9 Best Leaky Gut Supplements
Medically reviewed by our experts
9 min read
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Even if you don’t know it, you probably have a leaky gut. Don’t worry, leaky gut supplements can help get your digestive system back on track.
What is a leaky gut and why do you need gut healing supplements? A leaky gut is caused when undigestible proteins or other toxins in food pass through your intestines and into your bloodstream.
Imagine that there are minuscule holes in your intestines through which microbes, gluten, and other harmful particles get through and contaminate your blood. This causes inflammation, which almost everyone suffers from (whether they know it or not).
What causes a leaky gut? Plenty. Most people in today’s world suffer from:
- Overactive immune systems
- Imbalance of gut flora
- Infections (and overuse of antibiotics, which destroy gut flora)
- Gluten
- Dairy
- Processed foods
- Chemical toxin exposure
- Environmental toxins
- Stress
Some people have experienced leaky guts their entire lives because foods and proteins were introduced into their systems as infants before their guts could completely close. A baby’s gut is “open” until they’re about six months old, and if they consume anything besides breast milk, it can begin creating leaky gut symptoms and systemic inflammation.
Why would someone want a gut repair supplement? Well, these can help heal your system and relieve you of:
- Hypothyroidism;
- Depression and anxiety;
- Adrenal fatigue;
- Nutrient malabsorption.
These things take time to recover from, and sometimes leaky gut products are only part of the solution. However, the best supplements for healing leaky gut are a great start toward being free of some of the symptoms of a leaky gut.
Best Leaky Gut Supplements
Most of these leaky gut supplements might make you take a second glance—aren’t they just capsules with compounds from regular foods? In many cases, yes.
However, we all lead busy, hectic lives and it’s difficult to get balanced nutrition just from what our modern grocery stores provide. Not only that, but the soil in our world is depleted, meaning that fruits and vegetables that used to contain wonderful amounts of nutrition don’t have as much to offer.
You can use supplements for gut health and digestion to help get the nutrition you need. Plus, some leaky gut supplements on this list are combined in extra effective ways or have compounds that you can’t easily find in modern foods.
1. Probiotics
A healthy gut depends on probiotics. Not all probiotics are created equal, though, and only some are beneficial for immune function. Check your particular supplement to make sure it will help as part of a leaky gut supplements routine.
A beneficial probiotic supplement to help heal leaky gut should have a minimum of 50 billion CFUs and multiple bacterial strains. Usually, about two to four capsules a day are sufficient to help relieve the symptoms of a leaky gut.
2. Fiber
Fiber, fiber, fiber. Do you ever stop hearing about fiber? Fiber is present in most fruits and vegetables; it’s also sometimes termed “roughage.” You can imagine these foods as settling more “roughly” in your intestines, which is a good thing! When you have roughage in your intestines, it presses against the walls of your system, which activates the muscles to push food through so that it doesn’t get stuck.
Fiber is important for more than keeping your bowel movements healthy, though. Probiotics (what we just said were so important) need fiber to survive! That’s right. More fiber equals healthier probiotic gut flora.
Add chia seeds, sprouted flaxseeds, and sprouted hemp seeds to a diet that’s also full of fresh fruits and veggies.
People with severe leaky gut are often sensitive to fiber intake, however. If this is the case, fiber is best consumed through steamed veggies while beginning the healing process. Otherwise, about 30-40 grams of fiber from fresh food or a leaky gut supplement is beneficial.
You should also consider PureHealth Research’s Gut Support Formula.
Dr. Holly Lucille, ND, is one of the brains behind PureHealth Research, the company that makes Gut Support Formula. This product only contains one gram of fiber, which makes it a great choice for those who already get enough fiber or who are sensitive to it.
Of course, Leaky Gut Revitalize is free of gluten and dairy. It’s also soy-free, vegan, and non-GMO. It’s easy to take if you don’t like pills, either, since you only add a small scoop of powder to a glass of water. This supplement hasn’t shown any negative side effects in all trials; however, you should always check with your doctor before starting any addition to your routine.
With one scoop, get the benefits of:
- L-glutamine
- Licorice root
- Marshmallow root
- Cat’s claw extract
- Chamomile
- Okra
- Prune
- Quercetin
- MSM
- Glucosamine HCL
- Zinc-L-carnosine
- Slippery elm
This leaky gut supplement helps activate the protective immunity barrier that prevents toxins from getting into your bloodstream. The entire lining of your gut has cells that are made to form in tight junctions, but our modern lives break this up! Leaky Gut Revitalize helps tighten them back up.
