- Activated charcoal
- Apple cider vinegar
- Betaine HCl
- Collagen and bone broth
- Colostrum
- Digestive enzymes
- Fiber
- Glucosamine and chondroitin
- Prebiotics
- Probiotics
- Zinc carnosine
No. 89Activated charcoal
Activated charcoal is a fine black powder made from carbon-rich materials heated to create a very porous surface, a sponge riddled with tiny pockets. In the gut it can bind some toxins and gas so they pass out of the body instead of being absorbed. It is meant for short-term use.
Main benefits
Binds toxins and gas (short-term)
Food sources
Not a food. It is made by heating materials such as coconut shells, wood or peat at high temperatures to create a porous charcoal.
Why people take it
People keep it on hand for occasional gas and bloating, or after eating something that disagrees with them. Hospitals use it for certain poisonings, but for everyday gas the evidence is limited.
Amounts
Common amount: 500–1,000 mg as needed, short-term.
Cautions and interactions
Take 2 hours apart from food, medications and supplements (it binds them too). Constipation; bowel obstruction. Not for daily long-term use.
Reference entry: not taught in a course Lesson.
No. 90Apple cider vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is made by fermenting apple juice, which turns the sugars into acetic acid, the sharp bite you taste. Taken diluted before meals, it softens the rise in blood sugar after eating. Many people also use it to support digestion.
Main benefits
Blood sugar after meals; digestion
Food sources
Made from fermented apple juice. Unfiltered versions contain the cloudy "mother," a mix of yeast and bacteria from fermentation.
Why people take it
People take it to help steady blood sugar after meals and to ease a heavy or sluggish feeling after eating. Some small studies support the blood sugar effect; evidence for digestion is mostly limited.
Amounts
Common amount: 1–2 tablespoons in a glass of water before meals.
Cautions and interactions
Dilute it and rinse: tooth enamel and throat. Low potassium with water pills or digoxin. Slow stomach emptying (gastroparesis).
Reference entry: not taught in a course Lesson.
No. 91Betaine HCl
Betaine HCl is a supplement form of hydrochloric acid, the very acid your stomach brews on its own, often paired with pepsin, the stomach's protein-digesting enzyme. It supports stomach acid, which the body needs to break down protein and absorb vitamin B12 and minerals such as iron and zinc. Dr. Jonathan Wright helped popularize its use.
Main benefits
Supports stomach acid for protein, B12 and mineral absorption (Dr. Jonathan Wright)
Food sources
Not found in food in useful amounts. Betaine is made from sugar beets and combined with hydrochloric acid; pepsin usually comes from pigs.
Why people take it
People take it when they suspect low stomach acid, which can become more common with age, often noticed as fullness or bloating after protein meals. Research on routine use is limited.
Amounts
Neither site gives a dose; usually one capsule with a protein meal, raised cautiously, following the half-dose start above.
Cautions and interactions
Ulcers, gastritis or erosive reflux. NSAIDs, aspirin or steroids (ulcer risk). Acid-blocker users. Stop at any burning.
Reference entry: not taught in a course Lesson.
No. 92Collagen and bone broth
Collagen is the main structural protein in skin, tendons, cartilage and the lining of the gut, the glue that holds the body's framework together. Collagen powders and bone broth supply its building blocks, especially the amino acids glycine and proline. The body also needs vitamin C to make its own collagen.
Main benefits
Skin, joints, gut lining
Food sources
Found in bone broth, skin-on chicken and fish, gelatin and tough cuts of meat with connective tissue. Supplements are usually made from cow hides, fish skin or chicken cartilage.
Why people take it
People take it for skin, joint comfort and support for the gut lining. Some studies on skin and joints are encouraging, while evidence for gut health is still limited.
Amounts
Neither site gives a dose; both stress that the body needs vitamin C to make collagen. Collagen peptides 5–15 g a day are common.
Cautions and interactions
Generally safe. Choose products tested for lead. Long-cooked broth is high in histamine. Kidney stone formers: high intake adds oxalate.
Reference entry: not taught in a course Lesson.
No. 93Colostrum
Colostrum is the first milk a mammal makes after giving birth, rich in antibodies and growth factors: nature's own welcome kit. Supplements come from cows. It is used to support the gut lining and the immune system.
Main benefits
Gut lining; immunity
Food sources
Collected from cows in the first days after calving and dried into a powder or capsules. It is not part of the regular milk supply.
Why people take it
People take it to support the gut lining and immunity, and some athletes use it during hard training. The evidence is promising in some areas but still mixed.
Amounts
Common amount: 10–20 g of powder a day, or 1–2 g in capsules.
Cautions and interactions
Milk allergy.
Reference entry: not taught in a course Lesson.
No. 94Digestive enzymes
Digestive enzymes are proteins that break food into smaller pieces the body can absorb. Supplements combine enzymes that work on protein, fat and carbohydrate. They can help when the body's own enzyme supply is not keeping up with a meal, like a short-staffed kitchen.
Main benefits
Break down protein, fat and carbohydrate
Food sources
Pancreatin comes from pig pancreas, bromelain from pineapple stems, papain from papaya, and plant enzymes from fungal fermentation. Raw pineapple, papaya, kiwi and fermented foods also contain some enzymes.
Why people take it
People take them for bloating, heaviness or gas after meals. Prescription pancreatic enzymes are standard for certain pancreas conditions; for general indigestion the evidence is more limited.
