Consumers are connecting the dots between gut health and overall well-being, recognizing implications for digestion, immune function, and more. At the same time, the pace of research investigating the role that millions of microorganisms play in modulating various aspects of health has continued to accelerate.

“Listening to your gut” has taken on new meaning for consumers, noted Pam Stauffer, global marketing programs manager at Cargill. “Digestive health is now a top priority for nearly eight in 10 consumers globally, and more than half are now choosing products that help support their digestive health (HealthFocus International).”

Digestive wellness is also the top trend in nutrition and health, according to New Nutrition Business. Not surprisingly, the category is generating strong numbers, Stauffer said, with overall global sales predicted to reach $57 billion by 2026 with a 7% CAGR, according to a 2019 report from Acumen Research and Consulting.

Market Momentum
“Part of what’s driving this significant growth is that consumers are shifting from older dietary paradigms which support, for example, heart health, to those emphasizing digestive health as the center of overall health and wellness,” Stauffer continued. “This is compounded by the fact that digestive health concerns are fairly common at 20%, with 45% of global consumers noting high concern about digestive health (HealthFocus). There is also a perceived connection between gut health and a variety of overall health attributes, ranging from physical health to appearance.”

Gut health has consistently been one of the top categories within the natural wellness and dietary supplement industries because so many people suffer from poor digestion and its consequences, said Nena Dockery, scientific and regulatory affairs manager, Stratum Nutrition, LLC, noting issues like acid reflux, bloating, constipation/diarrhea, and heartburn. “Diet, stress, medications, and lifestyle habits all contribute to the large number of individuals who have at least occasional digestive upset; and most consumers who purchase either natural products or OTC digestive aids are looking for immediate relief and are unaware of the long-term consequences of even small inadequacies in the digestive process.”

Consumer health media continues to educate consumers about the link between gut health/digestion and overall health and immune resilience, said Sam Michini, vice president of marketing & strategy, Deerland Probiotics & Enzymes. “Consumer are also seeing a plethora of new products—beverages as well as supplements—with claims about supporting gut health and immunity, often intertwined. One area that is impacting the gut health space is consumers’ increased awareness of how stress affects gut health, and by association, immunity. This is the area of opportunity for R&D.”

Stacy Dill, global marketing director, PanTheryx APS La Belle, also noted the gut and digestive health industry has done a good job of educating consumers about the importance of taking care of their gut, which is evident in the rise of the probiotics category. “As more people learned that the intestines are the largest immune organ in the body, and ‘microbiome’ and ‘gut health’ started trending, the connection to probiotics was made and probiotic sales skyrocketed. Today, many consumers see the value in taking a probiotic daily instead of only when they’re experiencing digestive issues.”

Gut health is inherently experiential, said Dan Murray, vice president of business development, Xsto Solutions, LLC. “When we don’t feel well inside, it affects our entire disposition and our ability to function in everyday life. Just a small change in such a delicately balanced microbiome system can have a significant effect. While it should be self-correcting, we can unknowingly do ourselves good and harm by our behavior and choices.”

With some estimates indicating one-third of the global population experiencing some form of gut related symptoms, Julie Impérato, marketing manager, Nexira, noted that the digestive health market has nearly tripled in size in the last decade to reach $2.96 billion in 2018, with sales predicted to reach $3.9 billion by 2021, according to Nutrition Business Journal.

“Prebiotics, the food or fertilizer that supports bacteria, are expected to gain market share within the digestive category,” Impérato said. “According to new research from Transparency Market Research, the global prebiotics market stood at $3.5 billion in 2017, but it is expected to reach $7.7 billion by 2025, with a promising CAGR of 10.3% for the next seven years.”

According to Nexira’s own consumer study in the U.S., consumers associate prebiotics with digestive health, but they need simple explanations to understand the real health benefits.

Impérato identified another market driver: storytelling and the sustainability of ingredients. According to the Natural Marketing Institute (NMI), Impérato said, “the increasing number of food product launches with an ‘ethical and environmental’ claim are also revealing the trend toward sustainable food processes. Millennials’ purchasing behavior is expanding across a greater range of categories driven by their entry into new life stages such as home ownership and parenthood. That said, Millennials are increasingly looking for products to be sustainable and eco-friendly with twice as many indicating they are willing to pay a premium for them compared to 10 years ago.” Nexira has recently positioned its inavea (acacia) ingredient in this context, claiming to be “the first carbon neutral ingredient brand.”

