America’s stomachs are changing from when the baby boomers were children and
their parents were children. Our diets have evolved into processed, deep-fried,
drive-thru meals that accommodate our busy lifestyles and our budgets.
Unfortunately, our consumption levels as a country are too high, putting
pressure on the meat industry that is causing a ripple effect all the way down
to our gut.
Our fast food diets and antibiotic-, hormone-ingested meats deliver surprising numbers with estimations of 62 million Americans suffering from
gastrointestinal (GI) problems, according to Mintel’s market research. “More
than 70 percent of the antibiotics produced last year were sold to our meat
industry as growth promoters in animal feed,” said William J. Schoor, vice
president of Essential Formulas Inc. “This exposure to low levels of broad
spectrum antibiotics has produced dangerous pathogenic strains of antibiotics
resistant bacteria and weakened our immune systems.”
Serving as an educational and informative tool is one of the best ways
retailers can benefit its customers. It is important consumers don’t become
“victims” to the life-long battle of health. Simple habits like reading
nutrition labels and knowing which ingredients are beneficial and which are
potentially harmful can arm your customers with the right ammo when they
approach the grocery store aisles.
Because almost 70 percent of the body’s immune system operates within the
walls of the gut, diet choices affect health as a whole. As awareness heightens
to the side effects of the antibiotics and hormones sourced from our meat and
dairy, new opportunities for grocery stores like Fresh & Easy Neighborhood
Market™ are opening up. They offer meats, fish and poultry with no antibiotics
or hormones; milk and butter from cows free of rBST; and eggs from cage-free
chickens. Organic is another popular alternative, but it is often more expensive
than non-organic offerings such as those free from antibiotics and hormones.
For retailers, knowledge really is power, especially when it comes to
promoting the more “hush, hush” products such as digestion. Understanding
digestive ailments and the differences between them are just as important as
knowing the research behind the supplements designed to ease or reduce digestion
discomfort.
It comes as no surprise that diet, exercise, external stressors and family
history all affect digestion and health as a whole. “Regular exercise can
benefit virtually every body system,” said Nena Dockery, technical resources
manager, National Enzyme Co. “Our bodies are designed for movement; digestion is
no exception. We tend to think of exercise in terms of how it affects our
physical appearance, but good posture and regular exercise can help keep the
internal organs in ‘shape’ as well, which can be very beneficial in ensuring
that food moves efficiently through the system.” As a retailer, being familiar
with which supplements, functional foods and beverages, and traditional foods,
such as high-fiber fruits and vegetables, can offer relief, will allow you to
successfully assist your customers with their digestive needs.
Breaking Down Digestive Disease/Disorders
According to the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA), Crohn’s
disease is a chronic disorder that causes inflammation of the digestive or
gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Ulcerative colitis is a similar autoimmune disease
that inflicts only the colon, whereas Crohn’s can affect the large and small
intestine as well as the GI tract. Both of these are identified as an
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD).
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The CCFA estimates as many as one million Americans have IBD, with that
number evenly split between Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Crohn's
disease may occur in people of all ages, but it is primarily a disease of
adolescents and young adults, affecting mainly those between 15 and 35. Ten
percent of those affected—or an estimated 100,000—are under the age of 18.
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD,
are two common digestive dysfunctions. GERD is a condition that affects millions
of people and is clinically referred to as acid reflux disease, which occurs
when the lower esophageal sphincter (the valve separating the esophagus and
stomach) does not close properly, allowing acid to back up into the esophagus.
IBS exudes symptoms such as abdominal bloating, irregular bowels and pain in the
abdominal area. Familiarity with digestive ailments will help you as a retailer
become a helpful guide to your customers. Moreover, knowing the supplements that
ameliorate these ailments gives you one more leg up.
The Famous Probiotics
Probiotics have been gaining momentum in the marketplace and are
exponentially expanding through the retail aisles in an array of applications.
“Probiotics support the normal activity of the intestinal microflora that
secretes enzymes to digest food,” said Lisa Peterson Love, marketing director at
Sedona Labs. “Probiotics also maintain the normal health of the intestinal
lining in the small intestine which supports healthy absorption of nutrients.”
