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Enzymes to Help Digest Food & GERD

Millions of Americans suffer from digestive ailments, including gastritis, dyspepsia and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), according to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse. Enzymes produced by your body play a key role in virtually every step of the digestive process. As you grow older, your body’s production of these digestive enzymes can slow down. To bolster natural enzyme activity, it might be beneficial to take enzyme supplements to facilitate the digestive process.

  1. Digestive Enzymes

    • Digestive enzymes are produced at various points in your digestive system, beginning with the salivary glands, which produce enzymes to kick off the process of digestion. In the stomach, gastric enzymes pick up the next step of the process. The final stages of digestion, which occur largely in the small intestine, are facilitated by enzymes produced in the pancreas, according to the Merck Manuals Online Medical Library. They are generated by the acini tissue of the pancreas and include amylase, which digests carbohydrates; lipase, which processes fats; and trypsin, which works on proteins. A variety of factors, both temporary and permanent, can cause a reduction in your body’s production of digestive enzymes, which can result in a multitude of digestive ailments.

    Supplements

    • In an article in the December 2008 issue of "Alternative Medicine Review," naturopathic physician Mario Roxas reports success in treating a variety of digestive disorders, including malabsorption, celiac disease and lactose intolerance, with enzyme supplements. The article examines the effectiveness of enzymes derived from both animal and plant sources, finding in general that they showed a high degree of efficacy with minimal side effects. He found that bromelain, a plant-based enzyme derived from pineapple, was particularly effective in aiding the digestion of protein.

    Total Health Report

    • In an introduction to a special report on digestive enzymes in the March/April 2009 issue of "Total Health" magazine, publisher Lyle Hurd notes that enzyme deficiencies are a consequence of modern diets high in foods that are both overprocessed and overcooked. The report, written by Karen DeFelice, author of "Enzymes: Go with Your Gut," recommends microbial-derived enzymes over those from animal sources. DeFelice points out that “animal-derived standard enzyme preparations are active only in a narrow pH range, and the activity of these enzymes is destroyed by acidic conditions in the stomach.”

    Top 10

    • Writing in the May 2009 issue of "Better Nutrition" magazine, Vera Tweed identifies the 10 most popular digestive enzymes and the foods and nutrients for which each is most effective. In alphabetical order, the top 10 are alpha-galactosidase (carbohydrates in legumes), amylase (starches), cellulose (the fiber in fruits, vegetables and whole grains), glucoamylase (maltose, the sugar found in grains), invertase (sucrose), lactase (lactose, a milk sugar), lipase (fats), malt diastase (carbohydrates), protease (proteins) and peptidase (casein in milk and gluten in grains). These and other digestive enzymes are readily available in most health food stores.

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