Microbe-derived enzymes synthesized from yeasts or fungi are another alternative and generally require lower dosing. Herbs with bitter flavor are also used to support and improve digestion and nutrient absorption.

Digestive bitters like ginger, wormwood, gentian, burdock root, dandelion root, and artichoke leaf are taken in your mouth before eating to stimulate the bitter taste buds. This signals your digestive system to start the process of digestion by producing more saliva, gastric juices, and enzymes to optimize digestion and absorption of your food.

Studies show that stress has many impacts on digestion and nutrient absorption, is related to functional gastrointestinal disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome IBS , and creates imbalances in the gut microbiome. The activation of the sympathetic nervous system during stress contributes to changes in motility or movement in the gastrointestinal tract.

If motility slows, you can have an increased risk of dysbiosis like SIBO. On the other hand, stress can also contribute to increased motility, which impairs nutrient absorption. Stress also increases inflammatory cytokines that damage the intestinal lining and cause impaired nutrient absorption.

Studies also show stress -induced changes in the microbiome that lead to dysbiosis and significantly affect the microbiome's functioning.

You can adapt your lifestyle for better nutrient absorption in several powerful ways. Mindful eating involves your food and mind-body present moment state with a non-judgmental awareness.

This approach has been shown to counter digestive disturbances attributed to stress. Getting adequate restorative sleep is also crucial for digestion and the health of your microbiome.

To get at least hours each night, establish a regular sleep routine to go to sleep and wake up at the same time each day and set up your sleep environment to be dark, quiet, and cool.

Exercising regularly but not too intensely is also beneficial for digestion and the microbiome. Incorporating mind-body practices like yoga and tai chi can be especially beneficial for calming the mind and nervous system while getting in movement.

You need the proper balance of nutrients to maintain optimal health and functioning. Your digestive tract allows you to digest and absorb nutrients you consume in food and supplements when it works properly. The small intestine is the primary source of nutrient absorption and depends on help from the mouth, stomach, liver, gallbladder, and pancreas to adequately digest and absorb nutrients.

Health issues that impact these organs, the intestinal surface, the balance of microbes in your gut microbiome , inflammation levels, and more can influence how well you absorb various nutrients. Functional medicine offers a comprehensive multimodal approach to understanding and addressing the underlying factors contributing to poor absorption of nutrients.

This allows for a personalized approach incorporating diet, lifestyle, supplementation, and stress management to optimize nutrient absorption and restore balance. Barone, M. Gut microbiome—micronutrient interaction: The key to controlling the bioavailability of minerals and vitamins?

BioFactors , 48 2 , — Basile, E. Physiology, Nutrient Absorption. gov; StatPearls Publishing. Bek, S. Association between irritable bowel syndrome and micronutrients: A systematic review.

Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology , 37 8 , — Blake, K. Anti Inflammatory Diet What to Eat and Avoid Plus Specialty Labs To Monitor Results. Rupa Health. Cherpak, C. Mindful eating: a review of how the stress-digestion-mindfulness triad may modulate and improve gastrointestinal and digestive function.

Cloyd, J. Top Lab Test to Run on Your Iron Deficiency Anemia Patients. A Functional Medicine Protocol for Leaky Gut Syndrome. How To Test for Lactose Intolerance.

Bile Acids Testing, Interpreting, Treatment. How to Heal Your Gut Naturally With Functional Nutrition. What are Digestive Enzymes: How to Test Your Patients Levels. A Functional Medicine Celiac Disease Protocol: Specialty Testing, Nutrition, and Supplements.

The Importance of Comprehensive Stool Testing in Functional Medicine. Macro and Micronutrients Uncovered: Understanding Their Role, Deficiencies, and Clinical Relevance. Cloyd, K. Gut Microbiome Diversity: The Cornerstone of Immune Resilience. Conner, V. Greenan, S. Constant Burping Is A Sign Of This Harmful Bacterial Overgrowth.