Growth Factors
Increasingly, consumers are aware that “what happens in the belly doesn’t stay in the belly,” said Denisse Colindres, manager, nutritional communication, North America Region, Beneo. “A large majority of consumers worldwide are already aware of this fact, stating that digestive health is very or extremely important to their overall health. In addition, a recent HealthFocus International study found that of those surveyed, 42% were very or extremely interested in the gut microbiome.”

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, consumers have become even more conscious about their immune health, she added. “In the food and beverage market, immune health is closely connected with digestive health as illustrated in recent consumer research. The top three benefits linked with gut health were ‘overall physical health’ (73%), ‘overall mental well-being’ (69%), and ‘immune function’ (69%) (HealthFocus).”

Understanding about digestive health has grown by leaps and bounds in recent years, according to Justin Green, director of scientific affairs, Cargill Health Technologies. “A growing body of research supports the idea that millions of microorganisms (microbiota) not only live in our gut but are also critical to our overall health and well-being. The gut microbiome helps the body to digest certain foods such as dietary fibers. Among other benefits, this gives the cells of our gut lining energy to do their jobs and synthesizes a number of vitamins such as B and K. In addition, emerging research suggests links between gut health and the immune system, mood, mental health, cardiovascular health and more.”

In 2020, there were over 20,000 scientific publications on the term “microbiome” according to the PubMed database, noted Sid Shastri, director of marketing, Kaneka Probiotics. The last decade has seen a “steep trajectory of publications in this field,” underscoring a “relative embryological awareness” until somewhat recently.

“There have been several factors at play driving the awareness of gut health,” he added. “The 20,000 publications in the last year that mentioned ‘microbiome’ are establishing the pivotal role of the gut for the whole body. And we can’t underestimate the powerful voice of the buyer. Their influence through online engagement is at times as powerful as paid media. To that point, probiotics have taken a tremendous leap in the last year through a 113% growth in reviews year over year (Lumina Intelligence, 2020).” Two out of five global consumers now consider having a healthy gut as most important to achieve immune health (Innova Market Insights, 2020).

Consumers today are very conscientious about what they put in and on their bodies, noted Reshma Rathi, vice president of operations, Specialty Enzymes & Probiotics, propelling a movement toward more natural and organic products. “Many of the chronic issues a growing number of consumers are facing start with poor gut health. Elements of our modern lifestyles, especially pre-COVID, contribute to poor gut health, including antibiotics, diet, and stress.”

Gut health has a monumental influence on how our bodies function, Rathi added. “Research shows indigenous microflora, especially in the large intestine, has a profound effect on not only digestive and immune health, but also the gut-brain connection, microbiome, and overall health and well-being. When your gut microbiome is imbalanced, your whole body feels the effects. The most common effects of an imbalance in the microbiome include diarrhea, constipation, bloating, gas, and mood changes.”

According to Shaheen Majeed, president worldwide, Sabinsa, as consumers learn more about digestive health and all the implications that it has for the well-being of their bodies and minds, “they are looking for products that go beyond probiotics, creating a booming digestive health category that is ripe for innovation.”

In fact, consumer awareness of gut health has gotten so high, “people are realizing today that almost every benefit they seek—whether it is clearer skin, more energy, better health or improved mood—all have a gut health connection,” Majeed said.

Fresh opportunity lies in developing immunity-boosting or mood-enhancing gut health products, he suggested. “No category is off limits for innovation, and whether formulating with pre-, pro-, or postbiotics, we have a gut-feeling that consumer hunger for great-tasting products that promote digestion is far from satiated.”

Developing Science
Teeming with life, the microbiome is a “microcosm of bacteria, fungi, viruses, and their genes,” said Michini at Deerland. “When in balance and working appropriately, these agents collectively protect against incoming pathogens and assist in immune function. The microbiome residents likewise assist in digestion to produce energy. Energy production and healthy immune function are the foundation for other areas of wellness. Factors that unfavorably alter the composition and thus activity of the microbiome include chronic stress, poor diet, overweight/obesity, and exposure to pesticides and other environmentally harmful agents.”

