I found out by way of diagnosis with an autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto's autoimmune thyroiditis) that I had intestinal hyperpermeability (i.e. "leaky gut") My holistic physician and a book she recommended by Dr. Isabella Wentz on Hashimoto's told me that is one of the conditions that is almost always required to be present for autoimmunity to develop, or else it results from the condition. This was a surprise to me, because the only GI signs I had were a months history of gradual onset acid Reflux (which I had never had before) and what I decided were early onset of low stomach acid and new slight lactose intolerance, so I never would have known otherwise. To treat the Reflux which I saw as a symptom of the leaky gut I used prilosec at high doses as a very temporary measure to get a handle on things until I got my leaky gut headed in the right direction. I did this first with high dose probiotics (Hyperbiotics PRO-15 regular "pearls") three times a day for a month, and added digestive enzymes including gluten-digest and dairy-digest also (all NOW brand). Then I added Nature's Way licorice 1 capsule three times a day with meals and NOW Aloe Vera gel caps 2 gels three times a day with meals along with L-Glutamine (Jarrow) 2 tablet three times a day to address the leaky gut further, and I noticed after 2-3 weeks of this combination a definite improvement in how my GI tract overall felt, and noticed I was better absorbing my food and my vitamins, minerals, and other supplements. Another useful hint I used D-limonene (Jarrow) to stop my acid Reflux almost completely taking just one soft gel a day and tapered off the prilosec completely within 1-2 weeks. After that the other changes I made to help my intestines, especially the Licorice and the Aloe, also kept the acid Reflux under control. The last thing I got brave enough to try was Betaine Hcl with Pepsin (NOW brand) to correct for low stomach acid, another common cause of acid Reflux and maldigestion and malabsorption as well as small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, which I strongly suspected I had had due to my rapid response to only the high dose probiotics in the beginning. It takes me anywhere from 1-3 capsules of Betaine Hcl with Pepsin to appropriately digest a small to large meal or even a snack, depending on how much protein there is, but the extra acid definitely helps, believe it or not. I do believe the Licorice, the Aloe Vera, and the L-Glutamine have been an essential part in beginning to heal my leaky gut. I did add NOW Slippery Elm as well when I had few episodes of Reflux again for additional support, at one capsuIe three times daily with meals. Whenever things seemed a little worse, I increased the dose to two capsules three times daily. I have not changed my diet except to try to eat as healthy as possible, since I have not noticed any obvious adverse reactions that correlated with my symptoms. If I have to I will, but given how much better I feel in my GI tract, I find it hard to believe that I have a serious food intolerance problem as of yet.. I do think the Licorice, the Aloe Vera, and L-Glutamine , and now the addition of the Slippery Elm, have formed the core of my treatment of my intestinal hyperpermeability, even without much in the way of diet changes, and they are more integral to my healing than I thought at first. I am still taking all the supplements I have mentioned during this narrative, along with many others, but I just had no idea how essential the direct healing herbals were going to be for my intestines. At first I was going to take those first three for a month or two, expected to notice no difference and so then planned to stop, having done my due dillegence. Now, although I don't plan to be on them forever, I fully expect it to be a number of months minimum that I am on this regimen, until I feel my "leaky gut" has healed, which is a slow process.. I highly recommend this product and some form of this regimen to anyone who is attempting to treat their own situation with intestinal hyperpermeability,or "leaky gut", or anyone who thinks they "just" have gerd or IBS or Celiac or any other intestinal disorder. Just be aware that your problems may run deeper than you think, don't expect just one magical supplement to heal you, and don't give up until you have done what it takes to feel better. It was noticing the distinct effects of the L-Glutamine especially that to me confirmed the "leaky gut" hypothesis/diagnosis and I was surprised how much it helped, with myself having such few overt GI symptoms initially. L-Glutamine is an amino acid that directly nourishes GI enterocytes, the cells lining the intestinal tract, and helps them heal the" tight junctions" they are supposed to have to prevent "leakiness," where antigens and food and bacterial particles become exposed to the systemic circulation. After adding the L-glutamine, I could actually feel the difference and noticed that I was better absorbing nutrients and the other supplements I was taking. Licorice root will also help with adrenal fatigue, another common underlying problem, and one I suspect I also have, as well as with anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and anti-parasitic effects in the GI tract. These effects are also why I chose Licorice root to do double duty, although DGL licorice does not have these effects (Nature's Way Licorice Root is not DGL). Finally, if you do have a simple case of intestinal upset and/or acid Reflux, Licorice (DGL) on its own or in combination with others like the Slippery Elm (NOW) and Marshmallow Root (Nature's Way) may be all that you need to take care of the problem, especially mild IBS and gerd. I simply wanted to share all the supplements I have used and my disease process for those without the luck of having a simple problem., in case the information is helpful. And don't forget even I didn't know I didn't have a simple problem until my holistic doctor told me about "leaky gut", so always dig deeper for what may be the root cause of a seemingly simple problem. Take it seriously if you think you have "leaky gut" - it usually takes multiple dietary interventions and months to years to heal, and causes severe systemic inflammation and sometimes eventually auto immune conditions. I fully intend to take most of the supplements I am on for GI healing, at the core the strong, high quality probiotics, broad spectrum digestive enzymes, Betaine Hcl with Pepsin, Licorice root, Aloe Vera gel, Slippery Elm, and L-Glutamine for many months at least, but even though things aren't perfect, Luckily, I can already see signs of healing taking place, and I will take changing my diet further seriously if I have to, but so far so good. NOW has always been a reliable and top quality brand that I have trusted, and the Slippery Elm I have found to be no exception. It is clear how much I trust NOW brand from the fact that about half of these supplements I have mentioned are made by them, including the Aloe, the Betaine Hcl, and the digestive enzymes, all of which have been essential parts to my healing process. Slippery Elm is highly recommended for any situation where there is GI irritation whatever the cause, especially when acid Reflux is a component, even if the situation is different from mine. Basically, it coats the GI tract allowing for both soothing and healing of almost any condition, with few to no side effects.. Some use it to get through a rough patch, like I was at first, and some use it for long term, which is what I am going to do from here on out. I will continue to purchase and use the slippery elm from NOW, along with many other NOW products, for the forseeable future. Highly recommended.!

