What are digestive enzymes and why do we need them?
Enzymes are also known as biological catalysts – increasing the speed of a chemical reaction but without ever being used up in the process. Enzymes have active sites made up of amino acids which are responsible for binding to their specific substrate. Once bound, the substrate is turned into product and the enzyme is free to catalyse other molecules.
Enzymes play a vital role in the digestion of food in the body by breaking down large molecules from the food we eat into smaller ones, allowing us to absorb the nutrients we need. Enzymes are present throughout the whole digestive process, they even make a part of the saliva in your mouth. Without enzymes, your body would be unable to process all the macronutrients of your food and this can lead to nutritional deficiencies or even food intolerance, such as in the case of lactose intolerance. According to Quinten et al., 2014 lack of proper digestion can lead to digestive issues including bloating and stomach pain as well as diarrhoea and constipation.
Why might you need the help of digestive enzymes?
Like most proteins in the body, the production of enzymes gradually declines as you age leading to a reduction in the amount of enzymes available to digest your food (Laugier et al., 1991), multiple studies found that those above 65 years of age had significantly lower volumes of secretions and concentrations of lipase, chymotrypsin and amylase. In addition to this, inflammation in the gut, high growth of bad bacteria, and leaky gut can all contribute to a shortage of digestive enzymes.
What are the different types of enzymes?
When it comes to digestive enzymes, there are many types to consider. It’s important to know the function of each enzyme to understand the benefits they may offer.
Digestive enzymes can be grouped into these categories, based on the type of substrate they breakdown:
- Proteases (such as bromelain, pepsin and papain) – break down peptide bonds between within proteins into their amino acid constituents allowing them to be absorbed and used in the body to build other proteins.
- Lipases – break down fats into fatty acid and glycerol. They can then be used by the body where they are needed such as to build cell membranes or as signalling molecules.
- Carbohydrases (such as amylase and lactase) – break down carbohydrates including starch to their sugar molecules.
How to use digestive enzymes to your advantage
To get the most out of digestive enzymes, there must be something for them to break down. Enzymes need substrates to work so without food in your stomach, they have nothing to do. When digestive supplements should be taken depends on the type of food you’re trying to break down, for example lactase should be taken in combination with milk to break down lactose into simple sugars. Multiple studies indicate that digestive enzymes may be successful in alleviating common digestive complaints. Ran et al., supplemented cellulase, protease, amylase and pancreatin alongside Aspergillus oryzae and found it was successful in relieving bloating, belching and abdominal pain.
Stability issues with supplemental enzymes
When formulating or choosing a dietary enzyme ingredient, it’s important to consider it’s stability in the digestive system. Many factors affect the efficacy of enzymes including: pH, temperature and physical agitation (shaking); it’s therefore important to consider the stability of the supplemental enzyme. To be effective, enzymes need to survive the harsh pH of the stomach in addition to variable temperatures, this may render some enzymes less effective or they could even be denatured or destroyed completely. One way to avoid this is to use microbe, fungal and plant derived enzymes which have shown to be stable at various pH levels and at broad temperature ranges. In addition, it was found that these enzymes may survive the harsh stomach environment, through “pre-digestion”. This is because plant and fungal supplemental enzymes mainly interact with substrate, undigested food, in the upper stomach before encountering pepsin and hydrochloric acid secretions in the lower region of the stomach, therefore they are not denatured before they catalyse their intended substrate. Further research has suggested that enzyme supplements may become temporarily denatured or inactive in the lower stomach due to the low pH of 1.5-4, this may be reversible and enzyme activity bounces back once reaching the intestine due to the higher pH of 7-8.5 (Paliulis et al., 2016).
References
- Laugier R et al. Changes in pancreatic exocrine secretion with age: pancreatic exocrine secretion does decrease in the elderly 1991. DOI: 10.1159/000200762
- Didier R et al. Understanding the gastrointestinal tract of the elderly to develop dietary solutions that prevent malnutrition 2015. DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.4030
- Quinten T et al. Can the supplementation of a digestive enzyme complex offer a solution for common digestive problems? 2014. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/2049-3258-72-S1-P7
- Ran ZH, Yuan YZ, Li ZS, et al. The efficacy of Combizym in the treatment of Chinese patients with dyspepsia: a multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled and cross-over study: Shanghai Combizym Clinical Cooperative Group. 2009. DOI: 10.1111/j.1751-2980.2008.00361.x
- Paliulis E, Paketurytė V, Matulis D: Protease, amylase and lactase enzyme stability in Gastroval® capsules after incubation at acidic pH and elevated temperature. 2016. DOI:10.4172/2168-9652.1000211
Get a quote or speak to our technically qualified sales team to find out which enzyme will suit your requirements.
