Which digestive enzymes to take

OTC enzyme supplements can be found wherever dietary supplements are sold, including online. They may be made from animal pancreases or plants such as molds, yeasts, fungi, or fruit. Ingredients and dosages in these products may differ from batch to batch. You may need digestive enzymes if you have EPI. Some other conditions that can leave you short on digestive enzymes are:. If you have EPI, digestion can be slow and uncomfortable.

It can also leave you malnourished. Symptoms may include:. Lactose intolerance is a good example of this. A nonprescription lactase supplement can help you digest foods that contain lactose. The most common side effect of replacement digestive enzymes is constipation. Other less common symptoms may include:. The environment in the digestive system requires a delicate balance.

Replacement digestive enzymes may not work well if the environment in your small intestine is too acidic due to a lack of bicarbonate. You may not be getting all the nutrients you need to maintain good health. There are many GI disorders that may be causing your symptoms. Trying to guess which enzymes you need and in what dose can lead to problems. However, a few groups of people should not take digestive enzymes.

Tell your healthcare provider if any of the following apply to you before taking a digestive enzyme:. Pancrelipase products are formulated from pork pancreatic glands and can not be taken by anyone with a pork allergy. Patients with gout or hyperuricemia who take pancrelipase may develop an increase in uric acid, which could lead to a gout flare-up.

Viokace contains lactose and may not be tolerated by those with lactose intolerance. Digestive enzymes are generally considered safe to take while pregnant and during breastfeeding. The most common side effects of digestive enzymes include:. This list of side effects is not comprehensive. Speaking with a healthcare professional is the best way to get a complete list of side effects and determine whether taking digestive enzymes is suitable for you.

Digestive enzymes are available in brand-name and generic formulas. Medicare plans will cover specific formulations, and most insurance plans will cover digestive enzymes. Costs will vary depending on your insurance plan. Without insurance, the price can vary widely depending on the medication and quantity of medication prescribed. However, using a prescription discount card from SingleCare may help reduce the cost of digestive enzymes.

Skip to main content Search for a topic or drug. Digestive enzymes: Uses, common brands, and safety information Digestive enzymes help break down food into nutrients our bodies can absorb.

By Gerardo Sison, Pharm. Top Reads in Drug Info. Can you mix Trintellix and alcohol? Does hydroxyzine for anxiety work? Do coffee and Zoloft mix? Treating heartburn during pregnancy Oct. Looking for a prescription? Search now! Type your drug name. Get Pertyze coupons. Pertyze details. Get Zenpep coupons. Zenpep details. Get Creon coupons. He also says that manufacturers are instructing people to take digestive enzyme supplements in unusual ways.

With many digestive enzyme supplements, the directions can be painfully unscientific and the enzyme levels tend to be very, very low in comparison to clinically useful levels. I suggest staying away from them for the most part. Weiner says that African American, Asian and Hispanic populations are more likely to be lactose intolerant, and the inability to digest lactose increases with age.

While those of European descent are less likely to be lactose intolerant, he says lactose intolerance is seen in all populations. Weiner suggests taking supplemental calcium and vitamin D so you get enough of those nutrients into your body. It is very effective and people usually take it immediately before meals to prevent discomfort.

Weiner recommends two ways for doing so. Natural digestive enzymes, such as lipase, amylase, and protease, aid in breaking down fats, proteins, and carbohydrates. Additionally, enzyme supplements can be taken to help improve digestion. But if you take these supplements at the wrong time, they may be completely ineffective. Enzymes, which are made up of amino acids, catalyze biological functions.

As you probably learned in high school chemistry, catalysts are used to speed up a chemical reaction or allow it to occur at a lower temperature than it would normally. In the same way, digestive enzymes enable the body to perform biological functions that otherwise would not occur at physiological temperatures.

Some people incorrectly put enzyme supplements in the same category as vitamins, thinking that if they just take one in the morning, it will do its job throughout the day.