HWN Suggests

Can Enzymes Make the Meal?

From a crusty baguette to a big thick steak, some foods may be hard to digest, particularly as we age. Enzyme capsules taken before a meal can relieve discomfort by helping the body to break down problem foods, say companies that sell the pills...

The concept of an over-the-counter enzyme blend seems "reasonable" but "there are not high-quality, well-designed studies" that prove they work in humans, says Lin Chang, director of the digestive health and nutrition clinic at the University of California in Los Angeles.

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Articles of Interest

Digestive enzymes

Enzymes are globular proteins that control biological reactions. Digestive enzymes speed up the breakdown (hydrolysis) of food molecules into their ‘building block’ components. These reactions occur outside of the cells lining the gut.

Enzymes Try to Grab the Spotlight

And Dr. Neal Barnard, the president and founder of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, a nonprofit group in Washington, questions whether enzyme supplements can have anything more than a trivial impact on health.

Digestive Enzymes and Digestive Enzyme Supplements

“Overall, a healthy person really doesn’t need to take digestive enzyme supplements,” Denhard explains. “The best digestive enzymes are the ones our bodies make naturally, and they work best when you eat a whole food diet.”

Digestive Enzymes: The Better-Health Secret to Beating Bloat and Food Comas

Beat the bloat, gas, indigestion and foods comas to the curb.

Do Digestive Enzyme Supplements Work for Gas and Bloating?

Despite anecdotal claims, current clinical evidence does not advocate the use of supplemental enzymes to treat common gastrointestinal tract symptoms including bloating, gas, and irritable bowel syndrome.

Probiotics vs digestive enzymes: What's the difference?

In short, digestive enzymes break down complex nutrients into smaller particles, while probiotics help to maintain a balance between the ‘good’ and the ‘bad’ gut bacteria.

Proteases: Not your typical digestive enzymes

You’ve likely learned in biology, physiology, or biochemistry classes about enzymes that are converted from zymogens into active enzymes. And you might have encountered an enzyme type called proteases that catalyze protein degradation or cleave molecular bonds.

Proteases: Not your typical digestive enzymes

You’ve likely learned in biology, physiology, or biochemistry classes about enzymes that are converted from zymogens into active enzymes. And you might have encountered an enzyme type called proteases that catalyze protein degradation or cleave molecular bonds.

The Best Digestive Enzymes Supplements, According to a GI Dietitian

If you are digestively challenged, avoiding the food you don't digest well is the surest way to resolve symptoms. Yet this can be burdensome in daily life. Supplemental enzymes, which are commercially available forms of enzymes that can help with digestion, can offer relief.