Your digestive system needs certain vitamins to function properly. Find out which ones are best for gut health and how to get them.
Note: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not approve supplements for safety or effectiveness. Talk to a healthcare professional about whether a supplement is the right fit for your individual health and about any potential drug interactions or safety concerns.
Certain vitamins are critical for proper digestion and gut health. The good news is most people can get all of these key nutrients, such as certain B vitamins and vitamins A, C and D, by eating a range of natural, colorful foods.
“The best sources of digestive-related vitamins are whole foods, including fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, eggs, nuts, and seeds,” says James Jae-Kyong J. Lee, MD, a gastroenterologist with Providence St. Joseph Hospital in Orange County, California.
However, if your diet is limited you might miss some. And certain digestive conditions — such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) — can impede your body’s ability to absorb and use certain nutrients, which may lead to a deficiency.
Read on to learn more about which vitamins are the most important for healthy digestion and how to incorporate them into your diet.
Vitamins help break down foods and maintain the intestinal lining, supporting nutrient absorption, Dr. Lee says. “They also play a role in regulating gut bacteria,” he adds.
The gut microbiome — a collection of trillions of microorganisms, including harmful and beneficial bacteria — influences various body functions, including digestion, appetite, metabolism, and immunity. With that in mind, here are five essential vitamins that may support better digestion and a healthy gut.
1. B Vitamins
These vitamins are found in proteins like fish, poultry, meat, and dairy products as well as leafy greens and beans. They help your body form red blood cells and get energy from the food you eat.
B vitamins are water-soluble, meaning you can’t store them away in your fat cells to use later, so they need to be a regular part of your diet.
“B vitamins play a huge role in energy metabolism, whether it’s carbohydrates or fats,” says Qingshan (Sandy) Sun, RD, an advanced practitioner in clinical nutrition with the Stanford Digestive Health Center in California.
There are eight B vitamins necessary for the body. The following are some of the most important for digestive health:
B1 Also known as thiamine, B1 helps your body break down nutrients into adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which serves as the primary energy carrier for your cells.
B3 Also known as niacin, B3, like B1, is important for converting nutrients into ATP.
B6 Also known as pyridoxine, B6 helps your digestive system break down protein, carbs, and fats.
Biotin, or vitamin B7, is also key to breaking down fats, carbohydrates, and proteins.
B12, or cobalamin, plays a role in the production of red blood cells and helps brain and nerve cells function and develop. A vitamin B12 deficiency can cause anemia.
With a balanced diet, most Americans get enough B vitamins from food, says Arlene Stein, CDN, a dietitian nutritionist with NYU Langone IBD Center in Long Island, New York. But supplements may be helpful for some people, she notes. For example, people with certain digestive issues like Crohn’s disease may have very low B12 levels, as can older adults.
Additionally, vitamin B12 is only found in animal products — such as meat, seafood, and eggs — so vegetarians and vegans may not get enough, Stein says.
“Other eating plans may also lack certain B vitamins since they restrict the intake of certain food groups,” she notes. Keto diets, for example, limit carbohydrates, such as fruits, whole grains, and some vegetables — rich sources of B6 and thiamine, she says.
Speak with your doctor about any supplements you are considering before you begin taking them.
2. Vitamin C
Because it’s an antioxidant, many people associate vitamin C with the immune system and the prevention of colds, but this essential vitamin may also aid in digestion by supporting healthy teeth and gums.
Healthy teeth and gums are critical for chewing — the first stage of the digestive process, Lee says.
“Small pieces of food are much easier for enzymes to break down so nutrients can be absorbed more effectively,” he explains, noting that people with poor dental health may find it harder to chew efficiently. “The stomach has more difficulty breaking down large chunks of food, which can lead to gas, indigestion, bloating, and poor absorption.”
Additionally, vitamin C increases acidity in the gastrointestinal tract, which helps convert iron from its nonabsorbable form to its absorbable form, Lee says.
“We do see a fair amount of iron deficiency in patients with digestive issues,” Sun adds. “And it’s really hard to sometimes supplement iron because iron can cause constipation.”
Most people get enough vitamin C from a healthy diet. It’s found in a number of foods, including:
However, people who might be susceptible to vitamin C deficiency may want to consider taking vitamin C supplements. In severe cases, a vitamin C deficiency can lead to anemia, bleeding gums, bruising, and poor wound healing.
If you have a limited diet that doesn’t regularly include fruits and vegetables, have certain gastrointestinal conditions or certain types of cancer, or smoke or are exposed to secondhand smoking, talk to your doctor or healthcare provider about whether vitamin C supplements are right for you.
3. Vitamin D
Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium and plays a key role in how your nerves, muscles, and immune system function.
What’s more, one review suggests that healthy levels of vitamin D may be associated with a reduced risk of colon cancer, but notes that longer follow-up studies are necessary.
Still, nearly 1 in 4 adults in the United States don’t get enough vitamin D for optimal bone or overall health. Vitamin D deficiency can result in bone pain and muscle weakness.
There are three ways you can get vitamin D:
Sun exposure
Vitamin D–rich foods, such as egg yolks, saltwater fish, liver, fortified milk, and cereal
Supplements
You may need a vitamin D supplement if you have an inflammatory bowel disease, such as Crohn’s disease, which is often associated with low vitamin D levels.
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, meaning it’s absorbed alongside fat in the gut, explains Jonathan Jennings, MD, New York City–based internist with Medical Offices of Manhattan and contributor to LabFinder, an online service that helps connect patients with labs and radiology centers.
Gut inflammation may inhibit this absorption, causing a deficiency, he says.