In the diet, they are commonly found in yogurt but have recently stormed the
retail aisles in a wider range of products such as bars and beverages. This
surge is partly due to the increased knowledge on the reported benefits of
probiotic supplementation. They have been shown to reduce antibiotic-associated
diarrhea,(1,2) help maintain intestinal microflora balance(3)
and produce anti-carcinogenic effects.(4) S.K. Dash, Ph.D., director
of research at UAS Laboratories conducted a review of Lactobacillus
acidophilus DDS-1 as a probiotic strain and found it had
cholesterol-lowering abilities. In his article review, Dash said, “… based upon
his preliminary studies, Sinha reported that even unfermented sweet acidophilus
milk demonstrated such an [anticholesteremic] activity. He observed that feeding
milk to rats had little or no effect upon their serum cholesterol, while
incorporation of cholesterol in the diet increased serum cholesterol. The
addition of 4 million L. acidophilus DDS-1 cells per milliliter of milk lowered
cholesterol significantly.”
Sedona Labs® Multi-Probiotic® products feature several different strains
intended for different uses in the small and large intestine. “Lactobacillus
strains will primarily be active in the small intestine. Bifiodobacteria strains
reside in the large intestine where they help maintain normal elimination,” Love
added.
One of the newer applications of probiotics in natural products is from
Attune, which makes nutrition bars that include a minimum of 8.5 billion colony
forming units (CFUs) of probiotics in each bar. “To further ensure our products
deliver an efficacious dose of probiotics throughout the shelf-life of the bar,
we’ve chosen ingredients (chocolate and yogurt coating) that have relatively
low-water activities,” said Silvia Cheskes, vice president of marketing at
Attune Foods. “The Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM and Bifidobacterium
lactis HN019 are among the most extensively studied strains of probiotics in the
world and were selected for their ability to thrive in our bars and for their
supporting clinical data, which is robust in terms of both the quality of the
underlying research and the positive effect that they have demonstrated on human
health.” Cheskes noted, the NCFM strain has shown beneficial affects related to
gut health(5) and the HN019 strain has been shown to improve immune
function(6).
There are many probiotic options on the market with different delivery
systems and storage methods. Little Calumet Holdings LLC offers Vidazorb™, a
chewable, non-refrigerated, patent-pending probiotic supplement. “Vidazorb
contains the clinically substantiated strains L. acidophilus, LA-5® and
Bifidobacterium, BB-12® and S. thermopilius TH-4™,” said E. Frank Hodal, Jr.,
founder and CEO, Little Calumet Holdings LLC. “These particular strains have
been clinically tested and found to aid in the distress of diarrhea and
constipation, boost immunity and improve absorption.”
Jarrow Formulas’ Jarro-Dophilus EPS™ is stable in room temperature and
enteric-coated, delivering eight different species of probiotics directly into
the intestines.
Renew Life formulas also has a line of probiotics called FloraSMART™ in
caplet form with its BIO-tract™ delivery system that is shelf-stable and
offers support for both digestion and immune health.
“While digestive disease and disorders are at epidemic proportions in our
country, recent science also points out a crucial link between poor digestion
and improper balance of beneficial bacteria in our GI tract with the incredible
rise of autoimmune diseases like asthma, allergies, inflammatory diseases,
arthritis, diabetes and heart disease,” Schoor said. “One promising aspect of
new medical research in microbiology indicates that we may be able to formulate
future medicines based on utilizing the healing capabilities of the countless
billions of beneficial bacteria that are part of our human ecology.”
Dr. Ohhira's Probiotics 12 PLUS, created by the Japanese doctor Iichiroh
Ohhira, Ph.D., and distributed by Essential Formulas, hosts an ancient Japanese
three-year fermentation process of 92 selected plant crops using 12 strains of
lactic acid bacteria, which functions as a prebiotic. “This natural fermentation
provides a rich biogenic food that functions as a probiotic system in the
gastrointestinal tract,” Schoor added. Essential Formulas also has probiotic
skin products with astaxanthin and a vegetarian alternative essential fatty acid
(EFA) formula. In concert with probiotics, prebiotics produce beneficial
digestive effects and the combination is commonly referred to as synbiotics.