Guo, Y. Irritable Bowel Syndrome Is Positively Related to Metabolic Syndrome: A Population-Based Cross-Sectional Study. PLoS ONE , 9 11 , e Hadadi, N. Intestinal microbiota as a route for micronutrient bioavailability. Current Opinion in Endocrine and Metabolic Research , 20 , Kielbiski, E.

What Are Digestive Enzymes and How Do They Work? Kresge, K. IBS vs IBD: Know The Symptoms. Weight Loss, Diarrhea, And Gas Are Signs Of This Dangerous Condition. How Does Low Stomach Acid Affect Your Body?

LoBisco, S. How Food Affects Your Mood Through The Gut-Brain Axis. How To Build A Healthy Microbiome From Birth. Maholy, N. How to reduce stress through mind-body therapies. The Role of Probiotics and Prebiotics in Gut Health: An Integrative Perspective.

Mailing, L. Exercise and the Gut Microbiome. Exercise and Sport Sciences Reviews , 47 2 , 75— Malani, S. Inflammatory Markers How To Interpret. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Patricia, J. Physiology, Digestion. PubMed; StatPearls Publishing. Preston, J. Functional Medicine Treatment for Malabsorption Syndrome.

Sweetnich, J. How Stress Affects Our Gut Health. Unlocking the Benefits of Vitamin B The Importance of Maintaining Optimal Levels. Overview of The Liver Top Conditions, Specialty Testing, and Integrative Medicine Treatment Options.

Overview of The Pancreas: Top Conditions, Specialty Testing, and Integrative Medicine Treatment Options. Integrative Treatment Options for Common Small Intestine Disorders: Specialty Testing, Nutrition, Supplements.

Integrative Treatment Options for Common Large Intestine Disorders and Diseases: Specialty Testing, Nutrition, Supplements. Weinberg, J. An Integrative Medicine Approach to Celiac Disease. Dry Mouth And Eyes Are The First Signs Of This Autoimmune Disease.

Pancreatitis: Causes, Risk Factors, and Treatments. How Short Chain Fatty Acids Affects Our Mood, Digestion, and Metabolism. An Integrative Medicine Approach to Kidney Stones.

Should You Use Herbal Bitters for Digestion? The Science of Sleep: Functional Medicine for Restorative Sleep.

Impact of Plant-Based Diets on Chronic Inflammation Reduction. Weisshof, R. Micronutrient deficiencies in inflammatory bowel disease. Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care , 18 6 , — Documents Tab. Redesigned Patient Portal. Simplify blood panel ordering with Rupa's Panel Builder.

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Nutrient Fact Sheets. Research Studies. Running Your Business. Women's Health. Common Digestive Disorders Affecting Absorption A healthy and balanced digestive tract is required to properly absorb nutrients at these various locations along your small intestine.

Functional Medicine Lab Testing for Digestive Health Functional medicine looks for underlying contributing factors that play a role in poor absorption, including assessing digestive health through lab tests. Nutritional Strategies for Enhanced Absorption To optimize nutrient absorption, assessing and ensuring that each step of the digestive process is functioning adequately is essential.

The Role of Gut Microbiota in Digestion A key consideration of gut health for optimal digestion revolves around the interplay of gut microbiota and nutrient absorption.

Supplements and Digestive Enzymes In some cases, supplements for digestion, like digestive enzymes or bitters, may be necessary to support nutrient absorption and healing.

The information provided is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult with your doctor or other qualified healthcare provider before taking any dietary supplement or making any changes to your diet or exercise routine.

Lab Tests in This Article GI Effects® Comprehensive Profile - 3 day. The GI Effects® Comprehensive Profile is a group of advanced stool tests that assess digestive function, intestinal inflammation, and the intestinal microbiome to assist in the management of gastrointestinal health.

This is the 3-day version of the test; it is also available as a 1-day test. Micronutrient Test. Fat-soluble nutrients have a range of functions, from keeping your bones strong, immune support and supporting healthy skin. Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin therefore consumption alongside fat will automatically increase nutrient absorption.

Interesting research also suggests that vitamin D and omega 3 could work together to improve cognitive function and mood. Whilst the mechanism for this link is still unclear, it is thought that both these nutrients work together to maintain healthy levels of serotonin the brain.

