Digestion is a complicated process. There’s gut bile, complications when working out, and more. Even sleep can cause digestive troubles. So, let’s take things back to the basics. Let me talk about the most important digestive enzymes.
Digestive enzymes occur naturally in your body. They’re responsible for breaking down food for nutrient absorption. However, their levels may drop for many reasons. In turn, that causes several complications.
Fortunately, it’s rarely serious. So, let’s see what you need to know.
Contents
How do digestive enzymes work?
Your pancreas produces digestive enzymes. You can find them in your mouth and digestive system. Their role is simple. They help you break down macronutrients from food. From there, your body is free to absorb the nutrients.
However, certain conditions can disrupt their production. In those cases, you’ll need to take enzymes via supplements.
These enzymes mimic pancreatic enzymes. Thus, they perform the same functions in the same way. So, they’re also a great aid against digestive discomfort and related issues. You just have to make sure you take them before you eat.
The most important digestive enzyme types
Digestive enzymes are plentiful and varied. But, there’s a main group that you should care about. They take care of the most important macronutrients:
- Amylase takes care of complex carbs.
- Lipase takes care of fats.
- Protease takes care of proteins.
- Lactase takes care of lactose.
- Finally, Sucrase takes care of sucrose.
As you can see, enzymes are specialized. So, an enzyme deficiency doesn’t always cause the same symptoms. For instance, you might be deficient only in Lactase. That would cause lactose intolerance. Yet, you might have no issues digesting other nutrients.
There are also many other enzymes. Those are just the most important digestive enzymes.
What happens when these enzymes are deficient?
As I mentioned, the issue with digestive enzyme deficiencies depends on what’s going on. Two people might experience deficiencies. But, the results could vary extensively.
For instance, lactose intolerance causes bloating, diarrhea, and gas. You might also have issues digesting sugars or other macronutrients. In these cases, the symptoms are more linked to malnutrition.
Therefore, you might experience fatigue, mood swings, weight loss, and more. Due to its nature, it’s always necessary to see a doctor. That way, you can determine the root of the issue. Otherwise, you’d be blind firing and possibly worsening the symptoms.
The most important digestive enzymes supplement information
Now, digestive enzyme supplements are easy to find. But, you need to keep a few things in mind.
Firstly, these supplements are modeled around the enzyme types we just discussed. You can find them for protein, fat, carbs, lactose, and sugars. Additionally, you can find both over-the-counter and prescription supplements.
Luckily, these supplements don’t typically cause dependency. The only exception is when you don’t produce the enzyme. But, you probably need them anyway in those cases.
You must also be mindful of which medications you’re taking. They’re mostly natural and safe. But, that doesn’t mean they can’t interact with other meds. As such, always ask your healthcare provider first.
The holistic takeaway
Digestive enzymes are the backbone of digestion. Knowing the most important digestive enzymes is a great first step. That way, you can identify your needs and act accordingly. Of course, most of the time, you’ll have to rely on a professional most of the time.
If you feel you need a supplement, I have a great tip. MassZymes Enzymes is the best supplement I’ve found so far. It’s an all-natural, full-spectrum supplement for optimizing your metabolism.
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