Choosing The Best Digestive Enzyme Supplements: A Complete Guide
- Josh Boughton
- 2 days ago
- 12 min read
Updated: 4 hours ago
Digestive enzymes play important roles in the body. If they are not produced in sufficient amounts or the environment in the gut is not optimal, digestive problems and other health issues can result, including reduced nutrient absorption. Choosing the right digestive enzyme can feel overwhelming because of how many choices there are.
What are digestive enzymes?
Digestive enzymes are proteins that help to break down the fats, proteins, and carbohydrates you eat into smaller molecules that are easier to absorb. They are produced in the salivary glands, stomach, pancreas, and small intestine.
What Digestive enzymes are produced by the body?
The body produces a variety of digestive enzymes. It starts in your mouth, with the production of amylases by your salivary glands. Amylases break down starches and carbohydrates into sugars. They also produce lysozyme, which is used to break down the cell walls of things like bacteria.
While not an enzyme, your stomach produces HCL (hydrochloric acid), which helps to break down proteins and kill pathogens. Your stomach also produces pepsin to help break down proteins and small amounts of lipase to break down fats.
Next, bicarbonate is produced in the pancreas (and to a lesser extent, in the stomach), which helps increase the pH of food and secretions as they leave the stomach, allowing the enzymes produced by the pancreas to break down the food properly. If the pH of things leaving the stomach is too low, the enzymes produced by the pancreas will not function well.
The pancreas produces amylase (for digesting carbohydrates), proteases, like trypsin and chymotrypsin (for digesting proteins), and lipase (for digesting fats). While not enzymes, the pancreas also produces hormones, including insulin, glucagon, and somatostatin. People whose pancreas does not produce enough digestive enzymes are often diagnosed with a condition called Pancreatic Insufficiency, also known as exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI), which can lead to malabsorption of nutrients.
The small intestine also produces some enzymes, including lactase (to break down lactose in dairy products), peptidases (to break down proteins), disaccharidases (to break down complex sugars), lipase (to break down fats), and sucrase (to break down sugars).
While not enzymes, bile acids are digestive secretions with very important functions. Bile acids are produced in the liver and help your body break down the fats you eat. Bile is stored in the gallbladder and released into the small intestine as needed by the body. They help break fats down into smaller molecules. Bile also helps remove waste products, such as bilirubin, from the body. Bile acids are also involved in the absorption and excretion of cholesterol.
How to support your body's production of digestive enzymes
Digestion begins in the mouth when your salivary glands produce amylases to digest carbohydrates. This process also starts to stimulate the release of various digestive secretions.
One of the most important ways you can help your body produce more enzymes is to slowly and thoroughly chew your food before swallowing. Gulping food down on the run is quite bad for your digestion.
Mindful eating is an excellent practice for improving the body's digestive enzyme secretions. It involves being present and in the moment while eating, rather than mindlessly eating.
Another way is to eat bitter foods. Bitter foods stimulate digestive secretions. Try to have some a few minutes before your meal for the best effects. These are some great bitter foods:
Dandelion greens
Arugula
Chicory
Bitter melon
Fresh artichokes
Endives
Raddichio
Bitter melon
Foods rich in digestive enzymes
Many foods contain digestive enzymes, which is a great way to support your digestion.
Pineapple is well known for being rich in bromelain. Bromelain is not a single enzyme, but rather a mixture of several. Bromelain helps to digest proteins. It is found in the highest amounts in the core and stem of the pineapple. You want fresh pineapple because canned pineapple and bottled pineapple juice typically contain little to no bromelain. Bromelain is a main ingredient in meat tenderizers.
Papaya is rich in papain. Papain is an enzyme that helps to break down proteins. You want fresh papaya, not canned or juice.
Avocados contain lipase, which helps to break down fats.
Bananas are rich in amylase and maltase. Amylase helps to break down starches and carbohydrates, while maltase helps to break down the malt sugars found in starchy foods.
Mangos are rich in amylase, which helps to break down starches and carbohydrates.
Ginger is rich in the enzyme zingibain, which helps to digest proteins. It is also believed to aid in increasing the body's production of digestive enzymes.