Many think of calcium as the vitamin essential for bone health, but did you know that Vitamin D is critical for the absorption of calcium from the gut? In fact, both these nutrients are key for optimal bone density.

Black pepper increases the absorption and potency of curcumin. Lycopene is a fat-soluble antioxidant responsible for the bright red colour found in fruit and vegetables such as watermelons and tomatoes. Emerging research suggests that lycopene may support heart health. As general rule of thumb, the redder the tomato, the more lycopene it is likely to have.

Interestingly, the bioavailability of this antioxidant drastically increases when combined with fat. Lily is a London Nutritionist who graduated from Newcastle University with a BSc Hons degree in Food and Human Nutrition AfN accredited where she was awarded the Sage Faculty for Excellence Scholarship on an annual basis.

She then went on to complete a 2-year post-graduate Diploma in Nutritional Therapy and is currently working towards her MSc in Nutritional Medicine AfN accredited at the University of Surrey.

In the first portion of the small intestine or duodenum , the chyme mixes with digestive juices, enzymes, and bile from the pancreas , liver , and gallbladder to prepare it for further absorption. In this section of the intestines, most of the iron, calcium , phosphorus, magnesium, copper, selenium, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, biotin, folate, and the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K are absorbed.

In the next section of the small intestine jejunum , broken-down fats are absorbed into the lymphatic system, and amino acids from digested proteins are absorbed into the bloodstream.

Additionally, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenate, biotin, folate, pyridoxine, ascorbic acid, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium iron , zinc, chromium, manganese, molybdenum, lipids, monosaccharides, small peptides, and the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K are absorbed in this area.

Finally, the remaining nutrients pass into the most distal segment of the small intestine ileum. Bile salts and acids, ascorbic acid, folate, cobalamin, vitamin D, vitamin K, and magnesium are absorbed here.

The remaining fibers and wastes pass into the large intestine, where water is absorbed, and feces are prepared for elimination.

A healthy and balanced digestive tract is required to properly absorb nutrients at these various locations along your small intestine. If your body cannot properly absorb the nutrients that you eat, malabsorption can occur and result in various types of malnutrition.

Several common digestive disorders can impair nutrient absorption, such as low stomach acid, gallbladder issues, Crohn's disease , celiac disease, and irritable bowel syndrome IBS. You need adequate stomach acid to break down your food for absorption in the small intestines and proper absorption of minerals like calcium , magnesium, and iron, and vitamin B Later on in the digestive process, you need bile to emulsify fats for absorption.

Severe inflammation of the gallbladder or gallstones can prevent or reduce the release of bile, leading to inefficient absorption of fat and fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K. Celiac disease occurs when the immune system mounts an autoimmune attack in response to exposure to gluten, a protein found in grains like wheat, barley, rye, and spelt.

This chronic inflammatory process damages the small intestinal villi that are crucial to nutrient absorption. In addition to diarrhea and other intestinal symptoms, the resulting nutrient malabsorption seen in celiac disease can cause fatigue, failure to thrive in children , weight loss in adults , recurrent canker sores, reduced bone density, and iron deficiency anemia.

This form of inflammatory bowel disease IBD causes deficiencies in iron, vitamin B12 , folate, vitamin D, magnesium, and other nutrients since the damaged intestines cannot effectively absorb nutrients.

Irritable bowel syndrome IBS is a functional gastrointestinal disorder given when other causes of gastrointestinal discomfort and gastrointestinal dysfunction are excluded. Research suggests that IBS involves the interplay of genetics, lifestyle, stress, nervous system dysfunction, inflammation , and imbalances in the gut microbiome.

IBS disrupts the absorption of various nutrients, with people with IBS having lower levels of vitamin B2, vitamin D, calcium, and iron. Functional medicine looks for underlying contributing factors that play a role in poor absorption, including assessing digestive health through lab tests.

Evaluate the health of the gut and uncovering any conditions impacting the gastrointestinal tract and digestive process can help pinpoint specific issues affecting nutrient absorption to guide personalized treatment plans.

