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How to Maintain a Healthy Gut Lining (Including a “Leaky Gut” Supplement)

By Ethan Boldt

December 18, 2024

Gut health is a popular topic these days, as most of us seek healthy digestion, healthy elimination and even healthy weight management (yes, gut health can be connected to your weight). But what about your gut lining?

Your gut lining isn’t often discussed when it comes to overall gut health but it plays a vital role. Having a healthy “intestinal barrier” is key for your digestion, immune system health, healthy levels of inflammation, proper nutrient absorption and even your mindset.

Learn more below about how to promote a healthy gut lining through the right foods and supplements.

What is the gut lining?

The gut is semi-permeable and designed to absorb both water and nutrients from food into our bloodstream. Its function is to be a barrier to anything beyond water and food nutrients, such as harmful substances. That is the job of a healthy gut lining and why it’s important to maintain it. This barrier is a key element in your healthy immune system function as well.

A healthy gut lining also functions to keep out potential toxins, food particles and bad bacteria that may attempt to get through or “leak” into the mucous lining in the intestines However, your healthy gut lining keeps them where they should be so that healthy inflammation levels and more are maintained.

Benefits of a healthy gut lining

Your gut contains a large range of bacteria called gut microbiota. Having a healthy gut microbiome means that you’re able to maintain a healthy intestinal barrier, as well as a healthy ratio of “good guy” to “bad guy” gut flora or beneficial bacteria types. It also aids digestion and supports healthy immune system function.

A healthy gut lining occurs when the cells that make up the lining of your intestinal wall are bound tightly together, making up what’s called “tight junctions.”

Those tight junctions can be affected in part by a number of factors, including:

• Diet (which is why you want to consume a diet high in fiber and low in sugar and ultra-processed foods)

• Smoking

• Alcohol use

• Frequent use of certain medications

• Genetics

• Stress

• Sleep quality

It’s important to maintain balanced gut microbiota, which can positively impact overall gut health — including supporting a healthy gut lining and its integrity. Healthy, balanced gut microbiota even plays a positive role in the body’s immune response and contributes to a healthy response to inflammation.

Supplements for a healthy gut lining

There are several types of healthy gut lining-supporting supplements that can make a big impact in terms of supporting overall gastrointestinal health.

As always, you should consult your healthcare professional prior to beginning any new dietary or lifestyle regimen, including dietary supplements.

1. “Leaky Gut” supplement formulation

Ancient Nutrition’s Leaky Gut capsules are formulated with a powerful blend of botanicals as well as adaptogenic mushrooms and 2 billion CFUs* (*at the time of manufacture) of probiotics. They promote a healthy gut lining and gut integrity, support healthy gut function and healthy gut microflora, plus reduce occasional constipation, gas and bloating.

This multifaceted formula features the key ingredients licorice root, astragalus, marshmallow, lion’s mane mushroom and L-glutamine. Marshmallow root acts as an antioxidant and can help to generally soothe the lining of the gut while supporting overall gastrointestinal health.

L-glutamine is the most abundant free amino acid in the body and supports gut integrity and a healthy gut lining.

Licorice root is considered an adaptogenic herb that supports normal absorption of nutrients. It contains the active compound called glycyrrhizin that is generally known to help support the health of the mucosal lining of the gut, which assists in a healthy response to inflammation.

For the best results, try taking Leaky Gut capsules on an empty stomach, either first thing in the morning or right before bed, at the same time each day. Please refer to the label directions for suggested use.

(You may also be interested in Ancient Nutrition’s Leaky Gut Bundle, which includes Leaky Gut capsules, SBO Probiotics Gut Restore capsules and Digestive Enzymes capsules.)

2. Soil-based organism probiotics

A healthy gut is sometimes said to boil down to the ratio of “bad guy bacteria” vs. “good guy bacteria” populating your gastrointestinal system. Having higher levels of certain probiotic strains in the gut is associated with a range of health benefits, including support for healthy immune system function, nutrient absorption, healthy elimination and digestive health.

To get the most benefits from probiotics, you want to consume a supplement that contains “hardy” and survivable microbial strains: soil-based organism (SBO) probiotics. They’re known to be resilient and to survive the journey from your mouth, through your stomach, gallbladder and liver, making it to your lower GI tract to work their benefits.