Pancreas, also known as sweetbreads, is the richest food source of enzymes, including proteases, amylases, and lipase. They have a rich, creamy texture, but can be hard to find. White Oak Pastures is a good source for them.
What are the different types of enzymes found in digestive enzyme supplements?
Amylase - Breaks down starches into sugars.
Glucoamylase - Breaks down starch into glucose.
Alpha-Galactosidase - Breaks down the starches in beans that cause gas.
Beta Glucanase - Breaks down beta-glucans.
Bromelain - A blend of enzymes that breaks down proteins.
Cellulase - Breaks down cellulose.
DAO - Breaks down histamine in the gut..
Hemicellulase - Breaks down hemicellulose.
Lactase - Breaks down lactose.
Lipase - Breaks down fat.
Maltase - Breaks down maltose
Pancreatic Enzymes - A blend of Amylases, proteases, and lipase to help break down a variety of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins.
Papain - Breaks down protein.
Papaya Enzymes - A blend of enzymes derived from papayas, including papain and chymopapain, that help to break down proteins.
Pectinase - Breaks down pectin.
Pepsin - Breaks down proteins.
Phytase - Breaks down phytic acid.
Proteases - Break down proteins.
Xylanase - Breaks down xylan, a type of cellulose found in some plants.
Betaine HCL - While not an enzyme, it is found in a lot of digestive enzyme supplements and used as a supplement form of stomach acid.
Ox Bile - While not an enzyme, it is found in a lot of digestive enzyme supplements. It is used as a supplemental source of bile acids.
How are digestive enzyme potencies measured?
Traditional digestive enzyme supplements employ a variety of measurements, and unfortunately, many companies use different measurements for the same enzymes, resulting in considerable confusion. These types of enzyme supplements should not just use milligrams as a measurement of enzyme potency, as that only shows the weight, not how much enzyme activity you will be getting. For example, Bromelain 500 GDU and Bromelain 1500 GDU are very different potencies, but if it was labeled in milligrams, it would look the same on the label, and you would not know which strength you are getting.
Alpha-Galactosidase - GALU (Galactosidase Units)
Amylase - DU (Dextrinizing Units)
Bromelain - GDU (Gelatin Digesting Units) or FCCPU
Catalase - BU (Baker Units)
Cellulase - CU (Cellulase Unit)
DAO (Diamine Oxidase) - HDU (Histamine Digesting Units)
Glucoamylase - AGU (Amyloglucosidase Units)
Hemicellulase - HCU (Hemicellulase Units)
Invertase - INVU (Invertase Activity Unit) or SU (Sumner Units)
Lactase - ALU (Acid Lactase Unit)
Lipase - FCCFIP (Federation Internationale Pharmaceutique)
Maltase - DP (Degrees of Diastatic Power)
Nattokinase - FU (Fibrinolytic Units)
Pectinase - Endo-PGU (Endo-Polygalacturonase Units)
Phytase - FTU (Phytase Units)
Protease-HUT (Hemoglobin Unit on a L-Tyrosine Basis) - Different proteases work in different pHs.
Xylanase - XU (Xylanase Units)
How are digestive enzyme supplements made?
There are varying ways that digestive enzymes are produced, depending on the type you get.
The vast majority of enzyme supplements are produced via fungal and bacterial fermentation. This is how most digestive enzyme supplements are produced:
Genetically engineered or naturally occurring yeast and bacteria strains that produce high levels of the desired enzyme are selected. These strains are then placed into large fermentation tanks or bioreactors.
Many companies label their enzyme supplements as non-GMO, even though they were produced using GMO bacteria or yeasts, because the final product contains no GMO proteins. This is a dishonest practice that should be illegal.
A culture medium is added to feed the bacteria or yeast being used, which can include substances such as sugars, nutrients, and other essential components needed for growth.
The conditions in the tank are tightly controlled to promote the efficient production of the desired enzyme.
Once the bacteria or yeast have reached the desired level of enzyme production, they are separated from the culture medium, and the enzyme is extracted and purified.
The enzyme is then further purified to remove all remaining traces of things from the culture medium and growing process. These steps can induce centrifuging, precipitation, and other methods.
The enzymes are then packaged and stored for use in products such as food, pharmaceuticals, and supplements.