Figuring in Fiber
Fiber, as a dietary supplement and as a prebiotic, is a popular ingredient
due to its myriad health benefits. In 1998, FDA permitted a health claim
stating, “Soluble fiber from sources such as BLANK, as part of a diet low
in fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease.”
Fiber is essential for digestion and has been shown to lower cholesterol,
slow accelerated colonic transit and diarrhea induced by stress(7)
and help with IBS symptoms, including constipation and diarrhea(8).
A prebiotics research paper provided by Essential Formulas stated:
“Prebiotics beneficially affect the host by helping the growth of bacterial
intestinal bacteria (serves as ‘feed’ for intestinal bacteria). Dietary
supplements such as dietary fiber and oligosaccharides are categorized into
prebiotics.”
GTC Nutrition provides NutraFlora® short-chain fructooligosaccharides (scFOS®)
prebiotic fiber and BioAgave™ active agave fiber. “NutraFlora provides an array
of functional improvements, such as outstanding solubility and dispersion,
enhancement of flavors, improvement of stability and texture, moisture retention
and shelf-life extension,” Trina O’Brien, marketing and public relations manager
for GTC Nutrition said. “BioAgave also offers potential synergies with other
forms of fiber, which provides opportunities for fiber blends to meet a wide
range of application needs. Derived from the Blue Weber agave plant in Mexico,
BioAgave contains 90 percent inulin. Agave inulin differs from other inulin
products as it consists of branched chains of fructose with a terminal glucose
unit.”
Psyllium, also known as Plantago ovata contains a type of fiber called
mucilage, derived from its seeds. Mucilage absorbs water and swells when it’s in
the digestive tract, which can bulk-up stool and cause a sense of satiety or
fullness. “Psyllium is, to us, nature’s perfect food,” Sunil Kohli, COO of
Health Plus said. “It is a natural bulking agent that expands 50 to 60 times its
own weight in the stomach providing the bulk or ‘roughage’. This fiber is a true
powerhouse, providing eight times more soluble fiber than oat bran and also has
natural side benefits of helping to manage and promote healthy cholesterol
levels, as well as supporting healthy blood sugar levels. And, unlike other
fibers, psyllium has no known allergic effects.” Health Plus offers
colon-cleanse products and a Green Tea To Go with psyllium to aid digestion.
Renew Life’s fiber supplements blend 25 percent soluble fiber and 75 percent
insoluble fiber. “FiberSMART™ contains added ingredients to promote healthy
bowel function, including probiotics, the amino acid L-glutamine (for intestinal
lining support) and FOS, a food source for beneficial gut bacteria,” Watson
said. “Organic Triple Fiber™, a blend of organic acacia, flaxseed and oat bran,
supports overall digestive health and detoxification by providing the necessary
bulk for regular elimination.”
Fiber can also be sourced from nutritious foods such as whole wheat pasta,
breads and even cookies, satisfying consumers’ sweet cravings.
Engaging Enzymes
The body needs enzymes to break down food and fuel the body. Many enzymes
needed for digesting and breaking down nutrients for absorption are made within
the body, but many also contained in the foods they eventually digest and help
metabolize. “Digestive enzymes aid in the breakdown of food molecules (fats,
proteins, carbohydrates), and some (like lactase and alpha-galactosidase) can
introduce new digestive activites (like the breakdown of lactose in intolerant
individuals, or the digestion of certain vegetable fibers that cause bloating),”
said Kevin Connolly, Ph.D., director of scientific affairs and product
development at Jarrow Formulas Inc. Jarrow offers an enzyme supplement
Jarro-Zymes Plus™ that supplies pancreatic enzymes with a complex of natural
enzymes, including protease (for proteins), amylase (for carbohydrates), lipase
(for fats), trypsin, chymotrypsin, esterase, peptidase, nuclease, elastase,
collagenase as well as alpha galactosidase to facilitate the digestion of beans
and other legumes. Connolly added, “Bile acids can aid in the processing and
absorption of fats after they pass through the stomach.” In conjunction, Jarrow
offers Bile Acid Factors™ to enhance digestion and absorption of fats and
fat-soluble nutrients.
