Gut health is a key 2026 wellness trend, and supplements to boost and protect it are everywhere right now, promising everything from flatter stomachs to instant digestive calm.
But with influencer hype, sky-high CFU counts and vague claims on labels, it’s hard to know what’s genuinely worth buying and what’s just clever marketing. To cut through the noise, we asked one of the UK’s leading gut health experts what really matters when you’re shopping for supplements.
Kirsten Jackson is a registered dietitian with over 13 years’ experience specialising in irritable bowel syndrome and gut health. She’s also a Forbes Health advisory board member and the author of Take Control Of Your IBS.
What’s the most overlooked factor when people are trying to improve their gut health?
“What they are not eating. People are obsessed with cutting out foods to improve their gut health, but 99 per cent of the time, their gut health will only improve by adding foods in. For example, there is a huge interest right now in ultra-processed foods, but the reality is that someone’s gut is more likely to be bad because they are simply not eating enough fibre, rather than that they consume a few UPFs.”
Which ingredients should shoppers prioritise or avoid when buying a gut health supplement?
“Supplement-wise, prioritise buying supplements that are scientifically proven to target the bit of your gut you need help with.”
She points to peppermint oil capsules for pain and cramping, and “psyllium husk or partially hydrolysed guar gum, which have been proven to help constipation”.
How long should supplements take to work?
“I usually see psyllium husk or partially hydrolysed guar gum working within 2–3 days… and then the probiotics are well documented in some cases to take up to three months to work.”
What should you check on the label before buying?
“You need to check that all supplements are third-party tested. For a probiotic, you need to check the strain… the exact strain, the quantity of it and the exact format of it is identical to the one which is in the research.”
We’ve rounded up all of the best supplements for gut health.