If you struggle with bloating or have trouble digesting certain foods, you’ve likely considered using digestive enzymes for relief. With so many options, finding the best digestive enzymes can feel overwhelming.
In this article, we’ll explain what digestive enzymes are, how they work, and what to look for so you can choose the best one for your digestive needs.
What are Digestive Enzymes?
Digestive enzymes are substances naturally produced by the body to help break down food.
In fact, enzymes are released in your saliva as soon as you start chewing. As food moves through the GI tract, enzymes continue to break down proteins, fats, carbs, and other large nutrients. This process mainly occurs in the stomach, small intestine, and pancreas.
Supplemental digestive enzymes work similarly. They help break down nutrients into smaller, more easily absorbed molecules. For many, taking digestive enzyme supplements can help relieve bloating by minimizing the fermentation that can occur when nutrients aren’t fully digested. This fermentation process can draw in gas, leading to bloat and discomfort.
Types of Digestive Enzymes
There are several types of digestive enzymes, each with a specific role. Some break down proteins, while others help digest the milk sugars found in dairy. To find the best digestive enzyme (or enzymes) for you, consider the types of foods you need help digesting.
Here’s an overview of how different types of digestive enzymes can help:
Enzymes that breakdown protein
Digestive enzymes in the proteases family help digest proteins into their building blocks, called amino acids.
The breakdown happens in the pancreas allowing for amino acids to be absorbed in the upper part of our abdomen, called the duodenum. Amino acids are typically regarded as a marker for protein quality and they are essential to many important functions including muscle and tissue repair.
There are many different types of proteases for protein digestion, including:
- Protease
- Bromelain
- Papain
Enzymes that breakdown carbohydrates
Amylases are a group of enzymes that help break down starch into sugars like glucose. Mainly, starches are found in bread, cereal, corn, rice and root vegetables like potatoes.
For some, starches can be difficult to digest due to their complex molecular structure. Certain types of starches known as resistant starches, are nearly indigestible, which can lead to fermentation in the large intestine and cause bloating.
Digestive enzymes in the amylase family work to break down starches into simple sugars that can be used for energy. The release of amylases typically starts at the mouth via saliva and continues at the pancreas.
There are various types of amylases including:
- Glucoamylase
- Alpha-galactosidase
- Invertase
- Diastase
Enzymes that breakdown fats
Lipase is the main digestive enzyme that breaks down dietary fats. It works by digesting fats into its simple form known as free fatty acids which are compounds that help energize tissues in the body. Lipase does most of its heavy lifting in the pancreas, but it’s also secreted in the mouth and stomach.
It’s important to fully digest dietary fats for a variety of reasons – for one, fat-soluble vitamins like vitamins A, D, E, and K, rely on lipase to release them into the body’s tissues for use. Poor fat absorption can also lead to more serious gastrointestinal issues like diarrhea and fatty bowel movements.
Enzymes that breakdown fiber
Despite being healthy, many dietary fibers are indigestible which is why they can cause bloating for many people. Fortunately, various types of enzymes can make fiber easier to digest.
For instance, the digestive enzyme cellulase can help break down cellulose, an indigestible fiber that makes up the cell wall of high-fiber fruits and veggies, into easy-to-digest sugars.
Another example includes beta-glucanase, an enzyme that breaks down beta-glucans, a soluble fiber that makes grains like oats and cereals difficult to digest.
Enzymes that breakdown milk sugar
Lactase can help break down lactose, the milk sugar found in dairy that contributes to bloating and discomfort. For most people, poor dairy digestion isn’t a huge health threat. However, if you find yourself avoiding dairy because of GI discomfort, you may be missing out on key nutrients like calcium and vitamin D.
Interestingly, about 70% of adults are low on lactase, hence why unpleasant bloating after eating dairy is so common. Fortunately, taking a digestive enzyme supplement that provides lactase can be helpful if you struggle with bloating after eating dairy.
What to Look for in a Digestive Enzyme Supplement
Digestive enzyme supplements can support better digestion and nutrient absorption. With so many options available, it’s crucial to understand what makes a quality supplement. Here’s a breakdown of what to consider:
Clinically supported
When choosing a digestive enzyme, look for one that is backed by clinical research. Clinical support ensures that the product has been tested and shown to be effective for the intended use. Look for clinical studies that are “gold standard”, meaning a study that compared the product to a placebo, and was double blinded (meaning both participants and the researchers did not know which product they were taking) and participants were randomized to a group to ensure minimal bias. Flatter Me was compared to a placebo in a randomized, double-blind clinical trial and shown to reduce bloating (at 30 and 120 minutes after a meal) among 19 healthy adults who suffered from occasional bloating.
Benefits
Not all digestive enzymes are created equal and it’s important to choose a formula that addresses your specific concerns.
For general digestive support, look for a broad spectrum or comprehensive digestive enzyme blend that includes proteases, lipases and amylases to break down proteins, fats and carbs. Specific types of these enzymes can be helpful in breaking down specific hard to digest things like fibers.
Flatter Me contains a blend of 18 digestive enzymes that work to break down all food groups to reduce bloating and support nutrient absorption. Flatter Me Extra Strenght provides 50% more digestive enzymes for added support for hard to digest foods or for people who need extra enzymes (as we age we make less digestive enzymes naturally so may need some extra support). Flatter Me Plus contains the Flatter Me 18 digestive enzyme blend plus 2 clinically studied probiotic strains that provide the benefits of Flatter Me along with improving regularity and more bloat relief through supporting gut health.
Ingredients
A high-quality digestive enzyme supplement should contain a comprehensive blend of enzymes that can break down a variety of foods. Look for products that include:
- Protease: Breaks down proteins into amino acids.
- Amylase: Helps digest carbohydrates.
- Lipase: Breaks down fats.
- Cellulase: Assists in breaking down fiber from plant cell walls.
- Lactase: Helps digest lactose found in dairy.
- Bromelain & Papain: Natural enzymes from pineapple and papaya that aid protein digestion.
A supplement with a variety of enzymes will help ensure it can handle your entire meal, leading to better nutrient absorption and less digestive discomfort.
Potency
The potency of the enzymes is measured in activity units like HUT (Hemoglobin Unit Tyrosine Base) for protease or FIP (Fungal Lipase Unit) for lipase. The potency determines how effective the enzyme is at breaking down specific nutrients into smaller forms that are easier to digest. It is important to check the label of a digestive enzyme product to make sure that it provides these units as this is what really shows the potency of an enzyme.
Certifications
Third party certifications, like that from the Clean Label Project, are important independent measures of quality for digestive enzyme supplements.
The Clean Label Project is a non-profit organization that independently tests all HUM products for hundreds of environmental and industrial contaminants, including heavy metals, pesticides and plasticizerst. Their certification ensures that a supplement has undergone rigorous third-party testing and meets high standards for purity and safety.
Final Thoughts
With the right digestive enzyme supplement, you can optimize your digestive health, reduce bloating, and support nutrient absorption. It is important to be sure you are selecting a product that meets your needs, is clinically studied, is transparent in labeling how potent it is, and is verified clean by third parties.