Always helpful to take slippery elm when tummy isn't feeling well. Pills are easy to take and don't seem to have any side effects. Can take daily if needed. Don't take at same time as other medications as slippery elm will coat the gi track where the other medications would be less absorbed. Can open caps and make into a tea to help throat/heartburn/nausea. 2-3 open caps to a mug pour in hot water add lemon and honey to taste. Will be a bit thick and odd tasting but it works well. I use this also for dogs and cats when they are having gi issues. It's saved a few kittens lives when nothing else has worked to stop poor stools and loss of appetite. It's 100% safe for all ages of dogs and cats, vet approved I use now brand frequently and they generally have the best price and seems to have consistent good quality products

I have been plagued with various Gastrointestinal issues since 2011 (Hiatal Hernia, gerd, Gastritis, and Ulcers). During an extremely painful bout with Gastritis in 2013, I embarked on a quest to find natural supplements to sooth the insanely painful burning and gnawing in my stomach. After a few days of taking two capsules of Slippery Elm before meals, I noticed a substantial decrease in the burning pain. My stomach went from feeling like a bloated angry ball of hell-fire to a much more tolerable sizzle. The pain wasn't gone completely but I knew Slippery Elm was working. After a few weeks of Slippery Elm, Marshmallow Root, and Aloe Vera Juice twice daily, 90% of my Gastritis symptoms disappeared. Another helpful supplement that has saved me during flare-ups is Marshmallow Root. It provides a similar function and coats your intestinal lining and gives your stomach a much needed break when its highly irritated. If you find yourself dealing with an awful case of Gastritis, please buy yourself a bottle of Slippery Elm and Marshmallow Root immediately! Avoid sharp and hard to digest foods and allow the Slippery Elm and Marshmallow Root to coat your stomach and give it the time it needs to heal properly. Now Foods is a great company and I have been using their brand of vitamins/supplements for years with great results. Don't suffer, get yourself some Slippery Elm

Last year my boyfriend was having some incredibly painful stress based IBS that left him unable to eat much beyond the most basic BRAT diet (bananas rice applesauce toast) without horrible pain. My brother had also had some issues with IBS around that time, and recommended we try Slippery Elm. He sent us home with a baggy of the stuff from the local herb shop to make into a tea, which is really not that great...Kind of like drinking really thin farina. It helped a lot, but needless to say he wasn't a fan of the texture, so I went on Amazon to get some in capsule form. This is my second bottle of Now Slippery Elm, and I can say that it is an essential item for the IBS sufferer's toolkit in my house. Anytime he plans to eat something greasy or spicy, he takes two before his meal, and the Slippery Elm seems to cushion his insides so he isn't in pain later. Between this, L-Glutamine and Artichoke extract his IBS is kept in check better than ever, and I don't think he misses it. I too have occasional problems with IBS and Reflux, though nothing like him, and I have to say they work better than antacids for me to prevent bloating and acid Reflux for me. The capsules themselves are on the large side, but I haven't had too much trouble with swallowing them. They have a faint smell almost like cereal, and generally no unpleasant aftertaste. I've noticed however if you take one on an empty stomach and forget to eat something (seen my boyfriend do this before when I put them in a pill case) you can get kind of a bad sour taste come back up, so make sure you do eat something! This is a good value for the amount of pills you get, and I have consistent good luck with Now products