Ancient Nutrition offers several types of SBO Probiotics based on individual goals, including SBO Probiotics Gut Restore (provides 25 billion CFUs per serving at time of manufacture) and SBO Probiotics Ultimate (provides 50 billion CFUs per serving at time of manufacture). There are also SBO probiotics formulated for women and men.

SBO Probiotics Trinity are a new entry to this category. They contain a proprietary, clinically studied blend of postbiotics and parabiotics to bring you our most well-rounded probiotic yet. What are parabiotics? They contain inactivated unused parts of probiotics. Some studies show that parabiotics can create a favorable environment for good bacteria to grow. They’re believed to help nourish and positively influence the microbiome.

If you're new to the probiotic supplement category, consider starting with Ancient Nutrition's SBO Probiotics Once Dailies, as you only need to remember to take one capsule per day.

When is the best time to take probiotics? Take SBO probiotics capsules on an empty stomach, either when you first wake up or right before bed. Consult the label for more specific directions. Likewise, please consult your healthcare professional prior to beginning any new dietary or lifestyle regimen, including supplementation.

3. Digestive enzymes

Digestive enzymes’ benefits include helping to break down proteins, complex sugars and starches in our diets, which can in turn support normal digestion and nutrient absorption.

Ancient Nutrition's Digestive Enzymes supplement is expertly formulated with fermented mushrooms, botanicals, enzymes and probiotics to help you get the most out of the nutrients you’re eating.

For the greatest digestive benefit, take one or two capsules of digestive enzyme supplements before and after your main meals.

4. Collagen protein

Collagen is the main type of protein in the body that gives connective tissues, including those that form the gut lining, their health and strength. It's why collagen for gut health can be so effective.

Using a collagen powder supplement each day is a convenient and effective way to help give your body the building blocks, in the form of amino acids, that it needs to make its own collagen.

Ancient Nutrition’s Multi Collagen Protein powder features 10 types of collagen from four real food sources, plus it contains no fillers, sugar, artificial flavors or artificial preservatives, ensuring you get the highest quality collagen available. Multi Collagen Protein specifically features hydrolyzed collagen, meaning the protein molecules are broken into smaller molecules, making them easier for your body to digest, absorb and use.

Aim to consume between 1–3 servings daily, or about 10 to 30 grams of collagen protein. (Note: Please read and follow label directions for use.)

In addition to providing you with collagen protein, Ancient Nutrition’s Multi Collagen Protein Gut Restore Powder formula provides you with 2 billion CFUs of soil-based organism (SBO) probiotics, powerful prebiotics and two kinds of glutamine for overall gut support.

One serving contains 9 grams of protein from 10 types of collagen, all derived from sustainable sources, along with botanicals like ginger root, licorice root and peppermint leaf extract which have general digestive-soothing effects.

Together, collagen plus probiotics, glutamine and botanicals help promote healthy gut microflora, support integrity of the gut lining, reduce occasional bloating, and more, such as supporting healthy joints and skin. Try mixing one heaping scoop, which has a light lemon/ginger flavor, with 8 ounces of water, juice, tea or your favorite smoothie.

Otherwise, the Multi Collagen Protein Gut Restore Capsules use traditionally gut-supporting ingredients to support gut microflora, gut lining and gut integrity. They include 5 billion CFUs Bacillus coagulans and Bacillus subtilis.

Adults take 3 capsules daily with 8 ounces of water.

Best foods for a healthy gut lining

To help keep your GI system on track, focus on eating these gut health foods that are nourishing plus high in fiber, essential vitamins and minerals, antioxidants and probiotics.

Probiotic/fermented foods are especially beneficial for supporting your gut with healthy microbes. And high-fiber foods in your diet (especially prebiotic foods) will help probiotics to thrive. An average person can aim for 35 to 40 grams of fiber per day, although you should consult your healthcare professional first.

Here are some of the best foods to focus on when addressing your gut lining health:

• Bone broth, which contains collagen and the amino acids proline and glycine that can help support the integrity of the gut lining

• Sprouted chia seeds, flax seeds and hemp seeds

• Steamed vegetables and fruit

• Cultured dairy products, such as pastured kefir, yogurt and goat cheese

• Fermented foods like sauerkraut, kimchi and kvass

• Coconut products such as coconut oil, coconut milk and coconut kefir

• Healthy fats including egg yolks, avocados, ghee and olive oil

• High-quality protein foods that contain healthy omega-3 fats, such as grass-fed beef, lamb and wild-caught fish like salmon

• Teas including green, black, ginger and echinacea tea