Digestive enzymes are catalysts for every chemical and biological reaction that takes place in your body. Whenever you eat anything, your gastrointestinal tract secretes enzymes to break down the food you consume into vital nutrients your body can absorb. Digestive enzymes are also found naturally in raw foods such as fruits and vegetables. Many people are deficient in digestive enzymes, due to a combination of a lack of raw foods in their diet and an overconsumption of food in general. Luckily, you can take digestive enzymes as a supplement in order to support your body in both the digestion and absorption of nutrients.
Symptoms Indicative of Enzyme Deficiency
Phyllis Balch, in her book, "Prescription for Nutritional Healing," says that if you are not secreting enough digestive enzymes to properly break down the food that you are eating, you are at risk for malabsorption, tissue breakdown, and other chronic health conditions. Kim Sharp says in "The Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine" that the following symptoms may benefit from digestive enzyme therapy: flatulence, heartburn, spasms, diarrhea, inflammation, constipation, peptic ulcers, indigestion, age-related digestive problems, and gastroesophageal reflux. Digestive enzyme supplements may also be used to treat conditions such as anorexia, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, pancreatitis and cystic fibrosis, says Sharp.
Too Many Versus Too Little Enzymes
Danielle Perrault says in her book, "Nutritional Symptomatology," that symptoms of an underactive stomach can sometimes mimic those of an overactive stomach and vice versa. Due to this fact, many people who require increased enzymes end up taking antacids, which only depletes their enzyme stores and aggravates their symptoms further. Similarly, many people who have an overactive stomach take digestive enzymes, and this can cause acid damage to the walls of their stomachs, says Perrault. You should therefore, seek the assistance of a health care practitioner before supplementing with enzymes in order to find out if they are right for you.
The Main Digestive Enzymes
Balch says that there are three main categories of digestive enzymes found in your body: amylase, used to breakdown carbohydrates; protease, used to breakdown protein; and lipase, used to breakdown fats. For maximum benefit, Balch recommends choosing a digestive enzyme supplement that contains these three major enzyme groups. She also says that digestive enzymes should be taken after meals but adds that if you are eating cooked or processed foods, then you should take them during your meal.
Other Enzymes That May Be Beneficial
There are other digestive enzymes that may be useful to you, depending on your symptoms. According to Sharp, pancreatin is a digestive enzyme that is derived from the pancreas of animals and provides a mixture of several enzymes. Pancreatin may be useful if you experience bloating, gas and feelings of extreme fullness, especially after eating a high-fat meal, says Sharp. Lactase is an enzyme used to digest dairy, and can be taken if you have been diagnosed with lactose intolerance. Finally, betaine hydrochloride supplements may be beneficial if your stomach is not secreting enough hydrochloric acid to properly breakdown protein. Perrault says if you feel extremely full or bloated after a heavy protein meal, or if you experience allergies, betaine hydrochloride may be helpful to you.
References
- "Prescription for Nutritional Healing;" Phyllis Balch; 2003
- "Nutritional Symptomatology"; Danielle Perrault; 2007
- "Digestive enzymes"; The Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine; Kim Sharp; 2009
