10 Best Digestive Enzyme Supplements Of 2024 + Buying Guide
Leave your digestive woes at the door with natural and high-quality supplements.
Dr. Naveen Sharma is a renowned Ayurveda specialist with an experience of 10 years. He completed his Bachelor’s degree in Ayurveda, Medicine and Surgery(B. A. M. S) from Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Bangalore, Karnataka, in 2007. He has a professional membership with AYUSH.
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Digestive enzymes are crucial for our body as they break down food so that the body can absorb the nutrients. But at times, our bodies do not produce adequate digestive enzymes, which can slow down digestion (1), leading to severe conditions like chronic pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas), pancreatic cancer, and cystic fibrosis (1). But if you have the best digestive supplements and enzyme-rich foods, you can let go of your worries as they will replenish digestive enzymes and maintain digestive health. You can find the supplements easily in health stores, drugstores, or even online. So people who cannot produce enough of these enzymes can take the supplements. Below, we have listed the 10 most effective ones and explained the benefits and side effects.
In This Article
Top 10 Digestive Enzyme Supplements Of 2019
1. Best Plant-Based Formula:Zenwise Health Daily Digestive Enzymes With Prebiotics & Probiotics
Zenwise Health’s Daily Digestive Enzymes contains a blend of plant-based enzymes that aid healthy digestion. They contain clinically proven probiotics and are tested to work within hours. These supplements ensure proper intake of vital nutrients that help in strengthening your digestive system. They are specially formulated to help with bloating, constipation, indigestion, and gas.
The prebiotic and probiotic blend supports nutritional digestion and enables your body to absorb all the nutrients from meals. It also contains a 10 plant-based enzyme blend with Amylase, Glucoamylase, Lipase, Protease, Invertase, Maltase, Cellulase, Bromelain, Lactase, and Papain. The turmeric and green papaya in them help reduce stomach bloating and any other discomfort. Take a quick look at this in-depth review of the Zenwise Health Daily Digestive Enzymes With Prebiotics & Probiotics to understand its benefits.
Directions: Take one tablet immediately before every meal (three times a day).
- Reduce inflammation
- Reduce the frequency of diarrhea
- Keep your gut healthy in the long run
- Improve bowel
- Restore blood flow
- Contain shellfish
2. Best For Stomach Aches:Now Super Enzymes Tablets
This award-winning (Vitamin Retailer Magazine – Vity Awards) product is rigorously tested and formulated with bromelain, ox bile, pancreatin, and papain. These are the best digestive enzymes as the ingredients break down fat, carbs, and proteins and optimize nutrient availability for a healthy and optimized digestive system. Watch the detailed ingredients and usage review of Now Super Enzymes Tablets.
Directions: Take one tablet with a meal.
- Free of dairy, soy, and egg
- Help with gallbladder issues
- Keep your skin healthy
- Relieve stomach aches
- Initially, you may experience a burning sensation in your heart.
3. Best ForTreating Gas:Dr. Tobias Digestive Enzymes
Dr. Tobias Digestive Enzymes are formulated with 18 plant-based enzymes that help process difficult-to-digest foods like gluten, carbs, protein, sugar, fat, lactose, and high- fiber foods. They improve digestive system health and prevent digestive problems such as post-meal gas.
Directions: Take one tablet with a meal.
- Formulated with the finest ingredients
- Approved by the FDA and GMP
- Improve bowel movements
- Enable you to eat anything without any discomfort
- Contain dairy, soy, and wheat.
4. Best Artificial Preservative-Free:Mav Nutrition Digestive Enzymes
Mav Nutrition Digestive is the best enzyme for bloating that contains 3 essential types of probiotics for digestive health. Probiotics help in maintaining the healthy bacteria in the intestines for smooth digestive function. The best part about this product is that it does not contain artificial preservatives.
The formula contains protease, acidophilus, bromelain, lipase, and lactase. These constituents help in breaking down food. If you are experiencing diarrhea and indigestion and frequent occurrences of gas, these supplements will help purify your digestive system. They will help your system to digest proteins, fats, and carbohydrates without any discomfort. They relieve constipation and bloating. The product is tried-and-tested and can be conveniently included with most diets.
Directions: Take one tablet, 20-30 minutes before or with the meal.
- Break down the most difficult proteins, fats, and carbohydrates
- Boost energy levels
- Help regulate the digestive hormone secretion
- Help you stay active and healthy
- Not gluten-friendly
- Cause bloating the first few times
5. Best Chemical-Free:Dr. Matthew Digestive Enzymes
Dr.Matthew’s #1 Digestive Enzyme supplements are formulated using 19 plant-based enzymes, including amylase, bromelain, lipase, lactase, alpha-galactosidase, and pectinase.
This multi-enzyme blend is 6 times more potent for lactose digestion, 5 times more effective in digesting complex carbs, and 2 times more potent for proteins, fats, and gluten.