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Vidazorb™ chewable probiotic supplements require no refrigeration and stay
potent for two years, according to independent tests. Formulated for a variety
of health needs and using only clinically substantiated strains, Vidazorb™ is a
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VitalGest is the only product developed to cleanse the small intestine of
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to maximize the absorption of nutrients, thereby strengthening all body systems.
Over 80% of the Immune System resides in the gut and 95% of all nutrients (and
supplements) are absorbed in the gut. VitalGest is an all-food product that is
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“Digestive enzymes work by helping the body to break down food into much
smaller pieces that it can absorb and use,” said Mark Anderson, Ph.D., director
of research and development, Triarco. A study published in the International
Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism showed Triarco’s patented
enzyme Carbogen®, helped increase endurance by almost 50 percent.(9)
“[Carbogen] works to transform complex carbohydrates into powerful, steady
energy,” Anderson added.
Two popular enzymes derived from tropical fruits are bromelain and papain.
Bromelain is a mixture of proteolytic enzymes found in the stems and juice of
pineapples and is known to aid digestion. Papain is a popular enzyme abundant in
papaya. “It is an excellent digestive aid that breaks down foods, making it
easier to move down the colon, as well as break down uric and other acids in the
body,” Kohli added.
Enzymes can be added to many applications like bars and shakes. For example,
Triarco’s Aminogen®, an enzyme system designed to break down proteins is
GRAS-affirmed and is already incorporated into numerous protein powders. “The
body’s ability to break down protein is limited by gastrointestinal transit time
(the time it takes protein to mover through the GI tract) and amino acids are
only absorbed from the small intestine,” Anderson said. “Protein that is not
broken down and absorbed in time will end up in the lower GI tract; it will no
longer be absorbed, but will ferment—producing gas, bloating and discomfort—and
then be eliminated.” Anderson noted a recently published clinical study showed
Aminogen triples the rate of whey protein digestion, and increases amino acid
levels by 100 percent, branched-chain amino acids by 250 percent and nitrogen
retention by 32 percent.
Renew Life Formulas offers plant-based enzymes aimed at common conditions
such as constipation, diarrhea, heartburn and GERD. “Plant-based enzymes are
used because they are effective over a broader range of pH levels in the body,”
said Brenda Watson, founder of Renew Life Formulas. DigestMORE Ultra™ is its
straight enzyme formula that combines 14 plant-based enzymes to specifically
target difficult digestion. “DigestMORE Ultra offers the highest activity level
available and helps break down a wider variety of foods, including proteins,
carbohydrates, fats, dairy, sugars and starches,” Watson said. They also have an
enzyme supplement, LactoZYME™, with high amounts of lactase, lipase and papain
designed for those with difficulty digesting dairy foods.
“Many digestive complaints stem from a deficiency or complete lack of a
particular enzyme,” Dockery said. National Enzyme is able to create custom
blends, such as an enzyme blend to facilitate efficient digestion of
high-protein supplements and meals, as well as branded blends directed at
general support or specific conditions i.e., dairy intolerance or gluten
sensitivity.
Similarly, Sedona Labs has two vegetarian enzyme products, ZymaFlora® and
NextZyme®, that work in the specific pH of the stomach and the small intestine.
“They deliver enteric-coated enzymes to the small intestine to support the break
down of fats, complex carbohydrates and left over protein,” Love said. “Most of
the digestion of fats and complex carbohydrates (like whole grains and legumes)
occurs in the small intestine. Because the small intestine is more alkaline—and
the stomach very acidic—it is necessary to ensure enzymes reach the small
intestine by using enteric coating to protect them from stomach acid.”
Other Natural Approaches
Probiotics and fiber are popular approaches to digestion; however, lesser
known options such as aloe and peppermint are can also aid digestion.