“However, it has not been determined if the low vitamin D is a result of the inflammation or related to decreased intake,” Jennings says. When people feel unwell due to IBD flares, they may have less of an appetite and spend less time in the sun — the body’s main source of vitamin D, he explains.
Moreover, some IBD medications, including immunosuppressants, can make the skin more sensitive to sunlight, making people wary of exposure.
If you have symptoms of a vitamin D deficiency or you're at higher risk of having one, your doctor may recommend taking a blood test. If a deficiency is confirmed, they may recommend taking a supplement.
Keep in mind that you may already be taking a supplement that contains vitamin D, and consuming too much can be harmful (more on that later). For example, some calcium supplements also contain vitamin D.
4. Vitamin A
Vitamin A is involved in vision and reproductive health as well as in supporting your immune system, heart, lungs, and other organs. It also has anti-inflammatory properties, which can help reduce chronic inflammation in the gut and increase the abundance of “good” gut bacteria.
Good sources of vitamin A include fruits like cantaloupe, mangos, and apricots; green leafy vegetables and other green, orange, and yellow vegetables, including spinach, sweet potatoes, carrots, broccoli, and winter squash; certain types of fish, such as herring and salmon; dairy products like milk and cheese; fortified breakfast cereals; eggs; and beef liver and other organ meats.
While vitamin A is not directly involved in digestion, gastrointestinal disorders can affect the ileum — where bile salts are absorbed to aid fat digestion, says Stacey Collins, RDN, an IBD nutritionist based in Texas. “This may potentially lead to malabsorption of fat-soluble vitamins like vitamin A,” she says.
One study out of China suggests that vitamin A supplementation may help ease symptoms of ulcerative colitis in mice, though more research on humans is needed. The vitamin’s impact on the gut microbiome may be partially responsible, Jennings says.
“The vitamin A supplement [in the aforementioned study] led to more diverse microorganisms in the intestinal tract [in mice], which seemed to help decrease the ulcerative colitis symptoms,” Jennings says. “There have been some studies in humans that have demonstrated some improvement of symptoms [of ulcerative colitis] with 25,000 international units (IU) daily dosing of vitamin A, but research in the area is in the early stages.”
Talk to your doctor or healthcare provider before taking a vitamin A supplement.
5. Vitamin E
Vitamin E is an important antioxidant that also supports the immune system and blood circulation, among other functions. Food sources include nuts, seeds, and some vegetable oils, such as sunflower and safflower oils.
It also helps protect the gut, says Andrew Boxer, MD, gastroenterologist at Gastroenterology Associates of New Jersey in Clifton.
“It keeps the lining of the intestines strong and healthy by fighting off damage from inflammation and free radicals,” he says. “A healthy gut lining is important because it acts like a barrier, letting good nutrients in while keeping harmful things out.”
Some research also suggests vitamin E can help support the gut microbiota, which is important for immunity and digestion, Boxer adds.
Because vitamin E is fat-soluble, people with conditions like IBD are more likely to have vitamin E deficiency, he notes.
“Most people can get enough just by eating a balanced diet,” Boxer says. “Supplements are usually only needed if someone has trouble absorbing fat, like with certain digestive diseases.”
Talk to your doctor or healthcare provider before taking a vitamin E supplement.
“Fatigue could be from low B vitamin levels because they are involved in energy production. Vitamin B12 deficiency can also lead to diarrhea, constipation, bloating, gas, nausea, and vomiting,” she explains. “Niacin (B3) deficiency can cause diarrhea. Imbalances in the gut microbiota can cause gastrointestinal symptoms as well.”
It’s important to see a healthcare provider if you’re experiencing persistent symptoms, Lee says. They can check for issues like gluten sensitivity (which can lead to malnutrition and vitamin deficiencies) and digestive conditions, such as IBD or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
Because digestive health isn’t “one size fits all,” Collins recommends speaking with a healthcare provider before starting any supplements, especially if you have a digestive disorder.
“Supplementation should be personalized,” she says. “Speak with your gastroenterologist or a GI-experienced dietitian if you need support here, and do not follow the crowd, especially if you have IBD.”
Additionally, consider the following:
More Isn’t Always Better “It’s possible to take too much of a particular vitamin or mineral, which can lead to toxic overdoses in the body,” says Vijay Prabhakar, MD, gastroenterologist with Providence St. Jude Medical Center in Fullerton, California. This is most likely to occur with iron, calcium, vitamin D, and vitamin A. Over time, having too much of these nutrients in the body can lead to side effects like upset stomach and vomiting as well as more serious problems like kidney stones. Taking more than 4,000 IU of vitamin D could be dangerous unless recommended by your doctor for certain conditions caused by a deficiency. As for vitamin A, the tolerable upper intake level (UL) is 10,000 IU.
Choose a High-Quality Supplement In the United States, the FDA doesn’t regulate supplements in the same way as conventional medications. Look for products that are approved by USP, NSF, or ConsumerLab.com, indicating they’ve been third-party tested for safety and purity, Collins suggests.
Monitor and Reassess If you do start a supplement, your healthcare provider may recommend regular monitoring, which may include blood tests to check nutrient levels, Dr. Prabhakar says. Based on this information, they can help you decide when or if it’s time to change your dose or discontinue, he adds.
Certain vitamins are critical for proper digestion and gut health, such as several of the B vitamins and vitamins A, C, D, and E.
Make sure you’re eating a balanced and varied diet to keep your digestive system healthy and strong. The best sources of digestive-related vitamins are whole foods, including fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, eggs, nuts, and seeds.
If you have a gastrointestinal disorder, are on a restrictive diet, or worry you might not be getting enough of a certain nutrient, speak with your doctor for personalized advice before starting a supplement.