They reduce stomach bloating, gas, heartburn, diarrhea, indigestion, intestinal cramps, abdominal pain, belching, nausea, and fatigue. They help conditions like irritable bowel syndrome, constipation, acid reflux, and leaky gut. They help your body extract more nutrients from the food you eat so that you have more energy and vitality. This product has earned the approval of thousands of reviewers and a loyal customer base with its efficacy. Each batch is independently tested and you can trust its safety.
Directions: Take one tablet immediately before every meal.
- Certified by NSF and FDA
- Free of chemicals
- Non-GMO
- Reduce inflammation
- Contain aspergillopepsin and DPP IV for gluten digestion
- Help you digest most of your food in the first 30 minutes
- Relieve food intolerances
- Vegan
None
6. Best For Sensitive Stomach:Naturenetics DigestWise Powerful Digestive Enzymes
Naturenetics DigestWise Powerful Digestive Enzymes Supplements provide you with multiple enzymes like amylase, protease, pectinase, cellulase, alpha-galactosidase, amyloglucosidase, lipase, acid-stable protease, lactase, and hemicellulase that are carefully selected for their ability to work with a large pH range for maintaining digestive system balance.
The broad spectrum of microbial-derived enzymes helps break down complex proteins, fats, sugars, carbohydrates, fiber, and dairy products. Due to this, you may feel less sluggish and more active. The enzymes are sourced from the USA, Denmark, Japan, Finland, and Belgium and are prepared in a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Oregon.
DigestWise is free of soy, dairy, gluten, wheat, sugar, yeast, and corn. These enzyme supplements ensure that you get all the potent nutrients from the food you eat. The supplements claim to give you great results within 90 days.
Directions: Take one tablet immediately before every meal.
- Break down fats and oils
- Perfect for sensitive stomachs
- Provide comfort after every meal
- Package includes 90 capsules
None
Caution7. Best Vegan Ingredients:Klaire Labs Digestive Enzymes Capsules
Say goodbye to a bloated stomach and indigestion with the Klaire Labs Digestive Enzymes Capsules. These unflavored capsules are a blend of microbial-based amylase, lipase, lactase, cellulase, and protease enzymes. It increases metabolism and helps digest carbs, fats, proteins, sugar, and fiber better. Each enzyme plays a role in the digestion process and facilitates better absorption of nutrients into the system. The body and stomach is relieved of the feeling of gas bloatedness and discomfort. The enzymes stabilize the pH level of the body. This supplement helps the body digest high-starch and high-fat meals as well.
Directions: Take one capsule with each meal or as directed by your physician.
- Easy to swallow
- Vegan
- No artificial colors
- Microbial-based enzymes
- Allergen-free
None
8. Best Gluten-Free:Source Naturals Essential Enzymes
Source Naturals Essential Enzymes have a bio-aligned formula that contains multiple enzymes. These supplements support and balance the 12 metabolic systems in your body for optimal functioning.
They aim to help your system to absorb nutrients that work at the cellular level. This will bring balance among all the interdependent systems in your body. The enzymes present in these supplements break down complex proteins, fats, carbohydrates, fibers, and dairy sugar.
Directions: Take one tablet immediately before every meal. Do not exceed 6 capsules per day.
- Non-GMO verified ingredient
- Undergo multiple quality-testing
- Free of gluten, soy, wheat, yeast, dairy, sugar, and preservatives
- Detailed ingredients list
- A little expensive
Remember9. Best FDA-Approved:Divine Bounty Digestive Enzymes
Divine Bounty Digestive Enzymes are designed to replenish and fortify your body’s enzyme levels to promote healthy digestion and 100% vital nutrients absorption. They are formulated with pre and probiotics enzymes for healthy digestion of fats, oils, proteins, carbohydrates, and dairy. With this, the lost energy from poor digestion is regained.
With regular use, these enzyme probiotic supplements support a healthy digestive system with bacterial balance. They contain galactosidase and beta-glucanase, which help break down beans, grains, and vegetables, and invertase and glucoamylase for digestion of sugars.
Directions: Take one tablet immediately before every meal.
- Free of soy, gluten, and artificial preservatives
- Fortified with 6 essential vitamins
- Approved by the FDA
- Contain high-quality ingredients
- Unpleasant odor
10. Best For Post-Meal Discomfort:Vimerson Health Digestive Enzymes
Vimerson Health Digestive Enzymes support overall gastrointestinal health. They contain a powerful blend of natural digestive aids and probiotics for balancing the digestive system.
The formula includes protease to digest proteins and debris in the blood, bromelain to improve muscle health, papain, lipase, lactase to break down food and proteins into amino acids and amino blocks, and lactobacillus that supports the digestive system and healthy bowel movements.
Directions: Take one capsule 30 minutes before lunch, and one capsule 30 minutes before dinner.
- Promote optimal nutrient absorption
- Reduce post-meal discomfort
- Prevent diarrhea
- Contain natural digestive enzymes and easily absorbable ingredients
- Take time to work.
These are the top 10 digestive enzyme supplements. The digestive system is also known as the ‘second brain.’ This because a healthy digestive system leads to a healthy body. Here are the benefits of digestive enzyme supplements. Take a look.
