3 Supplements You Would Not Expect to Help Your Digestion
How sunlight’s gifts could help you poop.
As we begin the new year, many people will be taking part in so-called ‘detox programs’ or ‘gut cleanses.’ You’ll be marketed on taking everything from probiotics, bone broth protein, herbal antimicrobials, and herbs to heal the gut lining. But what if I told you there are supplements out there that, unassumingly, support digestion. They likely aren’t marketed for gut health, but as we will discuss, they show various beneficial properties that can support the gut. Some of them you may already be taking, others, you may not have even heard of.
1. Alpha-GPC
Alpha-GPC (glycerylphosphorylcholine) is a form of choline, which can be found in high amounts in egg yolks. Alpha-GPC assists with nitric oxide production, a molecule that allows arteries to open up (vasodilate) and increase blood flow. Blood flow changes have been implicated in leaky gut, as a temporary loss of blood flow to the cells that line the gut can induce ‘leaky gut.’ This can occur from intense exercise, caffeine, or other ‘stressful’ situations (Karhu et al, 2017). How could Alpha-GPC help? Theoretically, it could help accelerate the return of blood flow to the gut, particularly with intense exercise. Faster blood flow to the gut means more energy available for the cells that line the gut (enterocytes), and therefore greater ability to digest and absorb food. Better digestive function means less bloating, diarrhea, gas, and abdominal pain, not to mention potential benefits in exercise performance.
Alpha-GPC has been shown, in rat models of intestinal ischemia-reperfusion, to reduce the amount of time it takes for blood flow to be restored to the gut (Tőkés et al, 2015). It also showed decreased inflammatory markers within the GI tract. Now what in the world does ischemia-reperfusion mean? Ischemia refers to blood flow being shut off to a particular area, the gut in this instance. Reperfusion refers to the redistribution of blood flow to an area. What these researchers did was physically clamp down the arteries supplying blood to the gut, then ‘opened the arteries back up’ and measured how quickly blood flow returned. Blood flow returned quicker in the group receiving Alpha-GPC.
If we know that Alpha-GPC helps with blood flow, and more blood flow equals better digestive function, this could mean improved exercise performance. Do we know anything about Alpha-GPC and exercise performance directly? Some evidence suggests enhancements in lower body strength (Bellar et al, 2015), while others suggest no effect on power or reaction time (Marcus et al, 2017).
2. Omega-3s
Often touted for their anti-inflammatory benefits, in the digestive world, Omega-3s have shown benefit for those with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). Calprotectin, a marker of inflammation in IBD, was decreased after 1g/day of EPA for 6 months. Another study showed 90 days of 2g/day EPA decreased inflammatory markers, increased anti-inflammatory markers, and altered the gut microbiome in those with Ulcerative Colitis (a subset of IBD) (Marton et al, 2019). Word of caution here, the data did not mention anything about changes in clinical symptoms. Changes in individual biomarkers can be cool to know, but if the patients don’t report feeling any better, it may be to no avail.
There is a large body of evidence that states that our gut bacteria change as a result of Omega-3 consumption (Costantini et al, 2017). That includes supplements in capsular and liquid form, as well as Omega-3s present in sardines. Omega-3s from sardines were shown to alter the gut microbiome in those with Metabolic Syndrome. After including sardines in their diet, those with metabolic syndrome demonstrated a gut microbiome that was similar with lean people. Another word of caution, as people get healthy, their gut bacteria likely changes; Omega-3s have shown numerous health benefits. To say the reason they got healthy was because the Omega-3s changed their gut bacteria is a bit of a stretch, but rather the change in gut bugs is reflective of overall improvements in health. What’s healthy for you will be healthy for your microbiome.
Fish can be a great source of Omega-3s, particularly DHA and EPA. ALA is the form found in plant foods, but know that ALA must be converted to EPA/DHA, and that this conversion rate can be fairly low. My favorite sources of fish are salmon and sardines, just don’t open the sardines around your significant other.
3. Vitamin D
You’ve heard it forever now: “Get out in the sunlight so you can get your Vitamin D!” It seems to be the darling supplement of this century, and with good reason. It has very powerful anti-inflammatory, bone-building, and immune-enhancing properties. But what about its impact on digestive function? Could getting sunlight help me poop better?
