The causes of bloating, heaviness after eating and sluggish digestion can all be linked to one: digestive enzyme production and utilization. These enzymes digest the food you eat into nutrients that you can absorb. This guide describes digestive enzymes, the primary enzymes the body makes, when the digestive enzymes supplement may be beneficial, and simple dietary and lifestyle tips for maintaining digestive health (digestive enzymes) naturally.
What Are Digestive Enzymes?
Digestive enzymes are proteins that are secreted primarily from the pancreas, stomach and small intestine which function to break down carbohydrates, proteins and fats into smaller molecules that the body can absorb. If digestive enzymes aren't ample, food is not digested properly, causing bloating, gas and ultimately nutritional deficiencies.
What Are Digestive Enzymes and How Do They Work?
Digestive enzymes break down large food molecules into smaller ones by chemical digestion. Carbohydrates are converted into simple sugars, proteins are converted into amino acids and fats are converted into fatty acids and glycerol. This occurs primarily in the stomach and small intestine where the digestive enzymes are secreted after food ingestion.
Digestive enzymes are made in the body during different stages of digestion (salivary, acid based in stomach, pancreatic in small intestine). If digestive enzymes are lacking at any of these steps, digestion becomes slow and the undigested food may cause discomfort.
Types of Digestive Enzymes in the Body
There are three types of digestive enzymes, each dedicated to a particular food:
| Enzyme Type | Breaks Down | Produced By |
|---|---|---|
| Amylase | Carbohydrates | Salivary glands, pancreas |
| Protease | Proteins | Stomach, pancreas |
| Lipase | Fats | Pancreas, small intestine |
In addition to these three major digestive enzymes, the body also produces smaller quantities of special digestive enzymes such as lactase (for lactose in dairy products) and sucrase (for table sugar) which is why people can't digest certain foods as easily as others.
The production of these digestive enzymes can be effected by age, diet and some medical conditions. For instance, in many people, their ability to produce lactase decreases as they grow older, leading to lactose intolerance that can occur after birth, not at birth. Even if a person doesn't have any other medical issue, chronic stress or an irregular eating routine can make digestive enzymes less consistent in the way they are released.
Digestive Enzymes for Protein: Why Protease Matters
Protease is an enzyme that specifically catalyzes the hydrolysis of protein to amino acids, among all digestive enzymes. For individuals on a muscle building diet, it is particularly crucial to have digestive enzymes for protein because undigested protein has the potential to bloat the stomach.
Proteases are enzymes that break down proteins; the stomach makes pepsin and the pancreas makes trypsin and chymotrypsin. When the digestive enzymes for protein are inadequate, one usually feels heavy or uncomfortable after a protein-rich meal such as paneer, chicken, or protein shakes. This is also why some protein powders, like Mettle's ISO Whey and Pro Whey Gold, include an added digestive enzyme blend specifically to reduce this discomfort.
Digestive Health Digestive Enzymes: Why They Matter for Gut Function
Digestive health digestive enzymes have a pivotal role in the absorption of food or food passing through the gut without being digested. If the digestive enzymes in the digestive system are functioning properly, the food is better digested, and less food remains to be digested by gut bacteria, leading to less bloating and gas.
Aging, medical conditions such as pancreatic insufficiency, or chronic digestive disease may be the cause of poor digestive health. A digestive enzyme supplement may be necessary once dietary and lifestyle changes have been made to support digestive health.
Signs Your Body May Need More Digestive Enzyme Support
It is good to be aware of the symptoms that indicate a lack of digestive enzyme activity before determining if digestive enzyme supplement is needed:
- Bloating or gas soon after eating, particularly after protein or fat-rich foods.
- Blood in stool, food particles in stool that are not broken down, or blood in stool that is broken down, but not digested
- Constipation or bloating that occurs often after eating, sometimes referred to as a "food coma"
- Feeding a reasonably nutritious diet, and yet not gaining weight.
If these symptoms occur on a frequent basis, it may be worth trying digestive enzyme supplements as well as dietary changes that can help improve digestion naturally, without assuming the condition of a more serious one at work.
