Top 9 Best Ways To Improve Gut Health (2026)

Ranked Solutions

Ranked by how much each one actually moves the needle — our SAC Efficacy Score™, explained further down.

1. #1

   Magnesium (for constipation)

   Supplement

   osmotic laxative effect reliably eases constipation by drawing water into the bowel

   ⚑ citrate/oxide forms work best for this; glycinate is gentler and less laxative

   7.1/10SAC Efficacy Score™ⓘ

   • Effect size45%Moderate
   • Evidence40%Strong
   • Reliability15%Works for many

   Magnesium acts as an osmotic laxative that reliably draws water into the bowel — a well-understood, fast-acting mechanism for occasional constipation.

   See the Best Magnesium for Constipation →What is Magnesium (for constipation)?
2. #2

   Peppermint Oil (enteric-coated)

   Supplement

   enteric-coated peppermint oil beats placebo for IBS symptoms (Khanna 2014; Cash 2016, 40% TISS drop)

   ⚑ IBS-specific; non-enteric softgels are weak — coating is essential

   7/10SAC Efficacy Score™ⓘ

   • Effect size45%Moderate
   • Evidence40%Strong
   • Reliability15%Works for many

   Enteric-coated peppermint oil is one of the most evidence-backed natural IBS treatments (Khanna 2014), with the strongest effect among herbal options — but the benefit is IBS-specific, and only enteric coating works.

   See the Best Peppermint Oil Capsules for IBS →What is Peppermint Oil (enteric-coated)?
3. #3

   Probiotics

   Supplement

   right strain eases IBS, bloating + antibiotic-related upset

   ⚑ strain-specific — match the strain to the symptom

   6.7/10SAC Efficacy Score™ⓘ

   • Effect size45%Moderate
   • Evidence40%Strong
   • Reliability15%Works for many

   Strain-specific results — the right strains ease IBS, bloating and antibiotic-related upset. Match the strain to the goal; this isn't one-size-fits-all. 10-30 billion CFU.

   See the Best Probiotics Supplements →What is Probiotics?
4. #4

   Prebiotic Fiber

   Supplement

   feeds the microbiome + improves regularity; build up slowly

   6.6/10SAC Efficacy Score™ⓘ

   • Effect size45%Modest
   • Evidence40%Strong
   • Reliability15%Works for many

   Feeds the beneficial bacteria you already have and improves regularity — often more reliable than a probiotic. Start low to avoid gas. 5-10 g/day (inulin, PHGG, psyllium).

   See the Best Psyllium Fiber Supplements →What is Prebiotic Fiber?
5. #5

   Ginger

   Supplement

   faster gastric emptying; eases nausea + indigestion

   6.1/10SAC Efficacy Score™ⓘ

   • Effect size45%Modest
   • Evidence40%Moderate
   • Reliability15%Works for many

   Speeds gastric emptying and calms nausea and indigestion — a simple, well-tolerated win for an upset gut. 1-1.5 g/day.

   See the Best Ginger Supplements →
6. #6

   Digestive Enzymes

   Supplement

   real relief for enzyme insufficiency + heavy meals

   ⚑ for insufficiency / specific foods, not everyone

   6/10SAC Efficacy Score™ⓘ

   • Effect size45%Modest
   • Evidence40%Moderate
   • Reliability15%Works for many

   Genuinely useful if you're enzyme-insufficient or eating a heavy meal; less so otherwise. Match the enzyme to the food (lactase, etc.).

   See the Best Digestive Enzyme Supplements →What is Digestive Enzymes?
7. #7

   L-Glutamine

   Supplement

   supports the gut lining; human evidence still thin

   5.8/10SAC Efficacy Score™ⓘ

   • Effect size45%Modest
   • Evidence40%Moderate
   • Reliability15%Specific cases

   Fuel for the gut lining with a plausible 'leaky gut' rationale, but the human evidence is still thin outside specific clinical settings. 5 g/day.

   See the Best L-Glutamine Supplements →What is L-Glutamine?
8. #8

   Greens Powder

   Supplement

   added probiotics/fiber can aid regularity; the whole-food greens benefit is largely extrapolated

   ⚑ convenience pick; favor disclosed doses over proprietary blends

   4.4/10SAC Efficacy Score™ⓘ

   • Effect size45%Modest
   • Evidence40%Preliminary
   • Reliability15%Specific cases

   Convenient veggie-gap insurance — many add probiotics and fiber. A floor, never a vegetable replacement, and label transparency varies wildly between brands.

   See the Best Greens Powder →What is Greens Powder?
9. #9

   Sea Moss

   Supplement

   prebiotic fiber is plausible; no human gut-outcome trials

   ⚑ traditional use, not clinically proven

   3.3/10SAC Efficacy Score™ⓘ

   • Effect size45%Small
   • Evidence40%Preliminary
   • Reliability15%Narrow

   Marketed as a prebiotic, gut-soothing sea vegetable — plausible from its fiber, but human gut data is essentially absent. Honest expectations + iodine caution.

   See the Best Sea Moss →What is Sea Moss?

Our methodology

How every score on this page is calculated — transparent and free to cite.

Best-Of Buyer Guides

Curated product roundups for gut health — every pick tested for evidence, quality, and price-per-active-mg.

Research & sources

The key human trials behind the rankings above — every PMID verified against its primary source.

1. Magnesium (for constipation)Held 2002 — Oral Mg(2+) supplementation reverses age-related neuroendocrine and sleep EEG changes in humans · Pharmacopsychiatry · PMID 12163983
2. Magnesium (for constipation)Abbasi 2012 — The effect of magnesium supplementation on primary insomnia in elderly: A double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial · Journal of Research in Medical Sciences · PMID 23853635
3. Peppermint Oil (enteric-coated)Khanna 2014 (IBS meta-analysis) — Peppermint oil for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis · Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology · PMID 24100754
4. Peppermint Oil (enteric-coated)Ford 2008 (BMJ — fibre/antispasmodics/peppermint) — Effect of fibre, antispasmodics, and peppermint oil in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome: systematic review and meta-analysis · BMJ · PMID 19008265
5. ProbioticsMcFarland 2006 (AAD + C. difficile meta-analysis) — Meta-analysis of probiotics for the prevention of antibiotic associated diarrhea and the treatment of Clostridium difficile disease · American Journal of Gastroenterology · PMID 16635227
6. ProbioticsWhorwell 2006 (B. infantis 35624 in IBS) — Efficacy of an encapsulated probiotic Bifidobacterium infantis 35624 in women with irritable bowel syndrome · American Journal of Gastroenterology · PMID 16863564
7. Prebiotic Fibervan der Schoot 2022 (constipation meta-analysis) — The Effect of Fiber Supplementation on Chronic Constipation in Adults: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials · The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition · PMID 35816465
8. Prebiotic FiberChristodoulides 2016 (CIC meta-analysis) — Systematic review with meta-analysis: effect of fibre supplementation on chronic idiopathic constipation in adults · Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics · PMID 27170558
9. Digestive EnzymesBaijal & Tandon 2021 (lactase RCT) — Effect of lactase on symptoms and hydrogen breath levels in lactose intolerance: A crossover placebo-controlled study · JGH Open · PMID 33490624
10. Digestive EnzymesShaukat 2010 (lactose-intolerance review) — Systematic review: effective management strategies for lactose intolerance · Annals of Internal Medicine · PMID 20404262