How do supplemental digestive enzymes work

Here's what the experts say. When digestive issues like bloating, gas, nausea, constipation, or diarrhea are a regular event after eating, it can put a serious cramp in your quality of life pun totally intended. This could explain why more consumers are taking notice of digestive enzyme supplements, which are thought to help the body break down food compounds and increase nutrient absorption, relieving symptoms of indigestion in the process.

A report published by Grand View Research, Inc. We went to the experts to find out everything you need to know about digestive enzyme supplements. The body secretes a variety of enzymes to break down the foods that we eat—some are secreted starting in the mouth, and others further down in the digestive tract. Normally functioning glands in the mouth, stomach, small intestine, gallbladder, and pancreas are pros at producing the enzymes we need to digest our food and absorb the subsequent nutrients properly—but when these glands are either non-functioning or have been damaged, digestive enzyme supplements are intended to help pick up the slack.

Diseases of the stomach and small intestine can reduce the number of enzymes produced by them, says Dr. Preparing for the holidays? Digestive enzyme supplements promise to fix everything from bloating and flatulence to heartburn and gut health. But don't be too quick to reach for them.

But enzyme supplements also are often used in situations where there is little evidence that they do any good," says Dr. Naturally occurring digestive enzymes help break down food so we can soak up nutrients. Your mouth, stomach, and small intestine make some digestive enzymes. However, the majority come from your pancreas, which floods the small intestine when food arrives there with enzymes such as.

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As with many dietary supplements, though, there isn't enough evidence to show they have clear health benefits. Many of the studies are small. Some are poorly designed or have conflicting outcomes. Here's a look at some key findings. Pancrelipase is a digestive enzyme that might help people with irritable bowel syndrome IBS. In one study, 69 IBS patients were given either pancrelipase or a placebo.

A placebo is a substance that has no active ingredient. The patients were then asked to eat foods known to trigger their symptoms. Study results showed the pancrelipase patients did better than those taking the placebo. Patients taking pancrelipase had much greater improvement in symptoms like cramping, bloating, and pain. Another study looked at a supplement called Biointol. This supplement contains digestive enzymes along with beta-glucan and inositol.

Beta-glucan is a fiber. Inositol is a sugar that helps build cells. In this small study, 50 IBS patients received the supplement. Their symptoms were compared with a control group of 40 IBS patients. The control group did not take the supplement.

The results indicated that the supplement reduced symptoms. Patients had less abdominal pain, bloating, and flatulence. The control group did not have improvement in most symptoms. Several early studies in animals suggest that bromelain may help people with colitis. Colitis is inflammation of the bowel. A study found that bromelain seemed to decrease inflammation in mice with colitis. Patients have these symptoms even though they have little or no active inflammation.

A standard treatment for IBD is Asacol mesalamine. This is an anti-inflammatory drug. Biointol is a supplement that contains digestive enzymes. This supplement also contains beta-glucan and inositol. Another group received just Asacol.

After four weeks, those who received Asacol and Biointol said they had less abdominal pain. They also said they had less bloating and flatulence. Those who took only Asacol had just a small improvement in symptoms. For these patients, it was a mild reduction in fecal urgency. Fecal urgency is the sudden, immediate need to use the bathroom.

Some studies suggest that digestive enzymes may help disorders of the bowel such as irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease. But these studies tend to be small, and not all of them had a comparison group. There are some reports that digestive enzymes may help cancer patients. They do not affect the disease process, though. Instead, they may decrease the complications of treatments. Unfortunately, there are problems with the studies that have looked into these benefits.

Some were not statistically analyzed. Others did not show that OTC enzymes were associated with significant or consistent improvement. For example, an older study reported that OTC enzymes improved the quality of life for colorectal cancer patients. The study claimed these patients had fewer signs and symptoms of disease. It also claimed there was a reduction in side effects from cancer treatment.

Other studies, though, have had conflicting results. Some studies suggest that bromelain may help relieve the pain of osteoarthritis OA.

This may be because it reduces inflammation. A review of studies on natural OA remedies found evidence that bromelain might help ease OA pain. The authors noted, however, that many of the studies were poorly designed. Another study compared Voltaren diclofenac with Wobenzym. Wobenzym contains bromelain. It also contains trypsin and rutin. Trypsin is an enzyme that breaks down proteins. Rutin is an antioxidant. The study included patients with moderate-to-severe OA of the knee.

After 12 weeks, patients taking Wobenzym had less joint pain and better knee function compared to those taking the NSAID. This included improved ability to walk and knee joint flexibility. Another supplement called Phlogenzym contains the same ingredients as Wobenzym.

Studies of Phlogenzym suggest that patients may have only small improvements in pain. Based on the current research it's hard to know how effective enzymes are at improving OA symptoms. Larger studies are needed. Studies have also looked into OTC enzymes as a treatment for sore muscles.

The evidence on their effectiveness for this is mixed. Many studies are small and dated. In one older study, 20 men were given protease supplements. Protease is an enzyme that speeds up the breakdown of proteins. This study found that the supplements helped muscles heal. They also seemed to reduce pain after intense exercise.

Another study, however, had different results. It showed no difference between bromelain, Advil ibuprofen , or placebo in treating muscle soreness after exercise. A more recent study found that compared to a placebo, the enzyme blend DigeZyme significantly reduced pain after a treadmill running test. Studies into the use of enzymes for arthritis and muscle soreness have mixed results. More research is needed to confirm whether or not digestive enzymes are helpful for these conditions.

Many people with autism spectrum disorders ASD have gut problems. These problems may be related to the other symptoms of autism. Still, research on digestive enzymes in children with ASD is mixed. In one study, children with ASD were given digestive enzymes for three months.

These children had improvement in symptoms compared to the control group. The children who took enzymes had improvements in emotional response and general behavior. They also had improvements in:. Other studies have not found similar effects.