Digestive Enzyme Supplements: When and Why to Consider Them
Digestive enzyme supplements may be useful for those who find it difficult to digest meals naturally. Some people use digestive enzyme supplements for the following reasons:
- Persistent gas and bloating, particularly after consuming protein or fatty foods.
- Enzymatic deficiencies (e.g. pancreatic insufficiency) that have been diagnosed.
- Lactose intolerance (digestive enzyme supplements containing lactase may aid digestion of dairy products)
- The body's natural enzyme production decreases with age.
Digestive enzyme supplements are typically not prescribed by a doctor unless there is a digestive problem, so try not to use them unless they are recommended by a healthcare provider. For more on how these enzyme blends work specifically for those training regularly, see our guide on digestive enzymes in bodybuilding.
Benefits Improve Digestion Naturally: Food and Lifestyle Tips
Rather than taking supplements, there are a few benefits that can enhance digestion without supplementation, including food and lifestyle changes. They can all help with digestion, no pills or drugs, and many of them are simple to incorporate into the daily routine:
- Slow down and chew food well, mechanical breakdown takes less work for digestive enzymes
- Add a bit of digestion-facilitating foods such as natural enzymes papaya (papain) and pineapple (bromelain).
- Drink plenty of liquids, digestive enzymes function best in a hydrated digestive tract,
- Control stress because stress can lower the amount of enzymes that are produced and digestion as a whole.
- Don't overeat, as this can be overwhelming for the digestive enzymes that are there at any given time.
- Eat regularly, as some of the easiest digestion benefits improve naturally can be given with light activity after a meal, which will allow food to go through the system more efficiently.
- Get sufficient sleep as poor sleep has negative effects on digestion and over time any enzymes may lose their efficiency.
Many of these simple habits indicate ways to enhance digestion naturally, and may not require any supplement in particular, particularly for those with normal digestive functioning. Most people will notice improvement in their digestive health within a few weeks of starting to implement two or three of these digestive health strategies naturally.
Conclusion
Your body's capacity to digest and absorb carbohydrates, fat or protein is directly related to your digestive enzymes. Knowing the digestive enzymes that help break down protein and how they relate to digestive health, combined with knowing how to promote digestive health on a daily basis and when digestive enzyme supplements may be truly of benefit, gives you a full picture of digestion. Habits that fall under benefits to improve digestion naturally are sufficient in most cases, supplements come second. For a broader look at supporting digestion through food, our guides on fermented foods for gut health and high fiber foods for constipation cover related ground.
Hungry for help with digestion? To begin, you need to eat slower, and begin incorporating papaya into your diet, which is an added natural enzyme-rich food; if bloating and discomfort persists regularly, however, after making those changes, seek help from a doctor.
FAQs
1. What foods are naturally rich in digestive enzymes?
The papaya, pineapple, mango and fermented foods such as curd naturally contain digestive enzymes or compounds that help digestion and add to a digestion-friendly diet.
2. Do I need digestive enzyme supplements if I don't have a diagnosed condition?
Not necessarily. Digestive enzyme supplements are useful when they are actually needed because digestive symptoms are chronic or they have been diagnosed with a deficiency; otherwise, it is more likely that improving digestion through lifestyle will be enough.
3. Why do digestive enzymes for protein matter more for people who train or lift weights?
With a protein rich diet, digestive enzymes are very important for digesting the protein efficiently and therefore if there is insufficient amount of enzyme activity, it can cause bloating or discomfort after protein-rich foods.
4. Can poor digestive health digestive enzymes function cause nutrient deficiencies?
Yes. Food nutrition may not be well absorbed when digestive enzymes do not function properly and may lead to nutrient deficiencies over a period of time even in a well-balanced diet.
5. Are there any side effects of digestive enzyme supplements?
Digestive enzymes are generally safe to use on a regular basis, as directed, though may cause a bit of digestive upset on initial use. It's advisable to begin on a low dose and keep in touch with a physician if symptoms do not clear up.