A double blind trial randomly gave 35 men and women capsules containing
celandine, Aloe vera and psyllium or a placebo for 28 days.(10)
In the treatment group, bowel movements were more frequent, the stools were
softer and dependence on laxatives was reduced; in the placebo group, all these
parameters were unchanged.
“Peppermint assists in the process of digestion and increases the flow of
bile,” Kohli said. “Bile is stored in the gallbladder and released as needed for
the digestion and breakdown of fats. Bile also transports toxins for elimination
via the intestine.”
In a 2004 study, patients with functional dyspepsia experienced a significant
improvement in their dyspeptic symptoms after an herbal preparation containing
extracts from peppermint leaves, bitter candy tuft, matricaria flower, caraway,
licorice root and lemon balm compared to patients receiving a placebo.(11)
A separate randomized, double blind study published in the Journal of
Pediatrics found peppermint oil to be therapeutic for children with IBS,
reducing bloating, constipation, abdominal cramps and diarrhea.(12)
DR Global Health LLC created VitalGest, a proprietary blend of natural food
products. “VitalGest is the only product developed to cleanse the small
intestine of excess mucous caused by stress, toxins, medications, sugar, etc.,”
said JoEllin Dahlin, CEO and partner of DR Global Health. “Its purpose is to
maximize the absorption of nutrients, thereby strengthening all body systems”
Dahlin noted the countless testimonies of customers who have taken VitalGest and
experienced relief from chronic acid indigestion, IBS and Ulcerative colitis.
No matter how retailers chose to address the issue of digestion, it is a
pressing matter for many consumers, one that begs for attention and
supplementation. “Digestion is the foundation of all other healthy life
processes,” Schoor said. “If humans cannot assimilate our nutrients from our
foods and eliminate toxins effectively, than good health is impossible.
Coincidentally, if we cannot absorb nutrients well, we will not be able to
appreciate the benefits of any natural therapy, like good diet, vitamin and
mineral supplementation, herbal regimens, etc.”
Pochapin M. “The effect of probiotics on Clostridum difficile diarrhea”
Am J Gastroenterol 2000;95(1 Suppl):S11-3.
Bergogne-Berezin E “Treatment and prevention of antibiotic associated
diarrhea” Int J Antimicrob Agenis, 2000;16(4):521-6.
van De Guchte M et al. “Production of growth-inhibiting factors by
Lactobacillus delbrueckii” J Appl Microbiol 2001;91(1):147-53
Wollowski I et al. “Protective role of probiotics and probiotics in colon
cancer” Am J Clin Nutr, 2001;73(supple):451S-5S.
Wagner R. et al “Colonization of congenitally immunodeficient mice with
probiotic bacteria.” Infect. Immun. 1997;65: 3345-3351
Gill, H. S. “Potential of using dietary lactic acid bacteria for
enhancement of immunity.” Dialogue 1999;32:6-11.
Takahashi T, et al. "Daily intake of high dietary fiber slows accelerated
colonic transit induced by restrain stress in rats." Dig Dis Sci. 2008
May;53(5):1271-7. Epub 2008 Mar 12.
Chang HY, et al. "Current gut-directed therapies for irritable bowel
syndrome." Curr Treat Options Gastroenterol. 2006 Jul;9(4):314-23.
Laura Lewis Frank et al. “The Effects of a Pre-exercise Feeding With or
Without Fungal carbohydrases (CarbogenTM) on Blood Parameters and Exercise
Performance in Elite Cyclists: A Preliminary Study” Int J Sports Nutr Exer
Met. 2002;12:282-290
Odes HS, Madar Z. “A double-blind trial of a celandin, aloevera and
psyllium laxative preparation in adult patients with constipation”
Digestion. 1991;49(2):65-71
Madisch A et al. “Treatment of functional dyspepsia with a herbal
preparation. A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, multicenter
trial” Digestion. 2004;69(1):45-52. Epub 2004 Jan 30
Robert M Kline Ph.D. et al. “Enteric-coated, pH-dependent peppermint oil
capsules for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome in children” J Pedi.
2001;138(1):125-128
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