| NIGEENZ000281 | Alpha Galactosidase 10000 GAL/g Vegan |
| NIGEENZ000121 | Alpha Galactosidase 25000 GALU/g Vegan |
| NIGEENZ000125 | Alpha Galactosidase 50000 GALU/g Vegan |
| NIGEENZ000111 | Alpha-Amylase 100000 SKB/g Vegan (Fungal) |
| NIGEENZ000115 | Alpha-Amylase 160000 SKB/g Vegan (Fungal) |
| NIGEENZ000090 | Alpha-Amylase 2500 SKB/g Vegan (Fungal) |
| NIGEENZ000095 | Alpha-Amylase 5000 SKB/g Vegan (Fungal) |
| NIGEENZ000101 | Alpha-Amylase 50000 SKB/g Vegan (Fungal) |
| NIGEENZ000131 | Amyloglucosidase (AMG) 1000 AGU/g Vegan |
| NIGEENZ000135 | Amyloglucosidase (AMG) 600000 U/g Vegan |
| NIGEENZ000151 | Beta Glucanase 20000U/g Vegan |
| NIGEENZ000201 | Bromelain 1200 GDU/g Vegan (Pineapple) (Ananas comosus) |
| NIGEENZ000204 | Bromelain 2000 GDU/g Vegan (Pineapple) (Ananas comosus) |
| NIGEENZ000202 | Bromelain 2400 GDU/g Vegan (Pineapple) (Ananas comosus) |
| NIGEENZ000206 | Bromelain 2500 GDU/g Vegan (Pineapple) (Ananas comosus) |
| NIGEENZ000207 | Bromelain 3200 GDU/g Vegan (Pineapple) (Ananas comosus) |
| NIGEENZ000191 | Bromelain 80 GDU/g Vegan 10:1 (Pineapple) (Ananas comosus) |
| NIGEENZ000209 | Catalase 25000 CU/g Vegan |
| NIGEENZ000208 | Catalase 600 Baker/g Vegan |
| NIGEENZ000213 | Cellulase (Trichoderma) 35000 U/g Vegan |
| NIGEENZ000210 | Cellulase (Trichoderma) 400 U/g Vegan |
| NIGEENZ000211 | Cellulase (Trichoderma) 4000 U/g Vegan |
| NIGEENZ000214 | Chitinase 1000 U/g Vegan |
| NIGEENZ000218 | Chitinase 200 U/g ¤ |
| NIGEENZ000221 | Chymotrypsin 75USP/mg ¤ |
| NIGEENZ000251 | Collagenase 250000U/g Vegan |
| NIGEENZ000271 | Ficin (Vegetable Protease) (Ficus insipida) 250 BAPA/g Vegan (Allergen – Sulphites) |
| NIGEENZ000302 | Glucoamylase (Amyloglucosidase AMG) 1000 U/g Vegan |
| NIGEENZ000301 | Glucoamylase (Amyloglucosidase AMG) 100000 U/g Vegan |
| NIGEENZ000303 | Glucose Oxidase 12000 GOU/g Vegan |
| NIGEENZ000215 | Hemicellulase 50000 CU/g Vegan |
| NIGEENZ001705 | Invertase (Sucrase) 0.15SU/g Vegan |
| NIGEENZ001701 | Invertase (Sucrase) 1000 SU/g Vegan |
| NIGEENZ001711 | Invertase (Sucrase) 10000 SU/g Vegan |
| NIGEENZ000305 | Invertase 1000 SU/g Vegan |
| NIGEENZ000450 | Lactase 10000 ALU/g Vegan |
| NIGEENZ000511.1 | Lactase 100000 ALU/g Vegan (Fungal) |
| NIGEENZ000385 | Lactase 300 ALU/g Vegan |
| NIGEENZ000401 | Lactase 3000 ALU/g Vegan |
| NIGEENZ000402 | Lactase 3500 ALU/g Vegan |
| NIGEENZ000501 | Lactase 50000 ALU/g Vegan |
| NIGEENZ000505 | Lactase 65000 ALU/g Vegan (Fungal) |
| NIGEENZ000550 | Lactoperoxidase 1000U/mg (Allergen – Milk) ¤ |
| NIGEENZ000590 | Lipase 1000 U/g Vegan (Fungal) |
| NIGEENZ000605 | Lipase 10000 U/g Vegan (Fungal) |
| NIGEENZ000609 | Lipase 100000 U/g Vegan (Fungal) |
| NIGEENZ000609a | Lipase 115000 U/g Vegan (Fungal) |
| NIGEENZ000600b | Lipase 200000 U/g Vegan (Fungal) |
| NIGEENZ000600 | Lipase 4000 FIP/g Vegan |
| NIGEENZ000600c | Lipase 400000 U/g Vegan (Fungal) |
| NIGEENZ000601 | Lipase 5000 U/g Vegan |
