Can taking nutrition supps daily affect gut health?

Like turning your ankle during a run, healthy habits can occasionally have unintended consequences. So is there a case for going easy on the supps for the sake of your gut? ‘It’s true that people with sensitive digestion can be impacted by new supplements or by taking too much of various different vitamin and mineral supplements,’ says Sophie Medlin, consultant dietitian and chair of the British Dietetic Association for London. Medlin explains that while vitamin C can cause heartburn, kelp and magnesium supps can cause diarrhoea and iron constipation. ‘These side effects can happen in people with otherwise healthy digestion,’ adds Medlin. ‘In the long run, anything that causes diarrhoea, constipation or excess acid in the stomach can affect the gut microbes that live in the colon, making them less favourable for your long-term health.’ If you think your supplement regime is affecting your gut health, taking a break from them entirely for a week before reintroducing them one at a time should let you know, ahem, what’s up. Symptoms still not settling down? See your GP or a specialist dietitian for advice.