Dockery at Stratum Nutrition compared the gastrointestinal tract to a huge Amazon distribution center, and the microbiome to a group of workers in that center. “Just like the products that arrive at the distribution center from all over the world, food and other ingested substances enter the gut where they are inspected and evaluated for functioning directly in the digestive tract or for shipping through the intestinal wall into the rest of the body. And just like the Amazon workers, the unique microbiota that reside in the gut perform a variety of services to ensure that the entire process runs smoothly, efficiently, and effectively.”

Most substances enter the body through the mouth in the form of food, medications and occasionally some undesirable pathogens, she continued. “Within the oral cavity, indigenous bacteria, enzymes, and several secreted substances work together to identify and evaluate the ingested substances and begin the process of digestive breakdown. Keeping the oral microbiome healthy is critical in two important ways. First, some of these bacteria can identify pathogenic bacteria and can make conditions unfavorable for the undesirable bacteria to colonize and reproduce, or they target these bacterial bad guys for destruction and elimination before they have an opportunity to do harm. This stops the pathogens from either being absorbed directly through the oral mucosa or entering the rest of the GI tract.”

The substances that make it past the first level of security then pass through the second level, the highly acidic stomach environment. “It was originally thought that few if any beneficial bacteria are found in the stomach,” said Dockery, “but it is now recognized that genera such as Prevotella, Streptococcus, Veillonella, Rothia, and Haemophilus are important inhabitants of a healthy human stomach, though highly influenced by diet, drugs, and diseases (United European Gastroenterology Journal, 2015, 3(3):255-260).”

The intestinal tract contains the most stable and diverse microbiome, Dockery added. “Here the native bacteria produce digestive enzymes, interact directly with the gut-mediated immune system, and help strengthen and maintain the integrity of the intestinal wall, helping to ensure that nutrients are absorbed, and large food fragments and pathogens are blocked.”

More than 70% of the immune system is situated in the intestine, according to Colindres at Beneo, and the gut is also home to trillions of microbes. “These gut microbes play an important role in regulating the immune system. Also, imbalances in the gut microbiota have been linked to poor immunity and diseases. Therefore, it makes sense that good health and inner protection starts with promoting a balanced and healthy gut microbiota.”

A notable development in the field of gut health research and the microbiome is the concept that nutrients don’t need to be absorbed in the upper gastrointestinal tract to have a beneficial health impact, said Green, from Cargill. Rather, they can interact with the gut or gut lining. “Some examples include affecting the microbiota (whether by adding to it with probiotics or modulating it with prebiotics) to strengthen the many roles the microbiota already plays.”

It is also becoming clear that conversion of nutrients by the microbiota changes these molecules into metabolites that may be more bioavailable and/or more bioactive, he added. “A phytonutrient that is not normally absorbed may still be important in nutrition or supplementation if it is converted into a compound that is absorbed and can have a beneficial effect.”

Scientific evidence has advanced to show that “dead” microbes are effective in generating many of the health benefits that are seen with live probiotics, Green said. “Growing these microorganisms in a facility to harvest their constituents and metabolites is, in essence, fermentation; and the constituents of these microorganisms that are now being used as supplements include short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), microbial cell fractions, functional proteins, extracellular polysaccharides, cell lysates or the whole fermentation broth, including the spent media, that has subsequently had the microbes heat-killed and dried into a powder.  This last category is named a fermentate, which is a type of postbiotic. This has big ramifications on product development because these postbiotics are inherently easier to keep stable during processing and storage as they do not need to be kept alive.”

According to Dill at PanTheryx, science that focuses on the complexity of the digestive system and how it “trains the immune system to protect the brain and the rest of the body,” has opened the door to a greater understanding that overall health truly does “start at the gut.”

“A comprehensive approach to gut health should always be the focus when looking at overall health,” she added. “While the understanding of probiotics has come a long way, there is an opportunity to educate consumers (and product manufacturers) about the importance of prebiotics and growth factors—like those found in bovine colostrum—to repair and/or maintain the protective barrier which helps prevent bacterial toxins from entering the gut, and this in turn truly balances the microbiome.”

