NutraSolutions: High-profile Digestive Health Ingredients -- October 2010
Spurred on by significant media attention and industry education, the role of digestive health is increasingly being recognized by consumers and health practitioners as very important to overall well-being. The digestive tract is an intricate system that can be disrupted by disease, diet and emotional stress. Common digestive problems, such as heartburn and GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) often result in symptoms that include bloating, diarrhea, gas, stomach pain and stomach cramps. Furthermore, a healthy digestive tract is critical in reducing the risk of autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, scleroderma and multiple sclerosis.
The microflora of the human large intestine plays a very important role in overall digestive health. The intestinal microflora consists of at least 500 different bacterial species, which influence the conversion of (pro)carcinogenic substances, the production of vitamins, degradation of bile acids and digestion of nutrients. Certain microflora can have beneficial effects on gastroenteritis resistance, blood lipids, anti-tumor properties, lactose tolerance and gastrointestinal immunity. Of significance, the gut is the largest immune organ in the body. A hyper-stimulated immune system can lead to autoimmune problems, and a suppressed system can cause infection.