Guest Blog: Why Your Gut Needs More Than Probiotics—It Needs Minerals!

Probiotics have become a staple in the gut health conversation—but they're only part of the story.

If you want a truly thriving microbiome, your gut bacteria need something else too: an abundance of essential minerals .

Minerals play a surprising role in your gut health. Here’s a look at why they matter, and how you can take them alongside probiotics to give your gut biome a boost.

A Hidden Partnership: Minerals and Your Microbiome

Your gut is home to trillions of bacteria. They’re amazing microorganisms that help you digest food, produce vitamins, regulate your metabolism, and even communicate with your brain.

But these beneficial bacteria can't function on their own. Like humans, gut bacteria need nutrients to survive, and that includes minerals.

Minerals serve as essential cofactors for microbial enzymes. They give your good gut bacteria the power to:

• Feed themselves and multiply

• Produce short-chain fatty acids that lower gut inflammation

• Create essential vitamins

• Support and protect your immune system

• Maintain your gut's protective barrier

Minerals are especially important for maintaining healthy bacteria in your gut. To quote a 2024 study: [ * ]

“Reduced serum mineral concentrations may affect the growth and metabolism of gut microbes…as some bacteria rely on these nutrients for growth. Therefore, serum mineral concentrations should be regarded as an important factor influencing the composition and health of the gut microbiota .”

The same study identified five specific minerals that are essential food for your gut bacteria: calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, and zinc.

If you want a balanced gut microbiome, you need an abundance of these essential minerals. The trouble is that most of us don’t get enough of them.

Most People Need More Minerals

Getting enough minerals—for both you and your microbiome—has become increasingly difficult. Modern conventional farming has depleted our soils, with studies showing that nutrient content in fruits and vegetables has declined by up to 40% over the past 70 years. [ * ]

A big part of the problem is glyphosate (also called Roundup). Glyphosate is the most widely used herbicide in the world, [ * ] with more than 19 billion pounds sprayed on food since the 1980s. [ * ]

But glyphosate doesn't just kill weeds. It's a mineral chelator that binds to minerals like zinc, manganese, and iron in the soil. Glyphosate traps these minerals, making them unavailable to plants and, ultimately, to us. [ * ]

Glyphosate, paired with unsustainable farming methods, has left our foods deficient in minerals. The results are dire: recent national data from the CDC found that 97% of American adults have at least one mineral deficiency . [ * ]

The truth is that today, it’s almost impossible to get enough minerals from diet alone. Our gut bacteria are suffering as a result.

Probiotics and Minerals: Better Together

Probiotics are amazing for your gut on their own. They introduce healthy bacteria that can reverse inflammation, restore your gut lining, speed up your metabolism, and even improve your mood.

But to establish themselves in your gut long-term, those probiotic bacteria need minerals to use as fuel. It's not just about adding good bacteria—it's about making your gut a place where good bacteria want to live.

When you get plenty of minerals, you provide a comfortable environment for beneficial bacteria to thrive. Probiotics (like Sugar Shift® ) and minerals are the perfect match, and when you use them together, you’ll notice a huge boost in probiotic benefits.

Sugar Shift® by BiotiQuest is a patented probiotic that supports your health from the inside out. It works by restoring digestive balance, improving bowel regularity, and boosting energy levels—so you feel more active and refreshed. Over time, it can also help reduce sugar cravings and support healthier glucose metabolism for better overall wellness. Use code “ BEAM ” for 20% off all Biotiquest products through July 2025.

Boost Your Probiotics with BEAM Minerals

So how do you increase your mineral stores and help your gut bacteria thrive?

That's where BEAM Minerals comes in. Their liquid mineral replenishment provides all the minerals your microbiome needs.

BEAM Minerals’ replenishment come from humate, a black, crystalline, mineral-rich substance, which is found in ancient rainforest soil, deep below the surface of the earth. The material forms over millions of years when plants break down and leave their nutrients in the earth.

BEAM Minerals start with humate and extracts the humic and fulvic molecules into a mineral-rich and highly bioavailable liquid. All you do is take a 1/2-oz. shot of Electrolyze™ and Micro-BOOST™ each morning. They taste like water and replenish every essential mineral your body, and your gut microflora needs, in the right ratios.

Best of all, BEAM Minerals is great for gut health because it doesn't require extensive digestion. The minerals are already in an ionic form that absorbs with ease, even if your gut function is compromised.

If you want to get more from your probiotics, give BEAM Minerals a try. It’s a simple, effective way to give your gut some extra support.

Use code “ SUGARSHIFT ” for 20% off your order at beamminerals.com through July 2025.