What Are Digestive Enzymes, and Do You Really Need Them, or Are They Just Trendy?
Way back when, digestive issues were a thing many people kept under wraps. Now, it’s become increasingly clear that a lot of people suffer from digestive problems like bloating, constipation, diarrhea, and more. In fact, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) says that between 60 to 70 million people in the U.S. are affected by digestive diseases.
So, it’s hardly shocking that there’s a growing interest in digestive enzymes. These supplements are designed to help the body break down food, but they’ve traditionally been used by people with specific health conditions. So, what’s the deal with digestive enzymes and is it something you should look into? Here’s what you need to know.
What are digestive enzymes, and what do they do?
Digestive enzymes are proteins that break down macronutrients like carbohydrates, proteins, and fats into smaller components to help them be absorbed from your small intestine into your bloodstream, explains Deborah Cohen, D.C.N., R.D.N., associate professor in the department of clinical and preventive nutrition sciences at Rutgers University.
Digestive enzymes are secreted by a few different parts of your body, including your mouth via your saliva, says Jessica Cording, R.D., author of The Little Book of Game-Changers. However, your pancreas is the main producer of important digestive enzymes in your body, says Ashkan Farhadi, M.D., a gastroenterologist at MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, California.
The problem becomes when your body doesn’t secrete digestive enzymes properly. “Inadequate secretion of digestive enzymes results in inadequate digestion [that] may lead to food intolerances,” Cohen says.
There are prescription digestive enzymes that doctors may prescribe for certain health condition (more on that in a moment), and over-the-counter digestive enzyme supplements that you can buy online.
Types of digestive enzymes
There are five main digestive enzymes made in your body, and each does something a little different. They include:
Amylase: Amylase is a digestive enzyme that breaks down or digests carbs, Cohen says.
Lactase: This digestive enzyme breaks down lactose, a sugar found in milk, Cording explains.
Lipase: Lipase helps break down fats, aka lipids, in your GI tract, Cohen says.
Protease: Protease helps break down proteins, Cording says.
Sucrase: Sucrase focuses on breaking down sucrose, a naturally-occurring sugar found in fruits and nuts, Cording says.
Do any foods contain digestive enzymes?
Some food contain digestive enzymes. Papaya, for example, contains papain, a type of protease, while figs contain the fellow protease ficin, and pineapple contains bromelain, also a protease, Cohen says.
Other digestive enzyme-containing foods include kiwi, mango, and avocado, Cording says.
These foods (and their digestive enzymes) work a little differently than supplements, though. “Since enzymes are proteins, they are themselves, broken down by hydrochloric acid in the stomach, thus rendering them inactive,” Cohen says. Meaning, while these foods may contain digestive enzymes, your stomach breaks them down before they can do anything for you.
“Enzyme supplements on the other hand, are enteric-coated pills that are designed for slow release, helping ensure the pills are not digested inside the stomach,” Cohen says. That allows supplements to end up in your small intestine, where they can actually help aid in your digestion, she says.
Who needs digestive enzymes?
If everything is working properly in your body, you shouldn’t need digestive enzyme supplements, Dr. Farhadi says. “The pancreas is a good reservoir for enzymes,” he says.
However, there are people with certain health conditions that might benefit from taking digestive enzymes. Those include:
Lactose intolerance. Certain enzymes can help “those who are unable to digest lactose, which is the primary carbohydrate in milk and milk products,” Cohen says. But, she says, “because there are so many options for ‘milk’ such as plant milks and vegan cheeses…being lactose intolerant does not necessarily mean one must take digestive enzymes.”
Exocrine insufficiency. This condition happens when your pancreas doesn’t make enough digestive enzymes or those enzymes don’t do their job efficiently, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Taking certain digestive enzymes can help ensure your body is able to get the nutrients you need. People with chronic pancreatitis, cystic fibrosis, and pancreatic cancer may deal with exocrine insufficiency.
Certain types of bariatric surgery. That includes gastric bypass but not lap band or sleeve gastrectomy procedures, Cohen says.
IBS or inflammatory bowel disease. People with these conditions may benefit from taking digestive enzymes, Cording says.
“Some people have seen benefits of taking supplemental enzymes with indigestion,” Dr. Farhadi says, but he points out that there really isn’t data to show that this works.
If you’re considering taking digestive enzymes, it’s really best to talk to your doctor first. Odds are, you’re having some kind of digestive symptoms that should be evaluated, and you can come up with a treatment plan that works for you from there.
In general though, “the average person who is not experiencing any GI symptoms does not need to be seeking out digestive enzymes,” Cording says.
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