| NIGEENZ000608 | Lipase 50000 U/g Vegan (Fungal) |
| NIGEENZ000585 | Lipase 60 U/g Vegan (Fungal) |
| NIGEENZ000321 | Maltase 12 DP/g Vegan |
| NIGEENZ000315 | Maltase 250 DP/g Vegan |
| NIGEENZ000311 | Maltase 500 DP/g Vegan |
| NIGEENZ000620 | Nattokinase 10000 FU/g Vegan |
| NIGEENZ000610 | Nattokinase 2000 FU/g Vegan |
| NIGEENZ000625 | Nattokinase 20000 FU/g Vegan |
| NIGEENZ003001 | Ox Bile Powder CP2010 ¤ |
| NIGEENZ000811 | Pancreatin 4XNF (Porcine) ¤ |
| NIGEENZ000801 | Pancreatin 4XNF Vegan (Fungal) |
| NIGEENZ000913 | Papain 15000 USP-U/mg Vegan (Papaya) (Carica papaya) (Allergen – Sulphites) |
| NIGEENZ000901 | Papain 2000 USP-U/mg Vegan (Papaya) (Carica papaya) (Allergen – Sulphites) |
| NIGEENZ000915 | Papain 30000 USP-U/mg Vegan (Papaya) (Carica papaya) (Allergen – Sulphites) |
| NIGEENZ000915sf | Papain 30000 USP-U/mg Vegan (Papaya) (Carica papaya) SO2 <10ppm # |
| NIGEENZ000911 | Papain 6000 USP-U/mg Vegan (Papaya) (Carica papaya) (Allergen – Sulphites) |
| NIGEENZ000918sf | Papain 60000 USP-U/mg Vegan (Papaya) (Carica papaya) SO2 <10ppm # |
| NIGEENZ000921 | Pectinase 300 Endo-PG/g Vegan |
| NIGEENZ000925 | Pectinase 30000 U/g Vegan |
| NIGEENZ001121 | Pepsin 10000NF (1:10000) ¤ |
| NIGEENZ001111 | Pepsin 2000NF (1:2000) ¤ |
| NIGEENZ001105 | Pepsin 2500NF (1:2500) ¤ |
| NIGEENZ001102 | Pepsin 3000NF (1:3000) ¤ |
| NIGEENZ001101 | Pepsin 300NF (1:300) ¤ |
| NIGEENZ001201 | Phytase 3000 U/g Vegan |
| NIGEENZ001251.1 | Prolyl-Oligopeptidase (Proline-Specific Endopeptidase) 580000 PPI/g Vegan (Fungal) |
| NIGEENZ001521 | Protease (Fungal – Acid) 500 SAPU/g Vegan (Aspergillus sp.) |
| NIGEENZ001501 | Protease 10000 HUT/g Vegan |
| NIGEENZ001495 | Protease 12000 HUT/g Vegan (Bacillus sp.) |
| NIGEENZ001515 | Protease 12500 HUT/g Vegan (Bacillus sp.) |
| NIGEENZ001470 | Protease 1600000 HUT/g Vegan (Aspergillus sp.) SO2 <10ppm |
| NIGEENZ001490 | Protease 200000 HUT/g Vegan (Bacillus sp.) |
| NIGEENZ001301 | Protease 3 – 30000 HUT/g Vegan (Aspergillus sp.) |
| NIGEENZ001291 | Protease 3 – 300000 HUT/g Vegan (Aspergillus sp.) |
| NIGEENZ001401 | Protease 4.5 – 50000 HUT/g Vegan (Bacillus sp.) |
| NIGEENZ001480 | Protease 400000 HUT/g Vegan (Bacillus sp.) |
| NIGEENZ001511 | Protease 5000 HUT/g Vegan (Bacillus sp.) |
| NIGEENZ001601 | Serrapeptase (Serratiopeptidase) Fermented 1600 U/mg Vegan – Export |
| NIGEENZ001603 | Serrapeptase (Serratiopeptidase) Fermented 2000 U/mg Vegan – Export |
| NIGEENZ001605 | Serrapeptase (Serratiopeptidase) Fermented 2200 U/mg Vegan – Export |
| NIGEENZ001607 | Serrapeptase (Serratiopeptidase) Fermented 2400 U/mg Vegan – Export |
| NIGEENZ001650 | Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) 14000 IU/g Vegan |
| NIGEENZ001655 | Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) 50 IU/g Bovine ¤ |
| NIGEENZ001651 | Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) 8000 IU/g Bovine ¤ |
| NIGEENZ001751 | Trypsin 250USP/mg ¤ |