By Paul Bubny

Speaking in astronomical terms, the sun may be the center of the universe, but in health terms, the intestinal/digestive tract is the hub—and it’s a frequently unsettled hub. It follows that supplement manufacturers have given this aspect of health a great deal of attention.

“The general consensus among health professionals is that most, if not all, major diseases start in the colon,” said Janice Van Tine, director of communications at Sun Chlorella USA (Torrance, CA). “Let’s face it—bowel health isn’t really something anyone loves to talk about, but it’s true nonetheless: In terms of your overall wellness, intestinal and digestive health is extremely important. This is not surprising when you consider that our foods are laced with preservatives, artificial ingredients, hormones, and other chemical additives. Refined, processed, lower fiber foods; animal fats; a lack of exercise; and an ever-increasing level of stress all contribute to our current gastrointestinal health crisis.”

Comparing a number of digestive health studies conducted in various parts of the world, Dallas Clouatre, Ph.D., consultant for Jarrow Formulas (Los Angeles), concluded, “It would seem that there is some truth to the perception that the incidence of acid-reflux symptoms has increased since the 1970s and that the rate of incidence in the U.S. is considerably higher than in Europe, higher in Northern Europe than in Mediterranean Europe, and generally higher in Europe than in Japan.”

Andrew Turner, public relations coordinator for Enzymes, Inc. (Parkville, MO), took up the theme, charting the widespread consequences of America’s dodgy stomachs. “Digestive problems which include indigestion, heartburn, and constipation are affecting more and more people in America today,” said Turner. “According to some sources, as many as 70 million people suffer from some type of digestive disorder. A Gallup survey found that 44 percent of adults suffer from heartburn at least once a month, while 7 percent have it every day.

“Digestive problems result in more time lost from work, school, and leisure activities than any other health problems,” he continued. “The number one category of over-the-counter medications is for digestive complaints, and billions of dollars are spent every year on products to help with indigestion alone. Yet do you know of anyone who has been permanently cured by taking an antacid, acid-blocker, or laxative? These medications may give temporary relief from the symptoms, but they do absolutely nothing to address the underlying cause. The problem keeps coming back and often it’s worse than it was originally because the medication has altered the natural chemistry of the gastrointestinal tract for prolonged periods of time.”

Cheryl Myers, director of health sciences for Enzymatic Therapy (Enzy, based in Green Bay, WI), likened the slowing of digestion resulting from reduced enzyme levels to “a traffic jam on the food highway. Food moves from the stomach (where acid begins protein digestion) to the duodenum and small intestine (where pancreatic enzymes are released to break the food down to small enough parts for the body to absorb). If food is not fully digested, it is difficult to move on, and more food remains in the stomach.”

This disruption in transit time, she continued, “delays stomach emptying; the food stays in the stomach, making it fuller and fuller. The stomach uses mechanical activity to break down the food, churning it about, and there is increased acid splashing and pressure at the base of the esophagus. If one merges that scenario with a weakened or stretched ‘doorway’ between the stomach and esophagus, acid reflux occurs.”

Bothersome as it is, acid reflux is not the end of it, Turner pointed out. “Many health conditions that seem to have no connection to digestion are, in fact, associated with poor digestion,” he said. “These include chronic fatigue, insomnia, female hormone imbalances, blood sugar fluctuations, high triglycerides and cholesterol, muscle and joint pain, chronic sinus/respiratory problems, and frequent colds and flu, as well as other immunity problems and weight management issues.”

Poor digestion can “affect the [body’s] ability to extract nutrients from food as well the nutrient value found in processed foods,” said Joe Prickitt, M.S., R.D., public relations specialist with Source Naturals and Planetary Formulas (Watsonville, CA). “This can lead to organ dysfunction and imbalances in the body that can lead to the onset of chronic diseases, as well as leaving the body in an inflamed state.”

Floral Balance

The presence of microflora, or lack thereof, can be a major factor. “New research demonstrates that intestinal health, specifically the health and well-being of the gut flora, directly affects immune system health,” said Dr. Angelica Vrablic, manager of nutrition research for American Health (Ronkonkoma, NY). “The gut hosts about 400 different kinds of bacteria and yeasts, among these Lactobacillus acidophilus, the ‘friendly’ kind, which is especially important to health. If gut flora balance is compromised, such as following a treatment of antibiotics (which destroys healthy flora), the intestinal tract is vulnerable; and, since gut flora interacts with the immune system as well, keeping the ‘good’ or ‘beneficial’ flora levels balanced contributes to maintaining a healthy immune system.”

In an article for The Doctors’ Prescription for Healthy Living, S.K. Dash, Ph.D., founder and CEO of UAS Laboratories (Eden Prairie, MN) and author of the recent A Consumer’s Guide to Probiotics, wrote, “Unfortunately, great numbers of people today no longer have optimally balanced ratios of beneficial to pathogenic bacteria in their bodies, thus allowing the ‘bad guys’ to gain the upper hand. This is very dangerous and one of the reasons that digestive illnesses, as well as other types of illnesses, are becoming so prevalent.”