Shastri at Kaneka Probiotics noted that for a long time probiotic applications were largely “compartmentalized” to the gut. “This was before the recognition of a bidirectional communication that exists between the gut and different regions of the body, known as axes. For instance, the gut-brain axis is comprised of the gut, brain, and the gut microbiota. Scientists know that along this axis, signals are initiated or received in one region affecting the physiology of another region. Similarly, there are a multitude of axes active in the body, including gut-kidney axis, gut-liver axis, and the heart-gut axis. Therefore, the gut microbiome is a fulcrum point that can deliver health from the gut to distant sites of the body.”

Mechanisms behind the actions of beneficial microbes have only been discovered relatively recently, Shastri continued. “We now know that certain gut bacteria can convert the essential amino acid histidine to histamine via histamine decarboxylase enzyme production.”

Kaneka scientists have been studying the gut-brain axis for years, and recently launched its Lactobacillus plantarum DR7 strain in the U.S. in 2021. “Our exclusive strain demonstrated modulation of the serotonin synthesis pathway. Serotonin plays a major role in cognition and management of anxiety,” said Shastri. “An esoteric fact: 90% of the total serotonin pool in the body comes from the gut. DR7 increases the expression of a key enzyme called TPH (tryptophan hydroxylase), which converts tryptophan to serotonin (Benef Microbes. 2019).”

“What’s unique about our gut-brain probiotic,” he continued, “is its ability to impact immune health also. In a randomized, double-blind clinical trial, DR7 showed protective effects on upper respiratory tract health through anti-inflammatory and immunoenhancement. It’s important to note that although lower gut microbial diversity is associated with increased levels of stress and anxiety, one cannot expect that all probiotic strains can impact the gut-brain axis.”

Rathi at Specialty Enzymes & Probiotics said science and research into the gut-brain axis is still in its early stages, but a clear correlation has been established. “The gut-brain axis is a revolutionary finding that showed the fascinating connection between our gut and our central nervous system. This ground-breaking discovery explained how important a balanced microbiome is to the body in both human and companion animals.”

Sabinsa’s Majeed said the gut microbiome—consisting of trillions of bacteria, fungi, and other microbes—has an enormous impact on health from birth and throughout life. “The gut microbiome is now being viewed as an organ,” Majeed said, “carrying approximately 150 times more genes than are found in the entire human genome, and it represents almost 80% of the entire immune system.”

Microbiome and immunity sciences, fields undergoing rapid evolution, are gaining attention, he continued. “The gut microbiota-immunity interplay seems to have a very important role in all phases of cell function, and activates the immune system by stimulating the maturation and functionality of immune cells, so any change in gut flora directly influences the immune function. The microbiota-immune axis is a central mediator of the gut-brain communication in the context of central nervous system and related disorders (Bartolini et al., 2020).”

Majeed also discussed “immunobiotics,” which have been recently defined as “any substance that exerts a microbiome-mediated immunological effect,” and are thus not limited to probiotics and prebiotics.

“Microbiota-altering therapeutics, using probiotics, prebiotics and synbiotics, present exciting avenues for forms of disease management and increasing overall health and well-being. The synbiotic microorganisms can interact with the brain through the gut-brain axis. The axis includes communication through neurons, hormones, and immune systems. It has been shown that type and number of gut microbiota strongly influence the metabolism and homeostasis of the host organism by the above-mentioned interactions.”

With increasing consumer focus on health and wellness during the COVID-19 pandemic, immunobiotic product claims are expected to continue, he said.

According to Dockery, “virtually all the most prevalent chronic diseases that plague modern society, including obesity, Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and many cancers, can be classified as inflammatory disorders arising from impaired immune functions often caused by alterations in gut microbiota (Nutrients, 2021, 13(2):699).”

Murray at Xsto Solutions said digestive health may be one of the most challenging areas of all human health. “While I wish we could say we have come a long way, we still have so many unexplained conditions such as Crohn’s and IBD and IBS. Combining the challenge of the auto-immune system with the microbiome is like trying to fix the car while driving down the highway.”

One area gaining attention lately is the impact stress from sporting activities has on gut health. “We understand that we are stressing our bodies during competitive events, but we are now looking into how we can reduce the stress and improve our performance. It may be that we reduce the harmful impact of our workouts, so our long game improves with better health and ultimately a better performance.”