Lab testing in functional medicine for digestion includes stool analysis, micronutrient testing, and food sensitivity tests. For example, a comprehensive stool test like the GI-Effects by Genova Diagnostics provides a deep look at gut health and function by analyzing a stool sample.

This test provides an extensive analysis of the byproducts of digestion to help pinpoint any maldigestion and malabsorption. It also looks at markers of intestinal inflammation and microbial balance to uncover underlying issues that can contribute to malabsorption, such as dysbiosis, infections, and immune dysregulation.

The Micronutrient Test by SpectraCell Laboratories assesses the levels of various nutrients in the body to diagnose deficiencies and help target areas of possible issues with absorption. For example, low zinc levels can contribute to poor production of stomach acid, resulting in poor absorption of proteins, vitamin B12 , iron , and calcium.

Food allergies, sensitivities, and intolerances can contribute to inflammation and damage to the absorptive surface of the small intestine.

Functional medicine testing can uncover food allergies, sensitivities, and other issues with malabsorption. The item Food Sensitivity test from Alletess Medical Laboratory evaluates IgG immune-mediated food sensitivities that can cause delayed reactions and digestive problems.

Diagnostic Solutions can also test IgE-mediated Food Allergies with the IgE Allergy Explorer. Issues with malabsorption of various sugars can be tested with breath tests from Commonwealth Diagnostics looking at malabsorption of fructose , lactose , or sucrose malabsorption.

Blood tests are also available to help diagnose wheat and gluten-related disorders that may contribute to absorption issues. These laboratory tests are one part of a holistic approach to digestion optimization.

Functional medicine identifies common root causes of digestive imbalances such as diet, lifestyle, stress, dysbiosis, and exposure to environmental toxins. These factors can then be addressed as part of an individualized plan to bring the body back into balance and optimize nutrient absorption.

Rather than solely focusing on symptoms, functional medicine for digestive health assesses your symptoms along with your medical and family history, lifestyle, environment, and testing to determine what nutrients are deficient and why you are having difficulty absorbing these nutrients.

Based on the assessed information, functional medicine practitioners develop a tailored treatment plan that aims to address the specific underlying causes of poor nutrient absorption in an individual patient. Functional medicine management strategies for impaired digestive health and nutrient absorption issues commonly incorporate nutritional strategies, supplementation, and lifestyle modifications to support optimal digestion and absorption.

To optimize nutrient absorption, assessing and ensuring that each step of the digestive process is functioning adequately is essential. Nutritional strategies for digestion are a critical part of enhancing absorption and restoring nutrient levels in the body. For example, chewing thoroughly to liquid consistency before swallowing prepares your food for proper digestion and absorption.

Similarly, taking bitters or apple cider vinegar can support stomach acid levels. A diet for better nutrient absorption should be individualized based on identifying specific nutrient deficiencies, gut health issues, and other health needs.

It is also generally helpful for improving absorption and reducing inflammation for most people to eliminate gluten. This is crucial to improve intestinal permeability, inflammation, autoimmunity, and balance in the microbiome to optimize nutrient absorption.

A plant -focused diet based around vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, seeds, herbs, and spices provides plenty of fiber, polyphenols , and a variety of nutrients. Adding in fermented foods like kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, and live-culture yogurt provides live probiotic cultures that support a diverse intestinal microbiome, providing anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-allergenic properties that can improve digestion, lactose intolerance, and nutrient absorption.

Supporting bile flow from the liver and gallbladder can also help optimize nutrient absorption. Foods like artichokes and bitter greens like dandelion, arugula, and endives help to stimulate bile flow. For example, phytic and oxalic acids in plant foods can inhibit calcium absorption, but boiling green, leafy vegetables helps reduce oxalate content.

To optimize the absorption of nonheme iron , consume foods rich in plant-based iron like whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, dried fruits, and green leafy vegetables with vitamin C. A key consideration of gut health for optimal digestion revolves around the interplay of gut microbiota and nutrient absorption.

