For Foolproof Digestive Health, Keep Your Gut’s Fortress Strong

by VRP Staff

When it comes to maximizing GI health, certain rules are golden. Practically everyone knows to keep an eye on portion sizes and to avoid food that may cause imbalances within your gut—but while you probably work pretty hard to keep the bad stuff out of your gut, a lot less thought usually goes into keeping the good stuff in. And unfortunately, this is a mistake… because whether you’re dealing with a weak intestinal wall or an imbalance of friendly bacteria, the end result may be trouble, where both your digestive health and your immune system are concerned.

At its healthiest, your intestinal wall is a veritable fortress—always keeping the contents of your gut properly quarantined for maximum nutrient uptake and seamless, efficient digestion. But when the “tight junctions”—the spaces between the cells of your intestinal lining, which are normally sealed—become irritated by an unbalanced inflammatory response, they can start to loosen. As a result, larger molecules than usual are allowed to permeate your gut, triggering a domino effect of immune responses and cellular distress in reaction to the arrival of perceived foreign particles in your bloodstream.

Appropriately, this is known as “leaky gut”—and the consequences can range from abdominal discomfort, gas, bloating, occasional indigestion, diarrhea and constipation to brain fog, joint discomfort, nervousness and a noticeable dip in your mood, your energy and your immune health. This last point is especially important, because believe it or not, your GI tract—and more specifically, your gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT)—hosts a whopping 70 percent of your body’s immune cells.^1-2 GALT consists of lymphoid follicles called “Peyer’s patches,” which act as your intestines’ immune sensors—and which can also upset your gastrointestinal health if not functioning properly.

Ultimately, your GI tract needs ample nutrient support and a steady supply of good bacteria if it’s going to keep your digestion running smoothly and your immune system working at its peak. And the easiest way to ensure that you’re giving your gut the reinforcement it needs is to keep your bases covered with the right daily supplements.

For starters, stock up on a high-quality probiotic blend—such as VRP’s BioPRO™—to keep your body’s bacterial balance in check. Imbalances in your gut’s microbial population is a leading cause of occasional lower GI tract irritation—but research shows that probiotics can promote the colonization of friendly bacteria and support both digestive and overall health in situations where microbiota balance and intestinal wall strength are compromised.³

Select botanicals and nutrients can also help you to strengthen your intestinal wall and support normal gut permeability. Glutamine, for example, nourishes the cells that line your colon and is critical for maintaining intestinal structure—while deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL) has been shown to promote gastric and duodenal health.^4-7 Similarly, N-acetyl-glucosamine plays a vital role in the synthesis of protective intestinal mucosa, while marshmallow, berberine, cabbage, slippery elm, phosphatidylcholine and gamma oryzanol all contribute to optimal colon health.^5-17

You’ll find all of these natural compounds combined in the daily gut-strengthening formula GI Cell Support, available from Vitamin Research Products®.

References:

1. Jung C, Hugot JP, Barreau F. Peyer’s Patches: The Immune Sensors of the Intestine. Int J Inflam. 2010 September 19. Published Online.

2. Valdés-Ramos R, Martínez-Carrillo BE, Aranda-González II, Guadarrama AL, Pardo-Morales RV, Tlatempa P, Jarillo-Luna RA. Diet, exercise and gut mucosal immunity. Proc Nutr Soc. 2010 Nov;69(4):644-50.

3. Iannitti T, Palmieri B. Therapeutical use of probiotic formulations in clinical practice. Clin Nutr. 2010 Dec;29(6):701-25.

4. Sacks GS. Glutamine supplementation in catabolic patients. Ann Pharmacother. 1999;33:348-54.

5. Miller AL. Therapeutic considerations of L-glutamine: a review of the literature. Altern Med Rev. 1999;4:239-48.

6. van Marle J, Aarsen PN, Lind A, van Weeren-Kramer J. Deglycyrrhizinised liquorice (DGL) and the renewal of rat stomach epithelium. Eur J Pharmacol. 1981;72:219-25.

7. Tewari SN, Wilson AK. Deglycyrrhizinated liquorice in duodenal ulcer. Practitioner. 1973;210:820-3.

8. Burton AF, Anderson FH. Decreased incorporation of 14C-glucosamine relative to 3H-N-acetyl glucosamine in the intestinal mucosa of patients with inflammatory bowel disease. Am J Gastroenterol. 1983;78:19-22.

9. Newall CA, Anderson LA, Philpson JD. Herbal Medicine: A Guide for Healthcare Professionals. London, UK: The Pharmaceutical Press, 1996.

10. Martindale W. Martindale the Extra Pharmacopoeia. Pharmaceutical Press, 1999.

11. Amin AH, Subbaiah TV, Abbasi KM. Berberine sulfate: antimicrobial activity, bioassay, and mode of action. Can J Microbiol. 1969;15:1067-76.

12. Sun D, Courtney HS, Beachey EH. Berberine sulfate blocks adherence of Streptococcus pyogenes to epithelial cells, fibronectin, and hexadecane. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 1988;32:1370-4.

13. van Poppel G, Verhoeven DT, Verhagen H, Goldbohm RA. Brassica vegetables and cancer prevention. Epidemiology and mechanisms. Adv Exp Med Biol. 1999;472:159-68.

14. The Review of Natural Products by Facts and Comparisons. St. Louis, MO: Wolters Kluwer Co., 1999.

15. Gruenwald J, Brendler T, Jaenicke C. PDR for Herbal Medicines. 1st ed. Montvale, NJ: Medical Economics Company, Inc., 1998.

16. Stremmel W, Ehehalt R, Autschbach F, Karner M. Phosphatidylcholine for steroid-refractory chronic ulcerative colitis: a randomized trial. Ann Intern Med. 2007 Nov 6;147(9):603-10.

17. Seetharamaiah GS, Chandrasekhara N. Effect of oryzanol on cholesterol absorption and biliary and fecal bile acids in rats. Indian J Med Res. 1990;92:471-5.