First, let’s get an unfortunate truth out of the way: Age impacts gut health, and may trigger a variety of not-so-pleasant issues. (And you thought wrinkles were the worst part about aging!)

As early as our 20s, our bodies start producing fewer natural enzymes required to complete digestion, leaving us deficient in certain nutrients. Head to What You Need to Know About Digestive Enzymes here for more information. 

Additionally, as you age, your digestive tract slows down, and it might not work as efficiently or as quickly as it used to. Why? The muscles in the digestive tract become stiffer, weaker, and less efficient at tackling your favorite foods.

Remember, those trillions of microbiomes in your gut do more than help digest food.

These go-getters fight harmful pathogens; make vitamin K and other critical chemicals; affect how meds work; and influence your immune system, heart, mental health, and cancer risk.

Encouraging Findings on Gut Health and Aging

Interestingly, research shows that gut microbes may affect healthy aging and longevity.  In a 2021 study published by Nature Metabolism, scientists found it’s never too early to start taking steps to foster good gut health.

“Gut microbiomes become increasingly unique to individuals with age,” the study authors write.

The scientists found that older adults whose mix of gut microbes changed the most over time lived longer than those with less change in their gut microbiome.

Now the million-dollar question is: How do you make your gut microbiome more diverse and achieve optimum health benefits? And how do you replenish the critical digestive enzymes depleted with age?

Fortunately, a few simple lifestyle tweaks may offer the solution!

1. Diverse Foods = Diverse Microbiome
   Eating a diverse diet rich in whole foods can lead to a diverse microbiome, which is beneficial for your health in countless ways. Nutrient-rich fruits and veggies are your gut’s BFF. They are loaded with fiber, which your body can’t digest. However, certain species of bacteria can digest fiber, stimulating their growth. Conversely, research suggests that a diet full of fruits and veggies can halt the growth of some disease-causing bacteria.
   
   
2. Get Fermentation Friendly
   Simply put, fermented foods have undergone a process in which the sugars they contain are broken down by yeast or bacteria. Why does your gut love them? They promote the growth of beneficial bacteria and reduce the number of disease-causing bacteria in the intestines. Some examples of fermented foods include yogurt, sauerkraut, kombucha and tempeh. Pro Tip: To reap the gut health perks, make sure the label says: “contains live active cultures.”
   
   
3. Get Some Exercise
   It’s hard to find a health advice list that doesn’t include exercise, and gut health is no exception. Exercise has a direct effect on gut bacteria, which in turn improves our metabolism, cardiorespiratory fitness, and insulin resistance.  Researchers found longer workouts and high-intensity aerobic training in particular, contributed most to gut bacteria diversity and function in relation to overall wellness. 
   
   
4. Stress Less
   Whatever your stress of the day may be, it’s wise to consider its impact on your health and well-being. Your gut health often pays the price for these frantic episodes, leaving you with digestive distress. That’s because your stomach and emotional state are linked, so any change in everyday stress can impact your digestive health and the complex microbiome that lives in your gut. Stress busters can include 1-minute morning meditation or simply breathing intentionally. Or what about a mindful walk or calling a friend you can count on to make you laugh? 
   
   
5. Savvy Supplementation
   Consider a probiotic supplement to help balance your gut flora. However, choose your supplements wisely. According to the World Health Organization, a probiotic strain must be alive at the time of ingestion to be effective. It must survive the harsh conditions in the stomach and small intestines to make it to the large intestine alive. Our supplements feature DE111®, a strain proven in a human study to survive the journey. And don’t forget the digestive enzymes. By combining probiotics and digestive enzyme supplements, you can maximize your nutrient absorption to get all the energy and health benefits from what you eat. 

Remember, it’s never too early or too late to start fostering gut health. Probiotics, prebiotics, and digestive enzymes all play a part in the orchestra of digestive health. For more info, head to our guide.  Have questions about digestive supplements in the Zenwise® line? Our customer service team is ready can help at support@zenwise.com or M-F from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST at (800) 940-1972.


1. https://www.nature.com/articles/s42255-021-00348-0?utm_medium=affiliate&utm_source=commission_junction&utm_campaign=CONR
_PF018_ECOM_GL_PHSS_ALWYS_DEEPLINK&utm_content=textlink&utm_
term=PID100109082&CJEVENT=c8a7400b111311ee81226b9b0a82b832