesn’t close all the way. When this happens, it allows acid to begin to travel back up the esophagus from the stomach, causing pain and damage over time.

When this gel raft is formed, it can last several hours in the body (which means that it is effective for that amount of time) before passing through the intestines and being digested like any other fiber.

Research has been done on alginate and its gel barrier method for preventing acid reflux, and when compared with PPIs, other acid blocking drugs, and antacids, it’s been found superior in both safety and effectiveness (here’s a link the abstract of one of those studies on Pub Med). There are no side effects, drug interactions, or toxicity that has been found from using this method since you are not actually taking a drug or anything that is necessarily changing what the body naturally does, but are just preventing acid from going where it shouldn’t be going anyway. It’s very much like fencing a dog in your yard- you aren’t stopping Fido from doing whatever he likes to do in your yard, you’re just preventing him from running in the street.

This alginate combination has been the subject of over fourteen different studies as well as a meta-analysis that examined each of the studies done on these nutrients at Duke University. The results showed that the alginate based supplement was more effective than placebo or antacids. In the studies, the people who took the alginate supplement were 4.42 times more likely to have a complete resolution of their symptoms than the placebo group.

I don’t know why alginate based supplements aren’t more well known, since the research is sound, but I’m happy to be able to share the information I’ve come across, since I think it could help a lot of people.

The supplement we’ve found that has this impressive alginate combination that we carry at the store is called Nutrisec by a company called Nature’s Plus. It’s a chewable tablet that is meant to be taken after a meal or 30 minutes before bedtime to prevent reflux when lying down to sleep at night, which is a very common issue for people with GERD. If you use it before bed, wait a half hour before laying down so the raft has time to get into place so it can work properly.

I’d very much recommend trying it, especially since it has been shown to cause no harm, and that it seems like something that might really help if you’re dealing with acid reflux, GERD, or heartburn. It’s definitely worth a try!

A New Favorite: Renew Life’s Organic Prebiotic + Probiotics

We have a new line of probiotics that I wanted to write about since I’ve been really impressed with them. It’s a new line of probiotics from Renew Life that combine well researched probiotic strains with organic prebiotics.

Prebiotics are special fibers that help good bacteria to flourish in our bodies. Prebiotics are a newer ingredient, and the idea of combining them with probiotics into a supplement seems like a really smart one to me, since you’re not just taking probiotics, you’re giving those good bacteria what they need to multiply and be sustained in your body.

I’ve been taking their Strong and Ready Organic Prebiotic + Probiotic for a little over a month now, and have been really happy with it. They’re in easy to swallow vegetarian capsules, which I love, and the strains contained in that formula have been researched to help specifically with boosting the immune system and preventing respiratory infections, which definitely sounds good to me!  They’re also gluten, dairy, and soy free, which I appreciate.

They also have several different formulas with targeted probiotics for a variety of issues like constipation or diarrhea or even for women’s health that contain cranberry for preventing UTIs as well as unique strains that help with vaginal health.

The nice thing about these blends are that they address specific conditions, while still having the basic strains needed for everyday health. I feel like this is especially noteworthy, since we have several probiotics at the store that we would especially recommend for specific, acute issues, but they are just kind of focused on those problems, and wouldn’t fill the role of your “every day probiotic” for general digestive and immune health.

Another thing about these prebiotic + probiotic blends is that they contain documented types and amounts of prebiotics (the substances that help to feed and support the body’s own good bacteria) that have been shown in scientific research to make a true difference. In speaking to an educator at Renew Life about these new products, he had a quote I wanted to share since I really liked it. He said a lot of probiotics (and I would say many supplements in general), “Shout on the front, whisper on the back”, meaning that prebiotics have become a buzzword of sorts, and that many products have advertising “shouting” something on the front of the label, but then will have just a whisper (or a tiny, negligible amount) of actual beneficial ingredients on the back of the label where it lists the nutrition facts. That’s what we’re about at Pass Health Foods- finding and offering supplements that make a real difference, that are scientifically documented as being effective, beyond whatever the advertising says.