Betaine HCL is made by reacting (not the perfect term, but it works here) betaine (either synthetic or extracted from sugar beets) with hydrochloric acid. It is then sprayed onto a carrier, usually polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), also known as povidone, a type of plastic. This carrier is not listed on the label when you buy betaine HCL supplements. Most people who take betaine HCL supplements are ingesting lots of microplastics this way without even knowing it.. Properly made betaine should use cellulose (plant fiber) as a carrier, not plastic; however, the process of making it is more expensive, so most companies opt for the plastic version.
Bromelain is extracted from pineapples. These would be considered isolated enzymes as they are removed from the pineapple.
Papaya enzymes are extracted from papaya. These would be considered isolated enzymes as they are removed from the papaya.
Most pancreatic enzymes and pepsin are extracted from conventionally raised pig pancreases. These would be considered isolated enzymes as they are removed from the pig pancreas.
Ox bile is made by extracting the bile from an Ox, drying it, and putting it into a pill. This should ideally come from cows raised using regenerative agriculture, but unfortunately, nearly all ox bile supplements are made from conventional cattle.
Whole food enzymes should be made by low-temperature drying whole foods, milling them into a powder, and then encapsulating them into a pill. When made properly, they contain not just the enzymes, but also the other nutrients and compounds found in those whole foods.
Many companies sell enzyme supplements that claim to be whole food, but are anything but. Check out our blog article to learn more about spotting fake whole food supplements.
How to Use Digestive Enzyme Supplements
Digestive enzymes should be taken with the first bite of a meal or snack.
Bile acid supplements, like Ox bile, should be taken with the first bite of fatty meals or before bed to support a healthy gut microbiome.
Betaine HCL should be taken halfway through a meal or after. It is best to consult your doctor to determine if you have low stomach acid, hypochlorhydria, and discuss whether HCl supplementation would be beneficial for you before starting its use. This is because it can have significant side effects if it is not necessary. Never open the capsule and put it in water or drinks, as this can cause damage to tooth enamel and esophageal irritation.
Store digestive enzymes in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight and moisture.
How to choose the best digestive enzyme supplement
Depending on what type of digestive enzyme you are looking into, there are different things to look for.
For betaine HCL supplements, it’s essential to choose those using cellulose as a carrier instead of povidone (plastic), which is the common carrier. Unfortunately, this is not something you can determine from the label, and it can require significant research to find out which companies' products use it and which don't, as most companies are unaware that this is an issue.
Due to shortages in the betaine HCl supply chain, numerous contaminated products are on the market because most companies do not perform proper quality control. Many have adulterations with foreign substances, but because these are newer adulterants, the identities of many of these substances are unknown. One theory is that it is due to the breakdown of the manufacturing containers, as HCl is highly caustic. Regardless of what they are, your betaine HCL must be free of these adulterants. Unfortunately, there is no way to tell from the label.
Many companies have convinced people that betaine HCL supplements must contain pepsin, or they will not work. This is entirely untrue, and in fact, pepsin should not be in the same pill as the betaine HCL because it will degrade the pepsin over time. If you need to use betaine HCL and pepsin, they should be taken in separate pills.
After extensive research, we found a high-quality betaine HCL supplement. It uses cellulose as a carrier, not povidone (a plastic), and is free of those unknown adulterants.
For ox bile and bile acid supplements, look for those that are produced from animals raised using regenerative agriculture practices. In addition, they should ideally be whole food, using the entire gallbladder, not just the bile, to get the broadest range of benefits. They should be gently freeze-dried and cryo-milled to preserve all of the beneficial compounds. Look for those made by companies that can trace the bile and gallbladder back to the farms they came from and produce the finished product themselves, from fresh organs to capsules.
Many companies use enteric coating on their enzyme supplements, claiming it protects the enzymes from being damaged or destroyed by stomach acid. The problem with this is that most enteric coatings have awful ingredients, including plasticizers and parabens. Unfortunately, very few companies list the full ingredients in their enteric coatings, leaving many people unknowingly ingesting microplastics. A better solution for protection against stomach acid is to use DR (delayed-release) veggie caps or beef gelatin capsules. This provides the benefits of enteric coatings without the drawbacks commonly associated with them. We recommend avoiding enteric-coated supplements of all kinds, as you can never be sure you know all of the ingredients.
