Improve your Digestive Health: Here's a List of the Top Vitamins and Supplements for Digestion
We all know how vital our stomach is. But, we need to determine how much it can impact our overall well-being. If you want to improve your digestion and how your body processes nutrients, here’s a list of the top vitamins and supplements for digestion that will help.
The health of our digestive system directly impacts everything from how efficiently we break down the foods we eat to how they make us feel. Poor digestion can lead to adverse side effects, such as bloating, fatigue, gas, heartburn, nausea, and more. Many people are turning towards vitamins and supplements that support good gut health.
Vitamin B3 (also known as niacin)
Although vitamins and minerals are known to be essential for general health, what do they do? Niacin, also known as vitamin B3, is crucial for many bodily functions, including maintaining healthy skin and muscles, keeping your nervous system healthy, and boosting your digestive system.
Niacin is one of the vitamins most heavily involved in breaking down nutrients from what you eat and helping synthesize compounds responsible for creating energy in your body. There are several signs of low niacin, so keeping an eye out for them can help alert you that you may need to take a B3 supplement.
These include headaches, fatigue, digestive issues, skin issues, and more. If you are enduring these symptoms, talk to your doctor before taking a B3 supplement because it may interfere with other drugs and health issues.
Vitamin B6
While all B vitamins are essential for good health, B6 is one that we don’t hear much about. But it’s important nonetheless. B6 helps your body break down proteins and create amino acids responsible for repairing and growing muscle tissue.
It’s also essential for the health of our nervous system. B6 plays a role in helping to prevent things like depression, anxiety, and sleep problems. There are various indicators that B6 deficiency may exist in you.
If you experience anxiety or depression, digestive issues, problems sleeping, muscle soreness, and more, it’s a good idea to ask your doctor about taking a B6 supplement. The recommended daily intake of B6 is between 1.3 and 1.7 mg daily.
Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 is often associated with energy and boosting one’s metabolism. However, it has many other essential health benefits. For example, B12 helps improve our digestive system, minds, and moods. It helps to create neurotransmitters responsible for sending signals throughout our brains and bodies that keep our attitudes in check.
B12 is also essential for the health of our digestive system. There are several signs that you may be deficient in B12. If you experience digestive issues, mood changes, fatigue, or trouble concentrating, you should ask your doctor about taking a B12 supplement. B12 needs to be consumed in doses of 2.4 mcg per day.
Folic Acid
Folic acid is a B vitamin essential for developing and repairing new cells. It’s vital for pregnant women because it plays a role in promoting healthy fetal development.
Folic acid is also helpful for everyone, though, as it helps to promote healthy digestion. It’s also an essential part of our central nervous system health. There are several signs that you may be lacking in folic acid.
For example, you may notice digestive issues, major jumpy system issues, and more. If you see these, speak with your doctor about taking a folic acid supplement. A 400 mcg daily dose of folic acid is advised.
Probiotics
If you’re unfamiliar with probiotics, they are live bacteria in fermented foods like yogurt, kimchi, sauerkraut, and more. They are considered “good” bacteria that help our digestive system.
Just like our bodies have good and bad bacteria, our digestive systems are home to billions of bacteria, both good and bad. The harmful bacteria can cause digestive issues, bloating, and more.
Probiotics help to repopulate good bacteria. There are several ways in which probiotics can help you maintain healthy digestive health. For example, they can help to reduce bloating and gas, improve nutrient absorption, and more.
As with all vitamins, there are a few signs that you may lack probiotics. You should consult your doctor about a probiotic supplement if you experience bloating, gas, digestive issues, etc.
Digestive Enzymes
These are real gems for digestive health. Enzymes are biological compounds that are found in nearly all living organisms. They help to facilitate chemical reactions in our bodies, assisting in our metabolic processes such as digestion.
There are many different types of enzymes, each with a specific function. As we age, our bodies produce fewer digestive enzymes, which can lead to digestive issues like bloating, gas, indigestion, and more.
Adding digestive enzymes to your daily routine can help to reduce these digestive issues. Be sure to choose a high-quality supplement that third-party laboratories have tested.
Conclusion
Your digestive system is responsible for how your body breaks down nutrients from foods and produces important vitamins and minerals essential for good health. When your digestive system isn’t working as it should, it can lead to many adverse side effects.
Many people are turning towards vitamins and supplements that support good gut health. Vitamins and minerals are essential for good health, and your digestive system produces many of these compounds.
Take a daily vitamin to improve digestion and the way your body processes nutrients. If you’re experiencing digestive issues, digestive enzymes can also help to reduce symptoms.