Since we’re featuring them this month, we’ll be having all the new organic probiotic + probiotics from Renew Life on sale for 25% off from now through the end of December. Additionally, we have a good supply of $3 off coupons for them, so with the sale plus the coupon it works out to a really good deal!  If you’re looking to change up your probiotic, or you don’t take one on a regular basis, this is a great one to try.

Natural Help for Colic and Gassy Babies

Anyone who has had a new baby knows that it can be rough. One of the worst things is when a little one has digestive issues including gas and colic. It’s incredibly common for babies to have digestive troubles, especially around the six to eight week mark. While it’s something that most babies grow out of, there are safe, natural remedies that can help to soothe infant’s digestive problems when you’re in the thick of it.

The first we’d recommend is a specific probiotic made for infants called JarrowDophilus Infant. It contains just one strain of good bacteria, B. Infantis, which has been studied extensively for its benefits to the developing digestive tract of newborns and infants. Studies have shown that supplementing with this specific probiotic strain is associated with a reduction in gas and digestive upset in newborns and infants.

The B. Infantis strain of probiotics make up over 90% of the good bacteria found in the digestive tract of healthy, breastfed infants. It can be extremely helpful for formula fed babies or any infant with gas, constipation, colic, and any other digestive issues causing them discomfort. Probiotics, including JarrowDophilus Infant, are only beneficial, with no negative side effects. It is completely safe for daily use for babies from birth onward, and in many babies can make a real difference in helping to normalize digestive troubles.

Another product we would recommend is called Gripe Water. It’s an all natural supplement of ginger and fennel, which works incredibly well to soothe gas and colic. We’ve even had customers report that it has helped their babies to reduce hiccupping. Our Gripe Water has an easy to use dropper that can be squeezed directly into a fussy baby’s mouth. It’s definitely a great thing to have in the house if you have a newborn.

The JarrowDophilus Infant and Gripe Water can be used in conjunction without a problem. The infant probiotic is generally meant for daily use, whereas the Gripe Water is meant to be used for acute issues of gas and colic on an as needed basis.

The Many Benefits of Probiotics, the Good Bacteria Your Body Needs

There are many wonderful natural products that have all sorts of benefits, but probiotics are part of a handful of supplements which we believe are vitally important for people of all ages- they’re a group of supplements that everyone would benefit from.

Probiotics, or “good bacteria”, are best known as an aid to digestive health, where they have impressively documented benefits for helping the body to digest and process foods. Probiotics also help the body to assimilate nutrients from foods and improve nutrient availability.

Probiotics are also fantastic for the immune system, enhancing our bodies own disease fighting white blood cells. One yearlong study showed that children who took probiotic supplements had significantly fewer upper respiratory infections (colds, etc.) and had a 30 percent reduction in missed school days. Research also found similar immune system benefits for adults.

In addition to activating the immune system against illness, it appears that probiotics are also able to modulate the immune system to diminish over reactive responses to allergies and autoimmune diseases.

Interestingly, new research is also showing benefits for bone health for people who use probiotics. One new study found that in animals with hormone changes similar to what happens in women after menopause those who consumed probiotics were able to stave off bone loss compared to the group that was not given probiotics. The control group that did not use probiotics lost half their bone density compared to the probiotics who were able to retain bone density.

Also, pregnant women who use probiotics have been shown to have children with a lower incidence of eczema and atopic dermatitis. Additionally, research has suggested that pregnant women who use probiotics may have children with fewer food allergies.

Probiotics can also have benefits to overall brain health and mood. One study which was measuring the benefits of probiotics on IBS found that the probiotic takers had twice as many people that saw decreases in depression and depressive symptoms when compared with a placebo.

There are many wonderful, high-quality probiotics that we have at the store, but I wanted to specifically mention one by Flora called Udo’s Choice Super 8 Probiotic, a probiotic which has actually won a number of different awards. Flora is a small company that makes exceptional products. They don’t come out with a ton of different “hot, new products” every year, but instead specialize in a few different areas, like probiotic supplements, where they really excel.

Flora’s Super 8 is a mix of eight well researched, scientifically identified strains that have been shown to survive in the body and form colonies.

Udo’s Choice Super 8 Probiotic has probiotic strains that aid digestion, breaking down carbohydrates and helping to synthesize B vitamins. It also contains specific strains which have been shown in research to help inhibit the growth of bad bacteria in the colon and GI tract. Super 8 is also formulated with strains that have been found to help reduce gas formation as well as other strains that help with urinary tract health and even a strain that helps with lowering cholesterol levels!

