GutConnect 365 is a digestive supplement manufactured by a brand called Nature M.D. The brand claims this product contains "nine superfoods" that support the gut lining and immune system function.
But does GutConnect 365 contain ingredients shown in research studies to benefit digestive health? Does it contain any questionable additives? How do real users rate and describe its effects? And does GutConnect 365 cause side effects?
In this article we'll answer all of these questions and more, as we analyze the ingredients in GutConnect 365 to give our take on whether or not this supplement is likely to support optimal gut health.
We'll also feature unsponsored customer reviews, highlight some questionable health claims made by the manufacturer, and discuss the risk of side effects.
Ingredient Analysis
The ingredients in GutConnect 365 are shown above.
Zinc is the first active ingredient, and a medical review on zinc and gut function published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences found that zinc can help promote biodiversity of healthy bacteria in the gut.
L-glutamine is an amino acid that's been shown in clinical studies to help regulate intestinal permeability.
The researchers in the above-linked study found that glutamine supplementation can improve gut barrier function, which reduces inflammation in the gut.
Quercetin is a polyphenol compound that's been shown in an animal study to fix dysbiosis of the gut, which refers to a state where harmful bacteria outnumber beneficial bacteria.
However, the dosage used in the above-linked trial is vastly higher than the human-equivalent dose in GutConnect 365.
We are unable to identify any clinical research showing quercetin to be effective for gut health in humans at the dose in this supplement.
Slippery elm bark, botanical name Ulmus rubra, significantly reduced symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) when combined with several other botanicals in a clinical trial.
The patients taking the slippery elm bark mixture experienced a 20% increase in bowel frequency and reductions in straining and abdominal pain.
Marshmallow root was found in a 2019 clinical trial to have gastro-protective effects in rats. The herb not only reduced the chance of gastric ulcer formation, but also had anti-inflammatory effects.
N-acetyl-glucosamine can improve gut health, but it may be underdosed in this supplement.
The dose in GutConnect 365 is only 150 milligrams (mg), while the daily dose in the only human trial we could locate on this ingredient was over 3,000 mg (over 20x the amount in this supplement).
Licorice root extract is clinically shown to reduce indigestion at the same dose as included in GutConnect 365, as we documented in our Total Restore review article on a separate gut health supplement.
Natural flavors is the only ingredient in this formulation that we recommend avoiding, because a medical review found that flavoring agents may contain questionable solvents and preservatives.
Overall, we consider GutConnect 365 to be a well-formulated supplement that's likely to improve gut health. It contains a number of research-backed ingredients, many of which appear effectively dosed based on existing clinical studies.
We don't currently recommend this supplement due to the inclusion of natural flavors, and the relatively high l-glutamine dose (which we'll discuss at more length in the side effects section), but we consider it to be an above-average gut health supplement.
Real People Try GutConnect 365
A YouTube channel called "Probiotics.org" has a review of GutConnect 365 with over 110,000 views.
It’s worth noting the creator is an affiliate of United Naturals (a distributor of GutConnect 365) which may add bias to the review, but we still consider this review to be well-researched and valuable to consumers:
A YouTube creator named Isaac Buck Barfield suggests that GutConnect 365 helped to resolve some of his stomach issues.
This creator forgot to upload a thumbnail image so it looks like the video is broken, but when you click to play, the video still works:
Questionable Health Claims
There are a number of uncited health claims about GutConnect 365 on the Nature M.D. website that we disagree with.
The brand claims that their supplement can repair gut lining and treat leaky gut. This is a medical condition and the brand provides no proof of such claim.
The manufacturer also suggests that their supplement can help users absorb more nutrients from their food, again without any medical citation or proof.
We recommend that consumers entirely disregard health claims made by supplement companies that provide no evidence for such claims, and we consider this to be a red flag about the legitimacy and ethics of the Nature M.D. brand.
Will GutConnect 365 Cause Side Effects?
GutConnect 365 doesn't appear to have been studied in any clinical trials, which makes it more challenging to assess the risk of side effects.
However, we can make an educated guess based on its ingredients.
Licorice may be inadvisable for individuals with high blood pressure, because it's clinically shown to increase blood pressure levels.
L-glutamine has been shown to cause liver damage in a case report, at a dose lower than that in GutConnect 365, as we documented in our Focus Factor review article.
Overall, we do not consider GutConnect 365 likely to cause side effects in otherwise healthy individuals.
However, we advise potential consumers to discuss the two ingredients above with their doctor.
There is no mention of side effects on the Nature M.D. product page, or FAQ page, at the time of updating this article.
Our Clean Gut Health Picks
MBG Organic Fiber Potency+ is our top fiber pick.
MBG Organic Fiber Potency+ contains 100% soluble fiber, which was described as "one of the most important nutrients for the gut microbiota" in a clinical review published in the Molecules journal.
Ritual Synbiotic+ is our top value probiotic pick.
It contains prebiotics, probiotics and postbiotics, and costs under $1.50 per serving at the time of updating this article.
Probiotics "can improve in the immune, gastrointestinal...health systems in healthy adults" according to a 2019 medical review.
VSL#3 is our top premium probiotic pick.
This probiotic supplement has been studied in 25 clinical trials, and a 2020 meta-study on VSL#3 concluded the following:
"...many studies demonstrated that VSL#3 has a beneficial effect on obesity and diabetes, allergic diseases, nervous systemic diseases, AS, bone diseases, and female reproductive systemic diseases."
All of the products recommended in this section are entirely free of ingredients that we consider to be unhealthy.
GutConnect 365 Pros and Cons
Here are the pros and cons of GutConnect 365 in our opinion:
Pros:
- Many research-backed active ingredients
- Most ingredients are effectively dosed
- Should support gut health
- May help to heal gut lining
- May relieve indigestion
Cons:
- Brand makes questionable health claims
- Contains high dose of l-glutamine
- Doesn't appear to be clinically tested
- Contains natural flavors
- Very expensive
