Proper digestion, absorption, and elimination are necessary in order to gain nutritional benefits from food. Any disruption of these functions may cause health problems throughout the body.

The problem with sub-optimal digestion is that the ingestion of the best nutritional substances may be of little benefit when breakdown and assimilation are inadequate. Since digestive enzymes act upon food by breaking it down into simpler components that can be used by the body for energy, digestive enzyme therapy can be used to enhance the digestive process and ensure complete digestion of food.

There are many problems associated with incomplete digestion. Digestive enzyme supplementation alleviates many of these signs of sub-optimal digestion.

Carbohydrate intolerance is one example of a type of incomplete digestion. Some individuals suffering from carbohydrate intolerance may lack adequate enzymes to break down disaccharides. This inability to break down carbohydrates into simple sugars may cause bowel changes, flatulence, and bloating. Individuals with carbohydrate intolerance can greatly benefit from supplementing their diet with amylase, sucrase, maltase, and lactase.

Lactase deficiency is a specific form of carbohydrate intolerance, which only involves one enzyme, the enzyme lactase. A deficiency of the enzyme lactase causes lactase deficiency, also known as lactose intolerance.11 Common symptoms of lactase deficiency include gas, intestinal bloating, and other intestinal effects.11 Supplementing the diet with lactase, amylase, protease, and lipase enzymes will help alleviate the symptoms associated with lactose intolerance.

Occasional constipation is another malady of the digestive system. The term “occasional constipation” has come to indicate any absence or irregularity of bowel movements on an occasional basis.12 Symptoms of occasional constipation include difficulty emptying the bowels or straining at stool. Digestive enzyme supplementation using amylase, protease, and lipase enzymes can be used to relieve occasional constipation by improving the digestion of food and improving elimination.

Abdominal gas is a typical symptom of occasional indigestion and may be the result of inadequate digestion or enzyme deficiencies. Abdominal gas can create a bloated feeling, fullness, pressure, belching, and flatulence.13 Supplementation with amylase, protease, lipase, cellulase, phytase, sucrase, maltase, and lactase enzymes will provide any missing or insufficient enzymes and alleviate gas symptoms associated with the digestion of food.

Digestive enzyme supplementation using amylase, protease, and lipase enzymes can be used to support the digestion of protein, carbohydrates, and fats.