Your digestive tract depends on the production and functioning of many enzymes to break down food and absorb it. While digestive upset and indigestion are relatively common and can be very uncomfortable, they generally don't result from enzyme deficiency, and for the most part, you can't treat indigestion with enzyme supplements.
Indigestion
"Indigestion" is a catch-all term for digestive upset that often follows a meal. It can include feelings of heartburn and acid stomach, stomachache and intestinal discomfort. While many things can cause indigestion, most have nothing to do with digestive enzymes. The most common causes of indigestion include overproduction of stomach acid and subsequent acid reflux, overeating and subsequent stomach distension, and eating something that irritates the digestive tract.
Enzymes
Your digestive enzymes are a group of proteins made by the digestive tract and various accessory organs. They help you break down your food into smaller molecules that you can absorb into the bloodstream, explains Dr. Lauralee Sherwood in her book "Human Physiology." Digestive enzymes work with other compounds produced by or secreted into the digestive tract, including stomach acid and bile -- together, enzymes and other digestive compounds allow you to access the energy molecules in your food.
An Exception
The major common exception to the general rule that enzymes have nothing to do with indigestion is in the case of lactose intolerance. If you're lactose intolerant, you can't digest milk sugar, explain Drs. Reginald Garrett and Charles Grisham in their book "Biochemistry." Consuming milk or other dairy products leads to intestinal discomfort and a feeling of bloating or indigestion, as lactose passes into your lower gastrointestinal tract rather than being digested and absorbed.
Indigestion Treatments
Acid indigestion, which you feel as heartburn or pain in your chest, responds well to over-the-counter antacids. If your indigestion includes stomach pain, you may want to consider an over-the-counter medication that combines an antacid with an analgesic pain reliever such as aspirin. Intestinal indigestion can be harder to treat. If you're lactose intolerant, you can prevent lactose-related indigestion by avoiding dairy products or by taking a lactase supplement. Lactase is the enzyme that digests lactose, and supplements can provide you with a temporary supply of the enzyme.
References
- "Human Physiology"; Lauralee Sherwood, Ph.D.; 2004
- "Biochemistry"; Reginald Garrett, Ph.D. and Charles Grisham, Ph.D.; 2007