I am under a doctor's care for acid Reflux, gerd, and a hiatal hernia. I have been having bad gnawing pain in my abdomen for the past couple of weeks and I'm wondering if I may have an ulcer. My doctor prescribed Bentyl, which helped a tiny bit. Then I found this supplement as I was looking through Amazon and ordered it. It arrived yesterday, and I can't believe how much better I feel in just one day of taking these. Wow!!! I still have a little pain but it is NOTHING compared to what it has been. I read in some of the reviews that others mix the contents with water and I'm going to try that, too. SO thankful for the reviews of those who use this and their great results. The price is great and the results are incredible! I highly recommend these

I have had worsening stomach problems for a while. I think it was all caused by me being a heavy fast food eater and I also drink a lot of soda. Started off with just an upset stomach every once in a while to constantly feeling like i'm going to throw up. Also had constant heartburn from everything I ate. I made many doctors visits for the heartburn and upset stomach. I tried every single acid Reflux medication they had and none of them ever got rid of the problem just the symptoms while I took them. Once I was supposed to stop taking the medication all my problems returned. I quit drinking sodas and stopped eating fast food as much. I started taking this with : aloe vera (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00772AQD0/ref=sr_ph?ie=UTF8&qid=1431516422&sr=1&keywords=aloe vera) l-glutamine (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000QVCAKQ/ref=sr_ph?ie=UTF8&qid=1431516459&sr=1&keywords=l glutamine) 25 billion probiotics (http://www.amazon.com/NOW-Foods-Probiotic-10-Billion-Vcaps/dp/B002S1U7RU/ref=sr_1_3?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1431516522&sr=1-3&keywords=probiotic). I also take a Super Enzyme (http://www.amazon.com/NOW-Foods-Super-Enzymes-Tablets/dp/B0013OXKJA/ref=sr_1_cc_2?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1431516346&sr=1-2-catcorr&keywords=super enzyme) after eating a meal. After about a week I notice a pretty drastic difference. It's been almost 3 weeks and have had heartburn or any stomach problems at all. I can't really say it was only this one product but if I ever missed a dosage I would be able to tell right away. This mixture of supplements has been a lifesaver! I dont have to be so worried about feeling terrible after eating food. I highly recommend this to anyone with stomach issues they can't seem to solve. Also for people with IBS and Crohn's

I've had this for a few months, just so tired of trying new things. Well I started with a tea this AM , by opening the capsule and adding to water. That was one tea 8 am. After lunch, brutal heartburn, so I said what the heck , I'll take two capsules with ample amount of water. I was almost in tears for about 15 mins then ahhhhhhhhhh relief and went for a run! I am so hopeful and will keep trying it , especially at night before bed when I have the worst time. So far a big Thank YOU..... NOW

I have taken this brand of Slippery Elm capsules for several months now. I only take it as needed. My ONLY complaints with these is that they are huge, they flip around and get stuck, and they taste like tree bark. They work so wonderfully though when you are in a flair. With my Crohns, I cannot have more than 1 alcoholic beverage but these are a life saver when I end up having more due to social events. I take these and tagamet as needed and I'm able to have a semi normal life. I 100% recommend these to anyone with acid Reflux promblems, stomach cramps, hiccup-burps, nausea, etc

Ok, this product was a big quality of life upgrade for me. I have been struggling with horrible gerd at night. Then I started taking 2-4 capsules of slippery elm on an empty stomach an hour before bedtime with a large glass of warm water. Huge improvement. Not a cure but definitely helped heal my irritated stomach. Better stomach also means better sleep for me. The other herb that really helped me is DGL (De-glycyrrhizinated licorice) which I use sparingly only as needed. Please educate yourself before taking licorice / DGL as it can raise your blood pressure, lower potassium levels and affect your kidneys. It's a great herb but needs to be used wisely. Also be aware that slippery elm can interfere with the absorption of medication so leave a few hours in between. What I have also learned in that this particular brand -- NOW FOODS -- seems to have the best slippery elm capsules. They have been out of stock for a while and I have been forced to try several other brands. They just don't measure up. Especially the concentrated extracts (10:1, etc) don't seem to gel at all and are not effective for me. I can't wait for NOW capsules to return to Amazon so I can stock up! Hurry, NOW, hurry

Amazon delivery never arrived so bought one in nearest Safeway. I always had an issue with heartburn after eating slightly spicy food. I had to make so many dietary changes even though I love hot, fiery dishes. The feeling of acid moving up the foodpipe was very discomforting. I have tried several OTC and prescription tablets which do relieve the burn but then, they are drugs and I didn't want to be reliant on them. This supplement is amazing. I took couple of them before I went out for greasy food (yum) and beers. Slept so peacefully without any event. Then, I got bold and put three dried red Thai chillies in my Indian curry the next day. Woke up with burning stomache and took couple of these. Relieved and now writing this review. Give this a chance, people