Your gut is home to trillions of microorganisms that make up your microbiome. A balanced microbiome plays many key roles in your health, including optimizing the production and absorption of nutrients.

The balance of microbes at each section of your digestive tract significantly impacts your nutrient status by playing essential roles in the biosynthesis and bioavailability of several micronutrients. There is a bidirectional micronutrient—microbiome axis.

The nutrients you consume help to shape the balance of microbes in your gut since they destroy many of these nutrients for growth and survival.

In the other direction, your gut microbiota produces significant quantities of a wide range of nutrients. Your microbiome is especially important for the production of vitamin K and B group vitamins.

The microbes in your gut also enhance the absorption of minerals such as iron and calcium. You need the right microbes in your microbiome to assist with the digestion of complex carbohydrates and fibers that you cannot digest on your own.

This helps absorb essential nutrients and produces short-chain fatty acids SCFAs that help maintain a healthy gut, metabolism, and balanced inflammation. You can support a diverse microbiome by eating an anti-inflammatory diet rich in fiber, fermented foods, and prebiotics like asparagus, garlic, and dandelion greens while limiting processed foods, additives, and refined sugars.

In some cases, probiotic supplementation can be added if needed based on stool testing. In some cases, supplements for digestion, like digestive enzymes or bitters, may be necessary to support nutrient absorption and healing.

As discussed above, your body needs enzymes from your gastrointestinal tract and its accessory organs to fully break down and absorb nutrients. Certain health conditions result in insufficiency of some of these digestive enzymes.

In these cases, taking exogenous replacement enzymes may be necessary to help your GI tract break down and absorb nutrients. For example, exocrine pancreatic insufficiency EPI can develop due to cystic fibrosis, autoimmune diseases like Sjogren's syndrome , and pancreatitis , causing the pancreas to produce too few digestive enzymes.

In other cases, a person may have insufficient enzymes needed to digest specific sugars. This can be genetic in conditions like congenital sucrase-isomaltase deficiency or acquired in lactose intolerance caused by acute gastrointestinal infections, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth SIBO , celiac disease, and Crohn's disease.

Environmental and lifestyle factors can also impact digestive enzyme production. Excessive alcohol intake, smoking, and chronic stress can all decrease the production of digestive enzymes. Depending on your individual needs, digestive enzymes are available in various forms.

Individual specific enzymes like lactase can be taken to target a specific deficiency, or multi-enzyme supplementation containing a variety of enzymes such as amylase, lipase, and protease enzymes can work synergistically.

These can be derived from animal sources or come from plants like bromelain from pineapple. Microbe-derived enzymes synthesized from yeasts or fungi are another alternative and generally require lower dosing.

Herbs with bitter flavor are also used to support and improve digestion and nutrient absorption. Digestive bitters like ginger, wormwood, gentian, burdock root, dandelion root, and artichoke leaf are taken in your mouth before eating to stimulate the bitter taste buds.

This signals your digestive system to start the process of digestion by producing more saliva, gastric juices, and enzymes to optimize digestion and absorption of your food.

Studies show that stress has many impacts on digestion and nutrient absorption, is related to functional gastrointestinal disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome IBS , and creates imbalances in the gut microbiome.

The activation of the sympathetic nervous system during stress contributes to changes in motility or movement in the gastrointestinal tract. If motility slows, you can have an increased risk of dysbiosis like SIBO. On the other hand, stress can also contribute to increased motility, which impairs nutrient absorption.

Stress also increases inflammatory cytokines that damage the intestinal lining and cause impaired nutrient absorption. Studies also show stress -induced changes in the microbiome that lead to dysbiosis and significantly affect the microbiome's functioning.

You can adapt your lifestyle for better nutrient absorption in several powerful ways. Mindful eating involves your food and mind-body present moment state with a non-judgmental awareness.

This approach has been shown to counter digestive disturbances attributed to stress. Getting adequate restorative sleep is also crucial for digestion and the health of your microbiome.

To get at least hours each night, establish a regular sleep routine to go to sleep and wake up at the same time each day and set up your sleep environment to be dark, quiet, and cool.

