Supplementing for Digestive Health and Maximum Nutrient Absorption

iForce Dave

iForce Dave

Member
Awards
1
  • Established
I wanted to start a thread as it seems there is a lot of different opinions on this topic.

Please post your opinions, experiences, and product reccommendations for the following:


Digestive Enzymes
- papain
- bromelain
- multi enzyme blends (protease, lipase, amylase)

Pepsin

Probiotics
Acipophilus, etc.

Hydroxycitric Acid

Betain


As I am starting my offseason now, I am sick of always feeling bloated, gassy, and wasting my money eating food that isnt getting absorbed.

Im looking forward to this as I think a lot of people on this board can contribute to the thread with their experiences and knowledge on the subject.
 
tnubs

tnubs

Well-known member
Awards
1
  • Established
I got some multi enzyme probiotic pills from the pill section of walmart that seems to work pretty well at reducing gas/digestion problems. it has pretty much all the ingredients you listed. i also like alfalfa, i feel like it helps my digestive track stay a little more regular.
 
Type O Hero

Type O Hero

Banned
Awards
1
  • Established
Great idea for a thread!

Any of you guys ever thought about stomach acidity related to food digestion? For example, I've read that proteins digest better in a more acidic solution while starchy carbs digest better in a more alkaline solution (I'm assuming not too alkaline for obvious reasons). I know that foods high in potassium increase the acidity of the stomach due to an increased hydrochloric acid production. So do you think increasing potassium intake with a higher protein meal is a good idea? I don't know where I'm really going with this but maybe someone else could continue it.. lol

Maybe as your day progresses and you begin to decrease carb intake, you could increase potassium intake to cause increased hydrochloric acid production which would better facilitate the denaturing of proteins?

Since we group our foods (i.e., a meal with both proteins and carbs), however, we increase digestive times because we can't have both an acidic and alkaline solution going on at the same time. That's why we can eat a protein meal by itself and it only take a few hours to digest versus eating a meal containing that same protein source along with a starchy carb source that increases digestion time by a lot.

So I suppose if you wanted to optimize digestion you could try figuring out the best way to group your foods from the point of view of your GI tract.
 
iForce Dave

iForce Dave

Member
Awards
1
  • Established
^ I would like to hear more on this too.

Also, i just learned that probiotic supplement need to be refridgerated to stay active... so much for all the crap on the shelves!

I just picked up a refridgerated product, some hydroxycitric acid, and a protease/amylase/lipase blend enzyme product.

I will be running this stack for 1 month and seeing how it helps me with my digestion and bloating and also just overall. I eat SO MUCH food in offseason mode that I honestly think this is going to help a lot.
 
cgoode

cgoode

Member
Awards
1
  • Established
I always take a probiotic and aminogen/ carbogen just cause i figure i will digest foods better....plus u dont get sick as much..... i only get bloated if i drink crappy whey concentrate
 
sluggy

sluggy

Banned
Awards
1
  • Established
Great idea for a thread!

Any of you guys ever thought about stomach acidity related to food digestion? For example, I've read that proteins digest better in a more acidic solution while starchy carbs digest better in a more alkaline solution (I'm assuming not too alkaline for obvious reasons). I know that foods high in potassium increase the acidity of the stomach due to an increased hydrochloric acid production. So do you think increasing potassium intake with a higher protein meal is a good idea? I don't know where I'm really going with this but maybe someone else could continue it.. lol

Maybe as your day progresses and you begin to decrease carb intake, you could increase potassium intake to cause increased hydrochloric acid production which would better facilitate the denaturing of proteins?

Since we group our foods (i.e., a meal with both proteins and carbs), however, we increase digestive times because we can't have both an acidic and alkaline solution going on at the same time. That's why we can eat a protein meal by itself and it only take a few hours to digest versus eating a meal containing that same protein source along with a starchy carb source that increases digestion time by a lot.

So I suppose if you wanted to optimize digestion you could try figuring out the best way to group your foods from the point of view of your GI tract.
I take some Betaine HCl with my whey, and I feel that it helps.
 

Dath

Member
Awards
0
Some things to try are gentian, ginger and aloe vera juice. Also, taking systemic enzymes on an empty stomach help me tremendously with stomach inflammation/bloating. I use a product called Medizym.
 

Dath

Member
Awards
0
That site is an absolute ripoff. You should be able to buy an 800 count bottle for around $74 (or cheaper) from other websites.

http://www.swansonvitamins.com/NV011/ItemDetail?n=0

Swanson also has ginger root capsules (100 count...540 mgs) for only $2.39.

A good digestive enzyme is Twinlab Super Enzyme Caps.

http://www.swansonvitamins.com/TL665/ItemDetail?n=0

A good protocol would be:

Wake up and take 3-5 Medizym's with a glass of water on an empty stomach. Wait 30 minutes before having breakfast.

At the end of each meal take 1-2 capsules of Twinlab Super Enzyme and 2 capsules of ginger root powder.

At bedtime on an empty stomach take 3-5 Medizym's with a glass of water. They must be taken on an empty stomach.

I suffered for a few years with extreme bloating and never feeling hungry. Even a glass of water would bloat me. My stomach is much better and the medizym's help tremendously. Plus they will help with inflammation throughout your whole body.

If you want you can add in some aloe vera juice (lily of the desert organic whole leaf juice) and some probiotics (DDS Plus by UAS Labs).

Hope this helps.
 

That One Guy

New member
Awards
0
I use GNC's probiotic complex 25 because it has 4 different probiotic strains. I also use their multi-enzyme formula with my 3 biggest meals. I have little to no bloating and I dont get sick as often as I used to. I used to get bloated after every time I ate and now I feel much better.
 
cgoode

cgoode

Member
Awards
1
  • Established
^ I would like to hear more on this too.

Also, i just learned that probiotic supplement need to be refridgerated to stay active... so much for all the crap on the shelves!

I just picked up a refridgerated product, some hydroxycitric acid, and a protease/amylase/lipase blend enzyme product.

I will be running this stack for 1 month and seeing how it helps me with my digestion and bloating and also just overall. I eat SO MUCH food in offseason mode that I honestly think this is going to help a lot.

most probiotics need to be refrigerated... as was mentioned id go with ginger, aloe vera was always good for me if i had to much spicy food, but u can get some cheap probiotics at the Three Letter chain store, trust me I work there part time. i dont recommend anyone by sports products there but our nutritional products are pretty cheap and effective..... ginger is amazing its great for even motion/ sea sickness
 
iForce Dave

iForce Dave

Member
Awards
1
  • Established
I use GNC's probiotic complex 25 because it has 4 different probiotic strains. I also use their multi-enzyme formula with my 3 biggest meals. I have little to no bloating and I dont get sick as often as I used to. I used to get bloated after every time I ate and now I feel much better.
Yeah i hear these products also reduce whole body inflammation and increase immune function.


I worked at GNC too but I dont remember them having a refridgerated probiotic supplement...
 
WIULifter

WIULifter

Board Sponsor
Awards
1
  • Established
Dave, I really enjoyed ProFiber from Myogenix.
 

Top