Dash cited a number of causes for this imbalance, ranging from processed foods to overprescription of antibiotics and chlorination in water. “When the body’s bacterial populations are upset, many kinds of illness can result,” he added. “So for daily maintenance and in times of illness, it just makes sense to use a quality probiotic formula.” UAS Labs produces a number of probiotic formulas, including ProBio Plus DDS, described as “an aid in maintaining normal intestinal flora with beneficial Lactobacillus acidophilus (DDS-1 strain), Bifidobacterium longum, Bifidobacterium bifidum, [and] Bifidobacterium infantis under conditions of digestive disorders and following antibiotic therapy.”

For its part, Enzymes, Inc. offers the WellZymes line of digestive enzyme supplements, which Turner said were “specifically developed to promote gastrointestinal health.” Formulated by doctors “with decades of experience using enzyme supplementation in their practices,” the products provide “high-potency, broad-spectrum, vegetarian enzymes to assist in the complete digestion of all food groups,” he said. Along with WellZymes Digestive Health for “general health maintenance,” the WellZymes line also includes “enzyme supplements specifically targeting protein/fat and carbohydrate digestion plus great-tasting chewable enzyme tablets for children, seniors, or anyone who has trouble swallowing capsules,” said Turner.

Among the benefits attributed to Sun Chlorella’s chlorella supplements are “bowel purification and bowel health,” said Michael E. Rosenbaum, M.D., health and scientific advisor at Sun Chlorella USA. “Sun Chlorella is beneficial for [the] bowels because it is fiber-rich, helping to speed up the elimination process, rid the intestines of impurities, and increase the amount of beneficial bacteria in the digestive tract.

“The cell wall material included in natural Sun Chlorella products has a highly important effect in the intestines: It has the capability of improving bowel function, it stimulates the growth of aerobic, friendly bacteria, and the cell walls act to absorb poisons within the intestine and promote normal peristalsis,” he continued. “The intestinal tract, especially the small intestine, is lined with patches of lymphocytes, which are stimulated by the abundance of chlorophyll in chlorella, to help destroy foreign invaders such as anaerobic bacteria.”

Rosenbaum added, “By stimulating the growth of beneficial bacteria, Sun Chlorella promotes bowel health. Besides helping to prevent constipation, these bacteria fight off infections, purify by removing harmful elements and potentially poisonous substances in our food, and even manufacture some of the vitamin B-12 our bodies need.”

“Multi-Pronged”

Other companies, such as American Health, take what Vrablic called “a multi-pronged approach” to digestive and intestinal health. “First, the company offers several high-quality enzyme supplements, including a great selection of papaya formulas, which help improve protein digestion and food absorption,” she said, adding that the formulas are suitable “when trying to calm heartburn, gas, and occasional gastrointestinal discomforts associated with heavy meals or weak digestion. Other products for digestive health include Gestazyme to help with protein, fat, and starch digestion, and Bromelain, a natural digestive enzyme derived from the stems of fresh pineapple plants.

“To support intestinal flora, American Health offers a full line of yogurt-like flavored acidophilus liquid products (milk-based and soy-based), natural fruit flavor chewables, convenient capsule, and powder forms,” she added.

Before turning to supplementation, Prickitt said, “One must first review one’s current diet and add fresh foods with enzymes.” Once that course of action is taken, he said, “Products such as Essential Enzymes, Digest Active, and Life Flora are available from Source Naturals, and Digestive Comfort and Digestive Grape Bitters are available from Planetary Formulas.”

In the long term, Myers said, “Most important is to establish a functional and healthy digestive system. The best way to do this is a two-step approach with gentle, safe cleansing and probiotics.” Enzy offers products intended for just such a two-step approach: Whole Body Cleanse, intended to provide “safe, gentle and effective cleansing of the intestines, liver, lymph, and blood;” and Acidophilus Pearls, which Myers said uses “a breakthrough pearl technology that delivers live active cultures to the lower intestine where they can grow and proliferate.” For symptom relief, the company makes available Heartburn Free and Mega-Zyme Meal Time.

At the Eclectic Institute (Sandy, OR), director of education Glen Nagel, N.D., offered, “The product Larix is a complex aribinogalactan from the Western larch tree. It is a good source of soluble fiber and it can promote the growth of the good bacteria in the gut, it can also stimulate the immune system, and it is very safe.

“Many of the herbs can be very supportive of digestive health,” Nagel continued. “Bitter herbs have long been used historically to help stimulate a sluggish appetite and help poor digestion. Herbs like gentian root and artichoke leaf have a bitter taste. These herbs are found along with the well-known carminative ginger and angelica root in Eclectic’s Digestive Support formula. This would be a good formula for someone who has a lot of bloating and gas after meals as well as helping with poor digestion.”