Exercising regularly but not too intensely is also beneficial for digestion and the microbiome. Incorporating mind-body practices like yoga and tai chi can be especially beneficial for calming the mind and nervous system while getting in movement.

You need the proper balance of nutrients to maintain optimal health and functioning. Your digestive tract allows you to digest and absorb nutrients you consume in food and supplements when it works properly. The small intestine is the primary source of nutrient absorption and depends on help from the mouth, stomach, liver, gallbladder, and pancreas to adequately digest and absorb nutrients.

Health issues that impact these organs, the intestinal surface, the balance of microbes in your gut microbiome , inflammation levels, and more can influence how well you absorb various nutrients. Functional medicine offers a comprehensive multimodal approach to understanding and addressing the underlying factors contributing to poor absorption of nutrients.

This allows for a personalized approach incorporating diet, lifestyle, supplementation, and stress management to optimize nutrient absorption and restore balance.

Barone, M. Gut microbiome—micronutrient interaction: The key to controlling the bioavailability of minerals and vitamins? BioFactors , 48 2 , — Basile, E.

Physiology, Nutrient Absorption. gov; StatPearls Publishing. Bek, S. Association between irritable bowel syndrome and micronutrients: A systematic review.

Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology , 37 8 , — Blake, K. Anti Inflammatory Diet What to Eat and Avoid Plus Specialty Labs To Monitor Results. Rupa Health.

Cherpak, C. Mindful eating: a review of how the stress-digestion-mindfulness triad may modulate and improve gastrointestinal and digestive function.

Cloyd, J. Top Lab Test to Run on Your Iron Deficiency Anemia Patients. A Functional Medicine Protocol for Leaky Gut Syndrome.

How To Test for Lactose Intolerance. Bile Acids Testing, Interpreting, Treatment. How to Heal Your Gut Naturally With Functional Nutrition. What are Digestive Enzymes: How to Test Your Patients Levels. A Functional Medicine Celiac Disease Protocol: Specialty Testing, Nutrition, and Supplements.

The Importance of Comprehensive Stool Testing in Functional Medicine. Macro and Micronutrients Uncovered: Understanding Their Role, Deficiencies, and Clinical Relevance. Cloyd, K. Gut Microbiome Diversity: The Cornerstone of Immune Resilience.

Conner, V. Greenan, S. Constant Burping Is A Sign Of This Harmful Bacterial Overgrowth. Guo, Y. Irritable Bowel Syndrome Is Positively Related to Metabolic Syndrome: A Population-Based Cross-Sectional Study.

PLoS ONE , 9 11 , e Hadadi, N. As children, you needed more nutrients than adults because your lifestyle required more energy, she notes. And when you're older, your body won't digest certain vitamins like B12 as well as others, because your stomach acid decreases as you age.

But for vegans and vegetarians specifically, "certain plant-based foods have different absorbability rates, and those can change, depending on how you treat those foods and even what you might be eating those foods with," she says. Luckily, there are certain nutrients that, when paired together, can increase your ability to absorb them.

Here are a few that Perez recommends having at the same time. Iron deficiency is a huge concern for people on a plant-based diet, says Perez. Plant-based sources of iron are more absorbable when you pair them with something that's high in vitamin C, she says. For example, consider eating a burrito with beans, which are high in iron, and diced bell peppers, which have a healthy serving of vitamin C.

Found in grains, seeds and legumes like chickpeas, zinc can be better absorbed when paired with sulfur. You may already be cooking your chickpeas with sources of sulfur like onions and garlic, and that's making your zinc absorption even better.

Absorbing antioxidants on a vegan diet can be a bit tricky. So, to ensure you're absorbing them properly, you should cook tomatoes, that are rich in the antioxidant lycopene, with fats like olive oil, says Perez.

Bone health is vital for everyone, even those who aren't vegan, and calcium is helpful for strengthening your bones. Pair calcium-rich sources like soy milk, almond milk or plant-based yogurts with a walk outside, because the source of vitamin D from sunlight can help you better absorb the calcium.

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