A gut health research update from Amway R&D
By Nikhat Contractor, PhD
Amway Director of Global Nutrition Product Development
The development
There’s evidence suggesting that starting the day with a multi-functional gut primer supplement may have a positive impact on digestive health.
Amway nutrition scientists conducted a 14-day consumer use test that evaluated daily use of a gastrointestinal (GI) primer supplement using validated questionnaires and participant-reported measures. At the conclusion of the study all the participants reported an improvement in mild digestive-related complaints they had occasionally experienced before beginning the study, suggesting that the gut primer supplement may support digestive health and may improve quality-of-life indicators related to gut wellness.
We conducted the study to better understand the consumer experience of using a gut primer supplement, and the results are intended to inform further testing. To help ensure valid results, the single-arm (meaning there was no placebo comparison group) study used validated questions from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Toolbox and a recognized clinical stool assessment tool. The results are reported in a peer-reviewed article in the highly respected scientific journal Nutrients ¹.
Why it is significant
While the results require further scientific evaluation, they appear to be encouraging news for those interested in supporting gut health and those who may experience occasional mild digestive complaints.
Sixty-eight women and men between the ages of 18 and 65 who were not regularly taking probiotic, prebiotic or fiber supplements participated in the study. They were generally healthy but reported experiencing mild digestive complaints, including occasional bloating, stomach discomfort, occasional constipation or occasional diarrhea, before beginning the study.
Participants consumed the gut primer supplement mixed into water every morning before breakfast for 14 days. Using a validated questionnaire, they kept a daily diary rating their occasional digestive complaints and other parameters that may be related to digestive health:
Stomach cramps Constipation Gas/flatulence
Nausea Indigestion Bloating
Rumbling/stomach noise
Potential benefits
After 14 days of use, the diaries and other responses showed improvements in all digestive-related parameters studied. There was also an increase in the percentage of stools with normal consistencies as measured by a well-recognized, validated scale. Many parameters showed improvement as soon as the second day of taking the supplement.
It’s important to note that these are self-reported observations. They constitute emerging information requiring further study and the experiences reported by the participants might not be typical of others’ experiences. However, they add to the evidence supporting that targeting gut health can have a positive impact on peoples’ health and wellbeing.
What IS a gut primer supplement?
A gut primer supplement is a blend of gut-supporting ingredients, such as fermented plants, postbiotics, fiber and digestive enzymes, recognized for supporting digestive health. These ingredients are thought to “prime” the gut to promote a healthy microbiota (the gut’s community of beneficial microbes) and support gut function.
Our team formulated the supplement used in the consumer test with internal knowledge about the relationship between plant nutrients, digestion, the gut microbiota and gut resilience. (That work also culminated in a peer-reviewed article, co-authored by Amway scientists and published in the scientific journal Foods².) The ingredients were chosen to deliver specific plant polyphenols and nutrients that, along with pre- and post-biotics, have been linked to antioxidant activity, metabolism, gut microbial activity and intestinal barrier function.
In short, the study suggests that an interaction between these functional components and the gut’s beneficial microbes and lining may support digestion and gut health.
It is important to note that while fiber, postbiotics, fermented plants, digestive enzymes and other ingredients in this supplement all have benefits when consumed individually through diet or supplements, this specific combination of ingredients, taken together daily before breakfast, is designed to support gut function throughout the day and prepare the gut to perform its job.
What is in the gut primer supplement?
The blend included:
- Fermented grasses: in fermentation, microorganisms help pre-digest plants for better digestibility
- Fruit and vegetable concentrates: provide fiber that supports digestion and polyphenols that provide support against free radical damage
- Alkaline spices: includes ginger, fermented turmeric, fermented cinnamon, fermented fennel seed and fermented cayenne to increase the amount of alkaline foods in the diet; ginger has a long history of use for supporting digestion in the stomach
- Postbiotics: heat-inactivated “good” bacteria scientifically proven to be beneficial in supporting gut-barrier function
- Prebiotics: plant fiber and flavonoids that promote growth of beneficial bacteria
- Digestive enzymes: natural enzymes that help break down food components to support normal digestion and absorption
- Selected vitamins and minerals: support energy-yielding metabolism
What happens next
Encouraged by the self-reported observations, we will next study the mechanisms of action in more depth. In addition, we expect to study the gut primer in combination with dietary and lifestyle modifications designed to better support overall gut health and holistic health.
We are excited to be working at the forefront of emerging science on gut health, delving deeper into the relationship between the gut microbiome, plant compounds, the environment and healthy aging, weight and even skin. It is necessarily a long and careful process. We look forward to realizing the potential it holds for your health + wellbeing.
View more publications co-authored by Amway Research and Development Scientists at AmwayScience.com.
1 Nekrasov, E; Vita, A.; Bradley, R.; Contractor, N.; Gunaratne, N.; Kuehn, M.; Kitisin, R.; Patel, D.; Woods, E. and Zhou, B. Changes in Digestive Health, Satiety and Overall Well-Being after 14 Days of a Multi-Functional GI Primer Supplement. Nutrients, 19 September 2024. Accessed at https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/16/18/3173
2 Jaquier, E.F.; van de Wouw, M; Nekrasov, E; Contractor, N; Kassis, A.; and Marcu, D. Local and Systemic Effects of Bioactive Food Ingredients: Is There a Role for Functional Foods to Prime the Gut for Resilience? Foods, 28 February 2024. Accessed at https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/13/5/739