Two other popular Eclectic Institute products that could help support digestive health, Nagel said, are Neutralizing Cordial, “which is a peppermint-flavored formula that was made by the Lloyd Brothers Pharmacy at the turn of the century,” and Babies Tum-Ease, a formula for children which he described as “glycerin-based, with the essential oils of dill, fennel, and ginger combined with sodium bicarbonate. Use five to 10 drops for infant colic.”

Commmented Brenda Watson, N.D., president of Renew Life Formulas, Inc. (Clearwater, FL), “Many of Renew Life’s products complement each other. We not only need digestive enzymes to digest food, we also need fiber to transport the waste by-products of the food digestion through the digestive tract and promote healthy elimination. We need probiotics, which also help to further digest our food and in healthy elimination.

“Sometimes, it is not just ONE thing you need to support intestinal health, but rather a combination of several things,” Watson added.

Jarrow’s Clouatre noted that solutions for intestinal/digestive complaints often are “relatively simple. Ginger tea taken with or after meals helps to tighten the sphincter of the esophagus and thus prevent heartburn/reflux as well as more generally improve digestion. Probiotic supplements have been shown to reduce susceptibility to certain food-borne pathogens, such as traveler’s diarrhea, and to improve intestinal functions, reduce gas and bloating, etc.

“Diets higher in fiber are associated with less gallbladder disease and colorectal cancer,” he continued. “Some digestive ailments, such as gastritis and dysbiosis, are strongly linked to the use of medications, corticosteroids and antibiotics. Jarro-Zymes Plus supplies pancreatic enzymes with a composition similar to that of human pancreatic enzymes and are superior to vegetable enzymes. It provides a complex of natural enzymes, including protease, amylase, lipase, trypsin, chymotrypsin, esterase, peptidase, nuclease, elastase, and collagenase. Alpha galactosidase is included to facilitate the digestion of beans and other legumes. Related is Bile Acid Factors, which enhances digestion and absorption of fats and fat soluble nutrients.”

Clouatre also cited Jarro-Dophilus EPS for general gastrointestinal health, an artichoke extract intended to improve liver and digestive function, Mastic Gum 500 to address gastric ulcers and Heliobacter pylori, and PepZinGI, which he said “enhances stomach lining integrity by stimulating the production of mesenchymal IGF-1 and by suppressing gastric epithelial NF-kB and IL-8 expression.”

Looking ahead to product introductions, Prickitt cited “systemic enzymes for new approaches to inflammation.” Turner said Enzymes, Inc. would extend the WellZymes product line during 2006 “to include several new systemic products formulated to help support the primary organ systems other than the gastrointestinal tract that are adversely affected by prolonged food sensitivities or intolerances. These products will feature pHysioProtease, a proprietary blend of protease enzymes developed specifically to be most active in the body tissues rather than the digestive tract.” He added that the new formulations will include pHysioProtease along with “high-quality, standardized herbal extracts targeted to help relieve the inflammation and other imbalances in organ systems primarily caused by the body’s response to undigested food in the bloodstream.”

Nagel said Eclectic Institute is rolling out “a line of water derived from the freeze drying of plants. The New Eclectic water in Strawberry, Banana, and Apple is the water captured out of the inside of fresh fruit. In the freeze-drying process the water is sublimated from ice crystals to vapor, which is collected and filtered. This water has a unique taste and smell, and there is nothing like this on the market now.”

At American Health, Dorie Greenblatt, director of sales and marketing, said the company has introduced two new soy-based Liquid Acidohpilus products, ”for those probiotic users intolerant to milk-based ingredients or milk-based products.” Each serving, Greenblatt said, “provides approximately 20 billion ‘friendly’ organisms at time of manufacture, and contains super-potent strains of lactobacillus cultures including the famed Metchnikoff and the very special Pasteur Institute forms. As with all of the company’s acidophilus formulas, these are suitable for vegetarians as well.”

Watson noted that Renew Life recently introduced three new flavors in its Organic Fiber Bar line, “and will be introducing several new target probiotic formulas.”

Manufacturers offered lifestyle tips beyond supplementation, to promote intestinal wellness. Their suggestions might be summed up by Turner’s advice: “We encourage consumers to do the following: Add more raw fruits and vegetables to their diet, reduce the amount of processed foods consumed, eat smaller meals, and chew food thoroughly. Since food sensitivities or intolerances resulting from an inability to digest certain foods can be so detrimental to overall health, a food sensitivity evaluation can help determine the right combination of enzymes in a supplement to properly digest the offending food. Of course, the following lifestyle changes are beneficial for everyone: Limit intake of alcohol and caffeinated beverages; stop smoking; reduce stress; and maintain a healthy weight through exercise and sensible diet.” VR