You are only as healthy as your gut. Poor gut health does not just mean poor digestion or abdominal distress. Of course, the gut provides nutrients and energy for the working of the whole body. However, now researchers realize that the gut has a broader say in health and well-being.
Just take an example of the role of gut health in immunity. The gut is lined with a massive number of immune cells. Most microbiota resides in the large intestine. The gut produces many bioactive compounds essential for gut health, like short-chained fatty acids (SCFA). SCFA are not just necessary for the working of immunity, but they also play an important role in various metabolic processes.[1]
Another good example of the broader role of gut health could be the gut-brain axis. The gut has the largest number of neurons outside the brain. The human gut produces numerous neurotransmitters, including most of the serotonin. More nerve fibers go from the gut to various parts of the brain than the other way. Thus, the gut-brain axis plays a vital role in mental and brain health.[2]
This means that ensuring digestion health, adequate digestion, and healthy gut bacteria are the key to maintaining optimal health.
What Vitamins & Minerals Are Good for Gut Health?
Of course, all nutrients are vital for maintaining optimal gut health, but some are more important. Below are some of the vitamins to consider for optimal gut health. One can get this vitamin separately or as a single multivitamin complex like Zenkgo Women’s Multivitamin supplement.
B Vitamins
Vitamin Bs are a group of water-soluble vitamins with numerous roles in health and disease. These vitamins are important for energy production, mood regulation, and nerve and brain health. However, researchers now realize that they are also essential for maintaining healthy gut microbiota. It appears that foods rich in vitamin B helps maintain gut microbiota, and gut microbiota can promote the absorption of these vitamins. Thus, the relationship between these vitamins and gut health is double-sided. Additionally, adequate intake of these vitamins is especially important for mood regulation.[3]
Vitamin D
This sunshine vitamin has hundreds of roles in good health. It is among the few vitamins that the human body can produce. However, its deficiency is widespread these days as humans do not spend sufficient time outside in direct sunlight. Even if people go outside, their bodies are covered.
Studies show that vitamin D helps maintain intestinal tight junction and thus prevents leaky gut syndrome. It also lowers gut inflammation. More importantly, it promotes the growth of healthy gut bacteria that play a vital role in immunity. Studies suggest that those with lower vitamin D intake also have altered gut microbiota.[4]
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is among the most potent antioxidants. It is especially good for energy production, boosting immunity, and collagen production. Vitamin C is also needed for DNA and RNA synthesis. It appears that if the diet is low in vitamin C, gut microflora also starts suffering. This is because gut microflora is dependent on dietary intake of vitamin C. For example, studies show that those with lower vitamin C intake also have a lower population of Bifidobacteria.[5]
Vitamin A
Though vitamin A is needed in small amounts, it is among the most potent carotenoids and antioxidants, with wide-ranging health effects. Vitamin A is especially good for reducing gut inflammation. It works in many ways, such as having direct anti-inflammatory action. Another way in which it helps is by boosting the population of beneficial gut microbiota, thus preventing the overgrowth of harmful gut bacteria.[6]
Iron
Iron is among the vital micronutrients, and it is needed particularly for hemoglobin production and DNA replication. Zenkgo Women’s Multivitamin supplement is a good iron source. Women are especially prone to iron deficiency due to monthly blood loss. Adequate iron intake is essential for maintaining healthy gut microbiota.[7]
The Bottom Line
In order to maintain optimal health, it is vital to realize that the gut is not merely a digestive organ. It plays a vital role in endocrinal health, immunity, mood, and brain health. Humans need vitamins to maintain optimal gut and overall health. However, they also need a consistent dietary supply of specific vitamins to feed gut microbiota, without which humans cannot survive.
Vitamins like C, D, A, and iron can have a direct influence on gut health and energy levels. However, dietary intake of these vitamins is also vital for maintaining a balanced gut microbiota and the production of certain gut peptides and neurohormones. Their deficiency causes inflammation and leaky gut syndrome. A balanced diet is the best source of various vitamins and micronutrients. However, intermittent supplantation with supplements like Zenkgo Women’s Multivitamin supplement may also help maintain optimal gut and overall health.
References
[1] Morrison DJ, Preston T. Formation of short chain fatty acids by the gut microbiota and their impact on human metabolism. Gut Microbes. 2016;7:189–200.
[2] Appleton J. The Gut-Brain Axis: Influence of Microbiota on Mood and Mental Health. Integr Med (Encinitas). 2018;17:28–32.
[3] Hossain KS, Amarasena S, Mayengbam S. B Vitamins and Their Roles in Gut Health. Microorganisms. 2022;10:1168.
[4] Singh P, Rawat A, Alwakeel M, et al. The potential role of vitamin D supplementation as a gut microbiota modifier in healthy individuals. Sci Rep. 2020;10:21641.
[5] Hazan S, Dave S, Papoutsis AJ, et al. Vitamin C improves gut Bifidobacteria in humans. Future Microbiol. 2022;
[6] Iyer N, Vaishnava S. Vitamin A at the interface of host–commensal–pathogen interactions. PLoS Pathog. 2019;15:e1007750.
[7] Rusu IG, Suharoschi R, Vodnar DC, et al. Iron Supplementation Influence on the Gut Microbiota and Probiotic Intake Effect in Iron Deficiency—A Literature-Based Review. Nutrients. 2020;12:1993.