3. Digestive Enzymes
Taking digestive enzymes after heating helps your gut break down proteins, sugars, and starches. When these are left to their own devices, they can add to inflammation.
Look for one that contains amylase, lactase, lipase, and protease. These will help take care of starch, dairy, fat, and gluten proteins, respectively. If you know that one of these types of foods gives you extra trouble, you can look for a leaky gut supplement with higher amounts of that enzyme, or just take that one specifically.
4. Licorice Root
Licorice root is an adaptogenic herb that helps the body absorb and metabolize cortisol—the stress hormone. If you suffer from adrenal fatigue and a highly stressful life, licorice root is the gut-healing supplement for you! Since overloads of cortisol lead to a leaky gut, licorice root helps keep this at bay. If your stress is highly emotional, licorice root is even more beneficial.
High amounts of the compound glycyrrhizin (found in licorice root) have been shown to cause hypertension and edema; however, about 6-18 grams is enough to reduce the effects of leaky gut without causing other side effects.
5. Marshmallow Root
This compound is an antioxidant and a natural antihistamine. It supports overall gastrointestinal health and keeps stomach ulcers from forming, which would make a leaky gut even worse.
6. Collagen Powder
Why is bone broth such a beneficial food? Because it contains hefty amounts of collagen from animal bones! Collagen strengthens the mucosal linings of your digestive system. It also contains glycine and proline, which help repair already damaged intestines.
To get maximum benefits, about two tablespoons of collagen twice a day or 8-16 ounces of bone broth is recommended.
7. Reishi Mushrooms
Reishi mushrooms are also adaptogenic (like licorice root), meaning they help balance your immune system. Reishi mushrooms help process toxins out of your body, and they also protect your healthy cells from becoming mutated, which can cause cancer. If some of your cells are already mutating, reishi mushrooms help kill those cells.
8. Lion’s Mane Mushrooms
These mushrooms are highly anti-inflammatory. So, not only do they help reduce the negative side effects of systemic inflammation caused by a leaky gut, but they also help improve your digestive system as a whole.
Lion’s mane mushrooms have been shown to reduce the size of gastric ulcers and improve the symptoms of several digestive disorders.
9. L-Glutamine
L-glutamine is an anti-inflammatory compound, which is why it goes on our list of best leaky gut supplements. It fuels the cells that line your intestines, helping strengthen that gut-bloodstream barrier.
People under a great deal of stress (most of us, if we’re being honest) also have lower levels of L-glutamine, which means you’re more susceptible to leaky gut and its symptoms.
Key Takeaways
- Leaky gut is caused by modern foods, such as gluten and dairy, other environmental toxins, and stress.
- When these compounds get into your bloodstream, they cause inflammation.
- If you suffer from any of the symptoms of system-wide inflammation, leaky gut supplements can help give you relief and heal a leaky gut.
- It’s easiest to get relief from a gut repair supplement as opposed to regular food because these compounds are hard to come by or better absorbed in a supplement.
Best Leaky Gut Supplements: Final Thoughts
This list gives you some of the best approaches for healing leaky gut. You don’t have to add all of them to your daily routine, but the more the better. You could even add one leaky gut combination supplement with many compounds in one to pack a strong punch.
Write down your symptoms of systemic inflammation and how often they occur, or how bad they are on a scale of 1-10. After adding these to your routine, go back and re-rate after a month, six months, and a year, so you can see how much the best leaky gut supplements have helped you.
A leaky gut occurs when undigested proteins or toxins pass through the intestines into the bloodstream, causing inflammation. Common causes include poor diet, stress, overuse of antibiotics, gluten, dairy, processed foods, and environmental toxins.
Symptoms of a leaky gut include hypothyroidism, depression, adrenal fatigue, nutrient malabsorption, and digestive issues. These symptoms highlight the need for gut repair supplements to support overall health and reduce inflammation.
Key supplements for healing a leaky gut include probiotics, fiber, digestive enzymes, licorice root, marshmallow root, collagen powder, reishi mushrooms, lion’s mane mushrooms, and L-glutamine. These help strengthen the gut lining, reduce inflammation, and improve digestive health.
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