Vitamin D has shown to be beneficial for those with IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome). People reported improvement in digestive symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating, gas, and belly rumbling (hearing strange noises from your stomach) [Abbasnezhad et al, 2016]. This study utilized what’s called a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study, the so-called ‘gold standard’ for assessing the impact of supplements. Blood levels of Vitamin D have been shown to be lower in those with IBS compared to a healthy population (Abbasnezhad et al, 2019). The lower one’s Vitamin D status was, the more severe their symptoms of abdominal pain, bloating, and gas.
Vitamin D also has implications for more severe digestive conditions, such as IBD (Inflammatory Bowel Disease) and colorectal cancer. Both conditions appear to increase in incidence and prevalence the further you get from the equator (Raman et al, 2011). Sunlight exposure necessary to produce Vitamin D is also harder to obtain as you head further from the equator. Disease severity of IBD can be affected by blood levels of Vitamin D. Lower blood levels have been associated with higher disease severity in Crohn’s Disease (the other subtype of IBD). This isn’t saying there is a direct relationship between Vitamin D and IBD/colorectal cancer, but it seems to play a factor.
There seems to be properties of sunlight, outside of just Vitamin D, that are beneficial for overall health (nitric oxide creation, remember Alpha-GPC). Anything beneficial for overall health is likely to be beneficial for digestive health, and vice versa. Whether that includes increasing blood flow (Alpha-GPC), reducing overall inflammation (Omega-3s), or regulating the immune system (Vitamin D), just because a supplement isn’t advertised as helping digestion, doesn’t mean it can’t.
If you have any questions, comments, or concerns on anything we discussed, feel free to email me at nicholas.belden16@gmail.com. You can also reach out to me on Twitter, or Instagram, or you could always pose a question in the comment section of this article.
As always, Trust in Your Gut.
Disclaimer: The contents of this article are for educational purposes only, and are not intended to diagnose or treat any condition. Do not apply any of the information in this article without first speaking with your doctor.
References
Abbasnezhad A, Amani R, Hasanvand A, et al. Association of Serum Vitamin D Concentration With Clinical Symptoms and Quality of Life in Patients With Irritable Bowel Syndrome. J Am Coll Nutr. 2019;38(4):327–333. doi:10.1080/07315724.2018.1510349
Abbasnezhad A, Amani R, Hajiani E, Alavinejad P, Cheraghian B, Ghadiri A. Effect of vitamin D on gastrointestinal symptoms and health-related quality of life in irritable bowel syndrome patients: a randomized double-blind clinical trial. Neurogastroenterol Motil. 2016;28(10):1533–1544. doi:10.1111/nmo.12851
Bellar D, LeBlanc NR, Campbell B. The effect of 6 days of alpha glycerylphosphorylcholine on isometric strength. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2015;12:42. Published 2015 Nov 17. doi:10.1186/s12970–015–0103-x
Costantini, L.; Molinari, R.; Farinon, B.; Merendino, N. Impact of Omega-3 Fatty Acids on the Gut Microbiota. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2017, 18, 2645.
Karhu, E., Forsgård, R.A., Alanko, L. et al. Exercise and gastrointestinal symptoms: running-induced changes in intestinal permeability and markers of gastrointestinal function in asymptomatic and symptomatic runners. Eur J Appl Physiol.2017;117, 2519 — 2526. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-017-3739-1
Marcus L, Soileau J, Judge LW, Bellar D. Evaluation of the effects of two doses of alpha glycerylphosphorylcholine on physical and psychomotor performance. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2017;14:39. Published 2017 Oct 5. doi:10.1186/s12970–017–0196–5
Marton, L.T.; Goulart, R.A.; Carvalho, A.C.A.; Barbalho, S.M. Omega Fatty Acids and Inflammatory Bowel Diseases: An Overview. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2019, 20, 4851. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms20194851
Raman M, Milestone AN, Walters JR, Hart AL, Ghosh S. Vitamin D and gastrointestinal diseases: inflammatory bowel disease and colorectal cancer. Therap Adv Gastroenterol. 2011;4(1):49–62. doi:10.1177/1756283X10377820
Tőkés T, Tuboly E, Varga G, et al. Protective effects of L-alpha-glycerylphosphorylcholine on ischaemia-reperfusion-induced inflammatory reactions. Eur J Nutr. 2015;54(1):109–118. doi:10.1007/s00394–014–0691–2
