For those who dine not wisely, but too well

Key Points

In this season of gustatory indulgence, it can't hurt to prepare for the occasional upset stomach. According to reports, more than 100 million Americans are affected by some form of digestive disorder, including gas, heartburn, indigestion, vomiting, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, and worse. Fortunately, OTC manufacturers have been hard at work preparing new and improved digestive and gastrointestinal aids.

PPI

Fiber

Enzymes and probiotics

Enzymedica's Digest Gold is an enzyme product formulated to assist in digestion of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, and fiber.

Digest Gold + Probiotics combines that enzyme formula with 500 million cultures of specially coated probiotics that release in the alkaline pH of the lower intestines, guaranteeing potency.

Bayer HealthCare's Phillips' Colon Health now offers a larger, 60-count package to give customers 2 months of daily probiotic support. The product's 3 strains of good bacteria are derived from the 2 most common groups of good bacteria, Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium.

According to Bayer, "Scientific evidence demonstrates that Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium help relieve occasional gas, constipation, diarrhea, and other common GI issues while also helping to support a healthy immune system. Probiotics work to rebalance the bacteria in your colon to support overall digestive health and to help defend against occasional digestive symptoms."

Dana K. Cassell, a frequent contributor to Drug Topics, lives in North Stratford, N.H.