This article aims to clear any doubts and questions you may have about this subject and we will do our best to do so.
The Best Vitamins For Gut Health
The importance of a healthy gut is no secret anymore. The gut is where the immune system starts and a range of illnesses have been connected to this part of the body. There are certain foods you can increase your intake of to nourish the gut, but here we will dig a little deeper to break down the vitamins that help to protect, heal and support the digestive system.
B Vitamins
Digestive health depends on the stomach to function correctly, which in turn requires B vitamins. B vitamins protect the abdomen from distress and ensure the stomach and intestines work. Iron
Iron supports the good bacteria in the gut.
As well as taking supplements, you can find vitamin C easily in strawberries, citrus fruits, broccoli and peppers. A lack of selenium has been proven to increase stress and inflammation, leading to potential damage to the lining of the gut which causes leaky gut. Selenium deficiency is also linked to a higher risk of bowel disease.
Vitamin D
Healthy levels of vitamin D have been proven to reduce the risk of colon cancer, a 2015 study in journal Gut found. This important vitamin aids muscle, nerve and immune system function and helps the body absorb calcium. Find zinc naturally in lean beef, lamb, oysters and liver.
Magnesium
A vital mineral for overall health, magnesium minimises inflammation in the gut.
Vitamin C
Because it’s an antioxidant, many people associate vitamin C with the immune system and preventing colds, but this essential vitamin also aids in digestion by supporting healthy teeth and gums and helping the body absorb iron, according to the NIH. Vitamin C is found in daily multivitamins and stand-alone supplements, but there are many excellent food sources, including:
Citrus fruits
Berries
Tomatoes
Peppers
Broccoli
Fortified cereal.
Vitamin D
There are three ways you can get vitamin D, the NIH explains:
Sun exposure
Vitamin D-rich foods, such as egg yolks, saltwater fish, liver, and fortified milk and cereal
Supplements
You may need a vitamin D supplement if you have an inflammatory bowel disease, such as Crohn’s disease, which is often associated with low vitamin D levels, according to a 2014 study in the World Journal of Gastroenterology. Other people who are at a greater risk for a vitamin D deficiency include:
Older adults
Breast-fed infants
People with dark skin
People with a liver disease or cystic fibrosis
Obese people or those who have undergone gastric bypass surgery
If you aren’t getting enough vitamin D from sunlight and food, talk to your doctor about a supplement. Keep in mind that you may already be taking a supplement that contains vitamin D. For example, many calcium supplements also contain vitamin D, according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is involved primarily in boosting vision, bone, and reproductive health, as well as helping the immune system, according to the NIH. Although vitamin A is not directly involved in digestion, some gastrointestinal diseases can leave you vulnerable to a vitamin A deficiency. The researchers noted that a lack of vitamin A can worsen the imbalance between the formation and destruction of free radicals in the intestinal mucus lining of people with Crohn’s.
Mary Elizabeth Dallas contributed to this report.