Digestive Enzymes 101: Why They’re Important

Sometimes, the food you love doesn’t always love you back — and in those cases, you may experience gastrointestinal problems, like an upset stomach, diarrhea or gas.

Could your body be struggling to break down food properly due to a lack of digestive enzymes? These types of protein naturally occur in your body to help with the breakdown of food into smaller molecules, allowing your body to extract nutrients, like carbohydrates, proteins and fats.

Gastroenterologist Alison Schneider, MD, helps us understand why digestive enzymes are so important.

What are digestive enzymes?

Digestive enzymes break down the food you eat so your body can easily absorb its nutrients. Your stomach, small intestine and pancreas all make digestive enzymes. These are some of the major types:

• Amylase: Enzymes that digest starches.
• Protease: Enzymes that digest proteins.
• Lipase: Enzymes that digest fats.
• Lactase: Enzymes that break down lactose.
• Sucrase: Enzymes that break down sucrose.
• Alpha-galactosidase: Enzymes that digest galactose, a simple sugar found in those foods.

“These enzymes are responsible for breaking down the major dietary components of the foods that we eat, so they’re vital to life,” says Dr. Schneider.

If your body is lacking in digestive enzymes, you may notice symptoms like stomachaches, diarrhea and gas.

But don’t get digestive enzymes confused with probiotics. While both support your gut health and aid in digestion, probiotics are live bacteria that help balance your gut microbiome. By keeping your gut healthy, they play an important supporting role in the work of digestive enzymes.

Food sources rich in digestive enzymes

You can find digestive enzymes naturally in food like:

• Avocados
• Bananas
• Ginger
• Honey
• Mangoes
• Papaya
• Pineapple
• Kefir
• Kiwi
• Sauerkraut

Health conditions that may cause digestive enzyme deficiencies

A few types of digestive enzyme insufficiency include:

• Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency: This occurs when your pancreas doesn’t produce enough of the enzymes necessary to digest carbohydrates, proteins and fats.
• Lactose intolerance: Your body doesn’t produce enough lactase, so you can have issues digesting the sugar naturally found in milk and other dairy products.
• Congenital or acquired sucrase-isomaltase deficiency: You don’t have enough sucrase to digest certain sugars.

Other conditions that could lead to difficulties include:

• Pancreatitis
• Certain bile duct diseases
• Cystic fibrosis
• Diabetes
• Narrowing or blockages of the pancreatic or bile duct

If your healthcare provider thinks you may have a digestive enzyme deficiency, they may recommend prescription enzyme supplements.

“Medicinal enzymes are combinations of amylase, protease and lipase that can help people with enzyme deficiencies digest food,” explains Dr. Schneider. “Typically, we can adjust the doses for each person’s clinical needs.”

Should you try over-the-counter digestive enzyme supplements?

You’ve probably seen digestive enzyme supplements in drugstores, health food stores or online. If you’re struggling with digestive problems regularly, you may be tempted to reach for one with the hopes that it will instantly knock out your symptoms.

But do over-the-counter (OTC) digestive enzyme supplements work?

“There are some studies that show treatment with digestive enzymes was well-tolerated and effective in the reduction of GI symptoms,” reports Dr. Schneider. “However, more large-scale trials are needed to fully establish their effectiveness for various conditions like functional dyspepsia and IBS.”

Another important factor? The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) doesn’t regulate supplements, stresses Dr. Schneider. So, it can be hard to determine how much of each enzyme is really in any particular supplement.

Potential digestive enzyme supplements side effects

If you choose to take a digestive enzyme supplement, you may experience the following symptoms:

• Constipation
• Nausea
• Stomach cramps
• Diarrhea

Dr. Schneider stresses the importance of talking to a healthcare provider before starting any supplement.

Bottom line?

While digestive enzymes benefit your digestion, in most cases, you don’t need to worry about your body making enough.

But if you notice that you’re frequently dealing with digestive issues, like stomachaches and diarrhea, talk to a doctor. They can help determine the source of your belly troubles — and provide proven treatment options.