A growing use for herbs in digestive health

Botanical ingredients that contain been linked to digestive support are carving out a strong niche in the market, and they’re likely to continue flourishing in the years to come.

The digestive system is a complex system that controls the digestion of food while also influencing brain and immune health. Unfortunately, difficulties may appear in the gut, leading to a manifestation of many common and rare health symptoms.

Dietary supplements designed to support gut health are in popular. For digestive support, the market is full of probiotics, prebiotics, fibers, digestive enzymes, and several other ingredients. Populating the gut with good bacteria, alone or in mixture with prebiotics, has been demonstrated to beneficially alter the human microbiome and related health factors. Probiotics still take into account a big share of digestive health products and so are driving much of the entire category’s growth.

Herbs, however, shouldn't be overlooked. Botanical ingredients that contain been linked to digestive support are carving out a solid niche in the digestive health market, and they’re likely to continue flourishing in the a long time. But manufacturers have to choose their herbs wisely and format them into the most desirable products to be able to compete for market share.

Traditional Use

Because many herbalists consider the digestive tract to be the cornerstone of health, numerous herbs have already been traditionally used to keep carefully the digestive system in good working form. Susan Hirsch, MS, CNS, formulation manager at health supplements brand Gaia Herbs, says that many of these herbs, though not absolutely all of these, are backed by modern research.

“In the area of digestion, while there are some great clinical studies on ginger, chamomile, fennel, and larch, there aren't as many on other herbs like black walnut that have a rich history of use,” she says. “There are lots of complex factors involved in digestion, and not as much financial benefit to be gained by studying herbs for this function, so science includes a long way to go here.”

Herbs often end up being the subject of modern research inevitably because of their long histories of reported traditional use, so it’s prudent to consider things that aren’t yet backed by well-powered clinical research.

Modern Science

In light of the rich history of using traditional herbs for digestive ailments, and today’s customer demand for corroborative research, successful brands are striving to look for a balance between these two factors with regards to product formulation, and will continue steadily to do so. In Hirsch’s words, “This bridge between ancient wisdom and modern science is what creates the very best formulas to aid health.”

Ingredients that contain been studied under well-funded projects offer immediate leverage for brands and can help them to market very specific use cases for digestive health products.

Bloating, for instance, is a ailment that may affect as many as 30% of folks after meals.1 Brands like Life Extension, which recently launched a Bloat Relief dietary supplement featuring relevant ingredients, can benefit from research already in existence.

“Artichoke, ginger, curcumin, and fennel all have roots in traditional use,” says Michael Smith, MD, the company’s education director, “however the decision to use these ingredients [in our product] was predicated on solid clinical studies showing efficacy.”

Bloating, peristalsis, cramping, constipation, and gas are simply a several many distinct digestive medical issues for which products can be formulated with herbs based on very specific scientific research that’s already in the general public domain.

Calming Formulas

It may seem to be an indirect method of digestive health, but formulating digestive health products with calming ingredients has its own logic, too. “People experience stress in several ways, and some people manifest symptoms of stress in their digestive systems,” says Hirsch. “That is particularly true for children and older people; however, many body types have a solid connection between their emotional state and their digestive state throughout their whole lives.”

Hirsch explains that stress can interfere with blood flow, leading to it to be directed away from the digestive system and towards cardiovascular and musculoskeletal systems. This may cause trouble digesting food. Herbs such as for example chamomile, lemon balm, and catnip have proven anxiolytic effects in scientific studies. Some of these will be the basis for Gaia Herbs’ new GI FEEL GREAT calming blend and so are worth taking into consideration in similar digestive health formulas.

Delivery Systems
Digestive health health supplements are, like many other health supplements, diversifying into other lifestyle-friendly formats beyond just capsules and softgels. If capsules and softgels aren’t had a need to protect an ingredient’s stability or mask strong flavor or odor, alternatives have verified attractive to some consumers and could increase compliance.

“Gummies are now the most popular delivery format for the 18 to 34 generation, plus some analysts predict gummies to be the overall favored format for all age ranges within a couple of years,” says Alicia Richman, Gaia Herbs’ director of brand strategy and innovation. She says individuals are looking not simply for digestive health advantages also for products that match their lifestyles. It’s reasonable to expect digestive herbs to be infused into powders, candies, coffee, and other products later on.

Looking Forward
Despite the ongoing prospect of probiotics in the digestive health space, experts believe there’s satisfactory room for herbal products to grow in the digestive health market. Some even project that sales of herbal formulas will double in the area over the next few years. Certainly, there’s lots of market opportunities to go around for probiotics, herbs, and other offerings.