An Expanded Catalog
Primary gut wellness goals often relate to easing inflammatory bowel conditions and helping balance microbes in the gut, noted Majeed at Sabinsa. “Probiotic and plant-based dietary fiber help the digestive system efficiently. Ingredients containing minerals, vitamins, herbs, fiber, amino acids, antioxidants, enzymes, prebiotics, and probiotics that support gut health are being incorporated in energy, sports, and vegetable drinks, juices, yogurt, snacks, and fermented foods.”

According to Murray at Xsto Solutions, ingredients that complement a functioning system rather than interrupt normal function make logical sense. “Stopping the production of stomach acid, as an example, will reduce heartburn but will likely cascade into numerous other problems. PepZin GI supports the mucosal lining in the stomach and small intestine, shoring up the natural structure and function of our digestive system. Dozens of human studies support this healthy benefit and it can be combined with other complementary ingredients.”

Enzymes, prebiotics, and probiotics are critical to gut health and wellness, said Rathi at Specialty Enzymes & Probiotics. “Digestive enzymes of course help breakdown food as its being eaten, promoting better digestion and nutrient absorption. Even systemic enzymes can also play a role in gut health.”

Spore-forming probiotics, such as Bacillus coagulans, Bacillus subtilis, and Bacillus clausii, have a protective endospore that allows more of them to survive the harsh conditions of the stomach, she added. They reach the gut intact and are better able to bring balance to gut microflora.

“Research demonstrates an important relationship between balance of microflora in the intestine and function of the immune system. Probiotic supplements help to restore or maintain this balance via competitive exclusion of pathogens, production of antimicrobial compounds, promotion of the intestinal barrier function, immune modulation and even some promising results in the area of inflammatory bowel disease, including with our SEBiotic, Bacillus coagulans LBSC.”

Michini at Deerland said his company’s research continues to explore the effect of supplementation with probiotics and enzymes in the structure and function of the gut, and what the effects of gut support are for immune health. 

“For example, a new clinical study examining the effects of Bacillus subtilis DE111 on immunomodulation has been published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences. In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study involving 44 healthy adults (aged 20 to 62), researchers observed after four weeks of daily consumption of the probiotic DE111 at 1 billion CFU, a significant decrease in the basal levels of several immune cell populations, including CD3+ T cells, cytotoxic T cells and NKT cells. Moreover, the probiotic group showed an increased capacity for immune response in cells stimulated by an induced inflammation. The results suggest that DE111 may modulate the immune system through action on both innate (rapid response) and adaptive (slow response) immune cell types.”

Dietary supplement digestive aids offer a more natural approach to drugs, said Dockery at Stratum Nutrition. A catalog of probiotics, digestive enzymes, herbal blends like marshmallow, ginger, dandelion, fennel, deglycyrrhizinated licorice root, lemon balm, and calendula are all common in today’s market. “Regular use of these can be beneficial for occasional digestive challenges and may help reduce the risk of developing more serious conditions,” she said.  

Probiotics, prebiotics and postbiotics are particularly beneficial because they can function in several different ways to restore homeostasis to the digestive tract, Dockery continued. “For example, probiotics derived from species that are indigenous to the human intestinal tract, such as Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Bifidobacterium bifidum can help discourage colonization of more unfavorable species of bacteria, produce some minor but critical digestive enzymes and help strengthen the intestinal wall. Prebiotics help provide a gut environment conducive to a healthy microbiome. Often products will contain a select blend of probiotic bacteria along with a specific prebiotic for a synbiotic formulation that can be particularly advantageous.”

Postbiotics are the cellular components of heat-treated beneficial bacteria and/or the nutrient media (supernatant) in which they are grown that contains their byproducts or metabolites, Dockery said. Stratum offers a postbiotic LBiome (Lactobacillus LB). “This postbiotic has been used in Europe for over 100 years as a digestive aid, long before the origin of the term ‘postbiotic.’”

Prebiotics, in particular, are on the rise in new products, according to data from Innova Market Insights, which found product launches with prebiotic ingredients were up 15% from 2017 to 2019.

“Cargill’s Oliggo-Fiber chicory root fiber fits in this class of prebiotic fibers. It’s backed by more than 20 years of research, which show its positive effect promoting beneficial bacteria in the gut,” said Green. “Studies have demonstrated that 5 grams of chicory root fiber per day not only add fiber to the diet but can also help feed normal beneficial bacteria in the gut and support a healthy microflora in the digestive tract.”

