Can Digestive Enzyme Supplements Help With IBS?
What are digestive enzymes?
A digestive enzyme is a complex protein made by your body to help break down food into smaller molecules to be absorbed into your body. Most digestive enzymes are made by your pancreas, but also a few are made by your mouth, stomach, and small intestine.
Examples of digestive enzymes include:
- Amylase — breaks apart complex sugars into smaller molecules like maltose
- Pepsin — breaks down proteins in foods like meat, eggs, and dairy products into smaller peptides
- Lipase — breaks down complex fats into smaller fatty acids and glycerol
- Lactase — breaks down the milk sugar called lactose
- Trypsin — breaks down protein into its small molecules called amino acids
There are two enzyme supplements whose effectiveness is backed up by research. One is lactase (Lactaid). Many people with IBS are also lactose Intolerant. This means their body doesn’t produce enough lactase to digest lactose, a sugar found in milk and milk products. Taking a lactase supplement before drinking milk or other dairy products helps with digestion of milk sugars.
The other supplement is an enzyme called alpha-galactosidase, this enzyme helps reduce gas and bloating caused by eating beans and cruciferous vegetables (like broccoli, brussel sprouts and cabbage). It does this by breaking down some of the oligosaccharides found in these foods. So if you have IBS and get gassy after eating beans and certain veggies, this specific digestive enzyme may help.
You can find digestive enzyme supplements in a pill or chewable tablet form. They may include one or a combination of multiple digestive enzymes with different potencies. These supplements were originally made for people with pancreatic insufficiency, a condition in which the pancreas doesn’t produce enough enzymes to digest food. But since IBS sufferers can use digestive support, these enzymes can be very helpful.
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May 29, 2023