Digestive enzymes break down fats, proteins, and carbs so your body can absorb the nutrients. The majority of them are produced by the pancreas, followed by the small intestine, stomach, and mouth. Read on to learn how different enzymes work, genetic factors behind their levels and digestive disorders & ways to naturally boost digestion.<\/p>\n
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Digestive enzymes are a broad group of enzymes that break down large nutrients such as fats, proteins, and carbs into smaller ones your body can absorb easier. The body naturally produces most of these enzymes in the pancreas, while smaller amounts are made in the stomach, small intestine, and mouth [R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>].<\/p>\n The following enzymes help you soak up nutrients from specific foods [R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>]:<\/p>\n Their main role is to aid your digestion, and the amount and activity of these enzymes in your body depends on a complex set of factors. Digestive enzyme supplements<\/a> may seem like an easy and effective option to compensate for the low levels and improve digestion.<\/p>\n Preliminary research suggests that digestive enzymes may help with various digestive disorders, inflammation, gut infections, and more [R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>].<\/p>\n Still, digestive enzymes are no magic pills, and they may help only in certain situations.<\/p>\n If you have low enzyme levels and suffer from indigestion, you are usually presented with two basic options: to take enzyme supplements or to work to change your diet and lifestyle to increase your enzyme production.<\/p>\n That said, it\u2019s not that you have to strictly choose one or the other. Digestive enzyme supplements<\/a> may feel like a short-term life-saver for some, and oftentimes, they help lower indigestion symptoms. But they are usually no long-term solution [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n Digestive enzymes do offer relief to people who chronically suffer from specific issues such as chronic pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas) and cystic fibrosis. In those cases, doctors prescribe potent FDA-approved digestive enzymes<\/strong> (pancrelipase) [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n Another group of digestive enzymes are the more popular and diverse over-the-counter supplements<\/strong>. However, there\u2019s limited evidence that their use for some common gut problems will be beneficial.<\/p>\n What\u2019s more, they come with a major drawback: they won\u2019t do anything to restore your natural enzyme production. If you don\u2019t have a serious problem with your pancreas, the chances are you probably don\u2019t need them.<\/p>\n Ideally, you should work with a practitioner to uncover the underlying cause of your gut issues. <\/strong>This will help you create and follow a holistic program to get you back on track.<\/p>\n For this reason, we included a brief section<\/a> about ways to naturally support digestion with diet and lifestyle.<\/p>\n Low levels of digestive enzymes show that the pancreas is not working properly<\/strong> and is struggling to produce important digestive compounds. In severe form, this condition is called exocrine<\/strong> pancreatic insufficiency (EPI)<\/strong>. In this condition, cells of the pancreas that make digestive enzymes are destroyed over time [R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>].<\/p>\n EPI is not the only cause, although it\u2019s the most serious one. Various conditions can decrease the production of digestive enzymes (to a smaller or greater extent):<\/p>\n Digestive enzyme production also gradually declines with aging [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n Lipases<\/a> are enzymes that break down fats. They are produced in the pancreas but can also be extracted from plants, animals, and fungi [R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>]:<\/p>\n Amylases or amylolytic enzymes break down complex carbs into glucose and other simple sugars [R<\/a>, R<\/a>].<\/p>\n These enzymes broadly include amylases<\/strong>, as well as maltase-glucoamylase, sucrase-isomaltase, and lactase [R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>].<\/p>\n The body produces two types of amylase<\/a>: the salivary<\/strong> and pancreatic<\/strong>. Salivary amylase is produced by salivary glands and it starts digesting food as you chew it. Pancreatic amylase is produced by the pancreas and helps digest complex sugars in your gut [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n Amylases can be found in and extracted from various sources, such as plants, bacteria, fungi, and dairy products [R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>].<\/p>\n There are three main types of amylases: alpha-amylases, beta-amylases<\/strong>, and glucoamylases <\/strong>[R<\/a>].<\/p>\n\n
<\/a>To Supplement or Not to Supplement<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
<\/a>What Causes Low Digestive Enzymes?<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
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<\/a>Types of Digestive Enzymes & How They Work<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
<\/a>Fats: Lipases<\/span><\/h3>\n
<\/a>Sugars: Amylases<\/span><\/h3>\n
<\/a>Amylases<\/h4>\n