Best of all, it’s a high potency probiotic (42 billion per pill) that is very reasonably priced, especially when compared to other probiotics at similar potencies. This September, we’ll be having our Udo’s Choice Super 8 Probiotic on sale for 25% off, so it’s a great time to try it!

Papaya Enzymes for Preventing Upset Stomach this Summer

I’ve written about digestive enzymes before for people with chronic or persistent digestive issues (bloating, indigestion, etc.) on regular use can make a huge difference in symptoms. This month, however, I wanted to write about the more basic papaya enzymes, which are great for people of all ages for occasional stomach upset or overindulgence. Enzymes are nice, since they are only beneficial- there are no negative side effects. When taken with or after a meal, they help to break down foods so they are more easily digested.  

Papaya enzymes are great for times when you may eat heavier or greasy foods, or for times when you feel overly full after eating- something that happens a lot at summer BBQs or on vacations.  They’re a great thing to keep in the house or a travel bag.  Having an upset stomach is a surefire way to ruin a fun time this summer, so keeping some chewable papaya enzymes on hand is a great idea.

I’ve also found them to be extremely helpful for when my daughter complains of an upset stomach.  Many times I don’t necessarily believe that her stomach actually hurts (since it’s frequently a bedtime complaint), but giving her one chewable papaya enzyme makes her happy.  It’s something I feel completely comfortable giving her, since it is just natural enzymes from papaya, which will help to digest any food in her stomach.  Even if her “upset stomach” is just imaginary, a papaya enzyme won’t hurt at all.  In fact, enzymes on an empty stomach can even help with reducing inflammation in the body.

Papaya enzymes can also help with heartburn.  My family usually eats pizza once a week (we’re dairy free, so I make homemade pizza with Daiya mozzarella cheese shreds), and my husband had been complaining of heartburn on pizza nights.  He started taking chewable papaya enzymes- two right before he’d eat pizza and two after if needed, and he has said it has completely taken away his pizza-heartburn.

We use the chewable papaya enzymes from American Health.  The standard dose for adults is three chewables (they’re small) with a meal or as needed.  They’re good tasting and can really help.

Again, papaya enzymes are the most basic of enzymes, so while they’re a good place to start, they might not be the best choice for everyone.  I’ll link a few articles below on digestive issues and supplements that can help:

Digestive Enzymes for Bloating, Gas, and Indigestion

Natural Relief for GERD

Natural Remedies for Indigestion and Heartburn

Peppermint Oil Softgels for IBS

Q: I have been dealing with IBS symptoms which seem to have gotten worse lately. I have a terrible time with intestinal cramping and gas, which have made life really difficult. So you have any recommendations of something that could help?  I’m kind of desperate.

A: Irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS, is a common digestive disorder that encompasses a variety of symptoms which includes recurring abdominal pain, gas, bloating, and changes in normal bowel movement (constipation and/or diarrhea).

The first supplement I’d recommend are peppermint oil softgels. Peppermint oil is a natural antispasmodic, which means that it reduces cramping, particularly in the bowels. Peppermint oil can also help with relieving excess gas. For IBS and digestive issues, it’s important to take enteric coated softgels, softgel capsules which have a protective coating so they are able to make it to the intestines without opening in the stomach, since peppermint oil in the stomach can cause heartburn. 

One study done by the American College of Gastroenterology found that 75% of people with IBS symptoms who took peppermint oil softgels twice daily had a significant reduction in symptoms and many found the peppermint gels completely stopped their IBS problems.

We’d especially recommend the enteric coated Peppermint Gels by NOW Foods. They’re a local Illinois company, and have added a bit of ginger and fennel to the peppermint oil, which further help to soothe the digestive tract. It’s an inexpensive and effective supplement, so it’s definitely one to try if you’ve been dealing with IBS.

Other supplements that can be helpful would be probiotics, particularly Solgar’s Probi probiotics, since they contain a specific a strain that has been researched with fantastic results for helping with IBS (see our article here for more information), as well as aloe vera juice and digestive enzymes.