Amounts
DoctorYourself.com: "Begin with only one-half of the recommended amount, and gradually increase." (Digestion)
Cautions and interactions
Indigestion that persists, or comes with trouble swallowing, vomiting, black stools or weight loss, needs medical care. Pork allergy (pancreatin); pineapple allergy (bromelain). Bromelain with blood thinners. Ulcers, gastritis, acute pancreatitis.
Reference entry: not taught in a course Lesson.
No. 95Fiber
Fiber is the part of plant foods the body cannot fully digest, yet it works harder than anything else on the plate. It adds bulk and softness to stool for regularity, can help lower cholesterol and slow the rise in blood sugar after meals. Some types also feed the helpful bacteria in the gut.
Main benefits
Regularity; cholesterol; blood sugar; feeds gut bacteria
Food sources
Found in vegetables, fruits, beans, lentils, oats, barley, whole grains, nuts and seeds. Psyllium comes from plantain seed husks, glucomannan from konjac root, and acacia from tree sap.
Why people take it
People take it for regularity, to help manage cholesterol and blood sugar, or to fill the gap when meals are low in plants. Psyllium has some of the strongest evidence among fiber supplements.
Amounts
Common amount: start with 1 teaspoon and build to 1 tablespoon one to three times a day, each with a full glass of water.
Cautions and interactions
Bowel narrowing or obstruction; trouble swallowing (glucomannan must be taken with water). Take medications 2 hours apart.
Reference entry: not taught in a course Lesson.
No. 96Glucosamine and chondroitin
Glucosamine and chondroitin are natural building blocks of cartilage, the cushioning tissue at the ends of bones in a joint, the body's built-in shock absorbers. Taken together as supplements, they are used to support cartilage and joint comfort.
Main benefits
Cartilage and joint comfort
Food sources
Not found in ordinary foods in useful amounts. Glucosamine usually comes from shellfish shells (some versions are made from corn), and chondroitin from cow, pig or shark cartilage.
Why people take it
People take it for stiff or achy joints, especially knee osteoarthritis. Research results are mixed: some people report real relief while others notice little change.
Amounts
Therapeutic: "1500 mg/day is a common therapeutic dose" of glucosamine, with chondroitin 1,200 mg; called "exceptionally safe." (Stenosis)
Cautions and interactions
Shellfish allergy (source). Warfarin (bleeding reports). May affect blood sugar slightly; glaucoma; asthma.
Reference entry: not taught in a course Lesson.
No. 97Prebiotics
Prebiotics are types of fiber and starch that the body cannot digest but that the helpful bacteria in the gut use as food. Lunch for the good guys. By feeding these bacteria, they help a healthy gut community grow and can support regularity.
Main benefits
Feed beneficial bacteria; regularity
Food sources
Found in onions, garlic, leeks, asparagus, Jerusalem artichokes, chicory root, slightly green bananas, oats, beans, and cooked then cooled potatoes and rice.
Why people take it
People take them to feed beneficial gut bacteria and support regular bowel movements, often alongside probiotics. Effects vary from person to person, and some people find they cause gas.
Amounts
Neither site gives a dose; 3–10 g a day, starting low, is common.
Cautions and interactions
Gas and bloating. IBS, SIBO or FODMAP sensitivity.
Reference entry: not taught in a course Lesson.
No. 98Probiotics
Probiotics are live, friendly microbes, mostly bacteria plus the yeast Saccharomyces boulardii, that support a healthy balance of gut flora. A healthy gut community helps digestion and the immune system; good neighbors make a good neighborhood. They are often used to help the gut recover after antibiotics.
Main benefits
Healthy gut flora; immunity; recovery after antibiotics
Food sources
Found in yogurt and kefir with live cultures, sauerkraut and kimchi that are unpasteurized and refrigerated, miso, tempeh and kombucha.
Why people take it
People take them during and after antibiotics, for digestive comfort and for immune support. Evidence is strongest for certain strains in specific situations, such as antibiotic-related diarrhea.
Amounts
Maintenance: "Probiotics >30 billion a day" (OMNS prevention protocol). Therapeutic: at least 25 billion CFU (OMNS MS protocol); during and after antibiotics, increasing strength and strains if needed. (OMNS v16n31, OMNS v14n15, OMNS v19n28)
Cautions and interactions
Severely weakened immunity, central IV lines, critical illness, premature infants (rare bloodstream infections). SIBO may worsen. Take bacteria 2 hours apart from antibiotics.
Reference entry: not taught in a course Lesson.
No. 99Zinc carnosine
Zinc carnosine is a compound of zinc and the small protein-like molecule carnosine. It tends to stay in the stomach longer than other zinc forms, a guest who lingers usefully, where it helps support and protect the stomach lining. It is used for ulcers and heartburn.
Main benefits
Stomach lining; ulcers and heartburn
Food sources
Not found in food as this compound. It is made by combining zinc with carnosine, which occurs naturally in meat and fish.
Why people take it
People take it to soothe and protect the stomach lining, for heartburn or ulcers. It has been used as a medicine in Japan; outside that, the evidence is limited but encouraging.
Amounts
Common amount: 75 mg twice a day.
Cautions and interactions
Counts toward total zinc (copper balance, Lesson 5).
Reference entry: not taught in a course Lesson.