Postbiotics are the relative newcomers on the digestive health scene and they are starting to gain momentum, he continued. “Cargill’s postbiotic offering is EpiCor, a whole food fermentate clinically shown to support the immune system and positively modulate the gut microbiota.” EpiCor is made through a natural, proprietary process that creates a unique fingerprint of metabolites. More than a dozen published studies show EpiCor helps support a healthy immune system and modulate gut microbiota.

Damien Guillemet, scientific director, Nexira, noted the company’s inavea pure acacia is an “all-natural and organic non-digestible polysaccharide sourced from carefully selected acacia trees. GMO-free and organic, Nexira’s prebiotic acacia is the perfect ingredient choice for clean label products targeting gut health and improved immune function. Nexira’s prebiotic acacia offers a unique sustainable commitment and the value of high digestive tolerance with prebiotic properties.”

Acacia gum is a complex and highly branched polysaccharide which is gradually fermented in the transverse colon and in the distal colon, he added. “It offers a high tolerance, up to 30 g/day with no discomfort.” It is also FODMAP-friendly certified. Nexira’s inavea baobab acacia also offers proven prebiotic effects at 5 g/d which contribute to the balance of microflora for enhanced digestive health and general well-being.

Kaneka Probiotics’ approach to gut wellness comes from a family of strains that have been subjects of published clinical trials, said Shastri. The company’s DR7 strain offers some unique mechanisms not found in other probiotic strains, he said. “The exclusive strain originally isolated from bovine milk has shown an ability to modulate tryptophan metabolism (1×109 CFU/serving), which in turn impacts immunity and inflammation, as well as gut brain benefits.”

Over a 12-week clinical trial, DR7 also significantly improved inflammation biomarkers, as seen by marked decreases of INF-γ and TNF-alpha concentrations and increases of IL-10 (J Dairy Sci. 2019). “In the same study, the scientists were also able to show a 5-fold decrease in the duration of nasal symptoms and a significant benefit to upper respiratory tract health,” said Shastri. “There’s one more thing; as you may expect from a probiotic that can upregulate serotonin synthesis, DR7 has shown in a published study to reduce stress and anxiety in adults (Benef Microbes. 2019). Taken together, DR7 provides a multitude of benefits originating from the gut and extending systemically throughout the body.”

Among the most researched combinations of probiotic strains, according to Dill at PanTheryx, is Bifidobacterium animalis BB-12 and Lactobacillus acidophilus LA-5, which are found in TruBiotics. “For prebiotics, protective proteins and immune factors, bovine (cow) colostrum can be applied to gut wellness,” said Dill. “There are more than 6,000 published studies on the benefits of cow colostrum for human and animal nutrition. Research suggests 400 mg to 3 grams of bovine colostrum for efficacious levels to support immune and digestive health.”

A study published in Nutrients in 2017 demonstrated how cow colostrum can help support gut lining integrity, which can be challenged during times of high stress. ”Another study published in Clinical Science showed how cow colostrum can help support the gut’s natural repair process and support gut lining integrity—helping to maintain digestive health in the face of irritants such as NSAIDs,” said Dill.

Beneo’s chicory root fibers, inulin and oligofructose, are natural, non-GMO, clean label and clinically proven plant-based prebiotic fibers derived from chicory root via a “gentle hot water extraction method, unlike some other fibers that are artificially or chemically created,” said Colindres.

Inulin and oligofructose are the preferred food for beneficial bacteria in the gut, in particular for Bifiodobacteria, thus supporting the natural microbiota, she added. “Due to this, the growth of these naturally occurring beneficial bacteria is selectively supported. Prebiotic chicory root fibers are not digested in the stomach or small intestine but are completely fermented in the large intestine. However, there are some fibers that can be fermented by bacteria, other fibers are excreted untouched. The fermentable fibers can be divided into those that are substrates for the microbiota in general and those that specifically promote selected good and beneficial bacteria like Bifidobacterium or Lactobacilli.”

Science demonstrates that short-chain fatty acids and other metabolites, achieved through prebiotic fermentation can reach the brain and other organs directly through the blood, or indirectly via the stimulation of immune cells, the hormonal or nervous system and the release of messenger substances. “As a result, the gut microbiota can influence digestive health, overall health and an individual’s inner well-being.”