10 Ways Digestive Enzymes Support Your Body*
Digestive enzymes help you break down the foods you eat, to absorb the nutrients within — and ultimately create the energy you need to fuel your day. No matter what you choose to eat, you deserve to feel like your best self before and after a meal. Digestive enzymes can help — by offering your body the support it needs. Here’s a list of 10 ways digestive enzymes support your body.*
- They help your body access carbs for energy.*
Amylases break down carbohydrates into starches and sugars that can be used for energy. Carbs are the brain’s only source of energy! - They help with muscle protein synthesis.*
Proteases are the type of enzyme that break down proteins into their amino acid building blocks.
Proteins (and amino acids) support tissue growth and maintenance (including muscle tissue), carry messages between cells and tissues and help store and transport nutrients, among other roles. - They help unlock fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E & K).*
Lipases help with dietary fat digestion. They also help your body access fat-soluble nutrients (like vitamins A, D, E and K as well as omega-3 and other fatty acids) so you can absorb them and unlock their benefits. Without sufficient amounts of lipases, your body isn’t able to fully access those nutrients, which are essential for immune, bone, brain and cardiovascular health. - They help those with lactose intolerance digest the sugars in dairy.*
Lactose is the digestive enzyme that breaks down lactase, the sugar found in dairy. Lactose intolerance is the inability to digest lactose; lactase deficiency is the shortage of that enzyme. Supplementing with lactose can help with the digestive discomfort that comes from eating dairy when it doesn’t love you back.* - They can help break down gluten for those who are sensitive to it.*
DPP-IV is an enzyme that may be able to degrade dietary gluten that is accidentally consumed, and it is called DPP-IV or dipeptidyl peptidase IV. This is a form of protease that breaks down many of the common components found in a gluten protein. While it cannot replace a gluten-free diet for individuals with celiac disease, supplements with DPP-IV can offer support for gluten intolerance.* - They can help you eat beans and vegetables more comfortably.*
Sometimes the healthier foods on our plates are the ones that lead to occasional digestive discomfort. That’s common with beans, grains and raw vegetables — but there’s an enzyme called alpha-galactosidase that quickly breaks down the starches and polysaccharides found in those foods.* - They can offer support when you aren’t sure which foods give you trouble.*
While digestive enzymes are specialists, each one targeting a specific nutrient, they can be combined in formulas that offer support for more than one type of food.* You might have more than one food that leads to occasional gas and bloating later on, or perhaps you aren’t sure which food(s) aren’t sitting well with you.* In cases like that, formulas for multiple food intolerances offer support.* - They can help you get the most from every bite.*
Every food you eat, from kale salads and protein shakes to bacon double cheeseburgers and ice cream sundaes, provides nutrients that your body uses to carry out various tasks. Digestive enzymes, along with the physical act of digestion, help break down those foods into smaller particles your body can actually use. When you have adequate supplies of digestive enzymes, you can get the most from every bite!* - They can boost energy.*
We tend not to think about it, but every process in the body requires energy — including eating and digestion. Enzymes help your body convert food into fuel, the energy you need to get through the day.* - They help you feel your best before and after you eat.*
Occasional gas and bloating after a meal happens to plenty of us, but enzymes can help reduce it.* Whether you want to enjoy ice cream on occasion or accidentally eat one of your problem foods, there’s a digestive enzyme for that!*