For traditional enzyme supplements, it’s important to look for those that:
Use the correct measurements, not just milligrams
Are not enteric-coated
Are free of plastics and plasticizers
Are tested for contaminants and adulterants
Including chloramphenicol, a banned antibiotic found in a lot of enzyme supplements, because of the poor practices of certain suppliers.
Are tested for potency using the correct testing methods - Not all testing methods are effective for the same enzymes.
For whole food enzyme supplements, there are several important factors to consider.
The first is that their labels will not resemble those of traditional enzyme supplements, as they will simply list the foods, not the enzyme measurements. Therefore, the quality of the food and how it was processed are extremely important to ensure that you are getting sufficient levels of the enzymes.
Sourcing is critical. Nearly all whole food enzymes are going to be made from animal organs. So, how those animals were raised and how the organs were handled makes a huge difference.
Look for those made using animals raised using genuine regenerative farming practices, not from conventionally raised pigs. The company producing the supplement should obtain the organs directly from farmers and then manufacture the finished product itself. Middlemen should not be involved in the process. Unfortunately, most organ supplement companies don’t produce anything themselves; they slap their label on a product made and sourced by a giant, unseen manufacturing facility that buys organs from another facility and combines ingredients from a vast number of places. You want the organs to be non-defatted (i.e., with no fat removed), slowly freeze-dried, and cryomilled to protect all the important compounds. For a more in-depth look at how beef organ supplements should be made, check out our blog.
The best digestive Enzymes
As with other supplements, we believe that whole food enzyme supplements are the best choice. All of our whole food digestive enzyme supplements are made from regeneratively raised ruminants in the Lake Eyre region of Australia.
NXGEN Wholefoods buys the organs directly from the farmers and then uses a slow freeze-drying process and cryo-milling to produce the whole food organ powders. Then they are put into beef gelatin capsules and bottled. That’s it, the way it should be done.
Gallbladder with Ox Bile supplies the whole gallbladder and Ox Bile. It is rich in conjugated bile acids, including Cholic Acid, Deoxycholic Acid, Taurocholic Acid, and Glycocholic acids. In addition, it contains all of the naturally occurring nutrients and cofactors in those foods that help support its effectiveness.
Kidney is one of the richest food sources of DAO (diamine oxidase). This is the enzyme that helps to break down histamine in the gut. It is also rich in selenium, vitamin B12, iron, zinc, vitamin A, and copper, which are important nutrients involved with histamine metabolism. Most DAO supplements are extracted from conventionally raised pig kidneys, which is something that is best to avoid because of how badly the pigs are treated and the amount of pollution caused by conventional pig farming.
Pancreas is a concentrated source of pancreatic enzymes, including amylases, lipase (and colipase, a cofactor protein for lipase digestion), and proteases (including trypsin). Most pancreatic enzyme supplements are extracted from conventionally raised pig pancreas, which is something that is best to avoid because of how badly the pigs are treated and the amount of pollution caused by conventional pig farming.
Digestive Enzymes is our favorite broad-spectrum digestive enzyme. It contains a blend of enzyme-rich whole foods and all of their nutritional and compound components.
Pancreas
Supplies pancreatic enzymes, including amylases, lipase (and colipase, a cofactor protein for lipase digestion), and proteases (including trypsin)
Stomach (tripe)
Supplies pepsin, lipase,
Ox Bile
Supplies conjugated bile acids, including Cholic Acid, Deoxycholic Acid, Taurocholic Acid, and Glycocholic acids.
Duodenum
Supplies maltase, lactase, and sucrase.
Kidney
Supplies DAO (diamine oxidase).
Liver
Rich in choline, a nutrient most people don’t get enough of, which plays a crucial role in digestion. Choline helps the body utilize and transport lipids, is an important food source for gut bacteria, and supports gut motility.
Parotid (Salivary gland)
Supplies amylase
Digestive enzyme supplement questions and support
If you have questions about our digestive enzymes, please email us at info@rooted-nutrition.com, and we will be happy to answer them!