Benefits Of Digestive Enzyme Supplements
1. Help Digest Food Better
Digestive enzyme supplements are plant-based and microbe-derived enzymes that help break down proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids (2). They keep your gastrointestinal system healthy and help in the management of multiple digestive disorders (3).
2. Boost Nutrient Absorption
Herbal digestive remedies enhance nutrient absorption by breaking down proteins, fats, and carbohydrates from the food you eat. The essential digestive nutrients are transported from the small intestine into the bloodstream to increase your energy levels.
The enzymes ensure that molecules like fats, carbs, and proteins are broken into smaller molecules so that they can get absorbed easily. This improves your immunity as well.
3. Reduce Bloating And Gas
Certain enzymes like alpha-galactosidase and cellulase break down complex carbohydrates like beans, vegetables, and grains. As these foods are difficult to digest, when the enzymes help break them down, conditions like gas, bloating and stomach pain are reduced.
Other sets of enzymes like lipase and lactase help break down fiber-rich veggies, dairy products, and legumes. These foods commonly cause gas and bloating. If you experience any discomfort after consuming these foods, digestive enzymes supplements may help.
4. Help Digest Dairy
Almost 68% of the world’s population is lactose intolerant (4). Many people lack the essential enzyme, lactase. Lactase helps digest lactose, a common type of sugar found in milk, ice cream, cheese, and other dairy products. Digestive enzyme supplements that contain lactase can help reduce symptoms of poor dairy digestion.
5. Reduce Gastrointestinal Disorders
According to a research project conducted on Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders at the Atlanta Center For Holistic And Integrative Medicine, 98 adults with Functional Gastrointestinal Disorder were asked to take probiotics and digestive enzymes for eight weeks. The results showed that the participants had improved gastrointestinal quality of life scores and underwent significant weight loss (5).
6. Reduce Acid Reflux
Acid reflux, also known as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), is a digestive disorder that affects the lower esophageal sphincter. In other words, the stomach’s contents travel back into the esophagus, causing heartburn. Along with changes in lifestyle and diet, digestive enzyme supplements can help reverse the disorder. These supplements empty your stomach to reduce the reflux of stomach contents.
7. May Help Manage Irritable Bowel Disease
Irritable Bowel Syndrome is a disorder that affects the large intestine. It causes bloating gas and constipation. Since digestive enzyme supplements help break down complex carbs, proteins, and fats, they can help reduce the symptoms of IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndromes). These supplements include essential components like lactobacilli and probiotics that help with indigestion (6).
8. May Give You Clearer Skin
A healthy digestive system is connected to various functions of your body. That includes your skin too! If your body is not absorbing essential nutrients, the effect can be seen on your skin. If there is a lot of inflammation in your system, you may experience breakouts and acne.
Now that you are aware of the benefits, let’s look at things you need to know before consuming digestive enzyme supplements.
What You Need To Be Aware Of Before Taking Digestive Enzyme Supplements
- Digestive enzyme supplements only work when there is food in your system. Taking them on an empty stomach will not work.
- The idea behind these supplements is that they help your system cope with irregular digestion. Once your body heals, it continues to secrete the essential digestive enzymes naturally. But, it takes up to six months for your digestive system to start functioning normally. Hence, taking these supplements regularly may help.
- Different brands suggest different intakes. Some digestive supplements are to be taken with a meal, while some are recommended to be taken before eating. Check the directions on the label clearly before using it.
Digestive enzyme supplements have a flip side. Find out what it is in the next section.
Are There Any Side Effects?
Since digestives enzyme supplements are sourced from plants, the side effects are negligible. But, in some cases, they can cause mild allergic reactions to a specific enzyme, resulting in continuous diarrhea, nausea, or stomach cramps.
Read the label thoroughly to check if you are allergic to any of the ingredients. If you are experiencing inflammation or heartburn, consult a doctor immediately.
The Bottom Line
Good digestive enzyme supplements break down food for better digestion and absorption of nutrients. These helpful supplements can strengthen your digestive system and remove conditions like constipation, bloating, indigestion, and severe gastritis. While the Zenwise Health Daily Digestive Enzymes With Prebiotics & Probiotics promote overall digestive health, the Dr. Tobias Digestive Enzymes help resist stomach acid and ensure efficient digestion and nutrient absorption, and the Source Naturals Essential Enzymes boost the metabolic systems and promote gut balance. They also reduce inflammation in your tummy or the symptoms of diarrhea. They help you improve your bowel movements. Some of these enzymes come with added features like soy-free, dairy-free, etc. If you have certain food intolerances, make sure to check the ingredients of these supplements before purchasing one. You may also add enzyme-rich foods such as kimchi, kefir, avocados, ginger, miso, etc., to your diet for better digestion.
Why Trust StyleCraze?
We extensively researched user reviews and product specifications to collate this list of the best digestive supplements available on the market. We considered ingredients, efficiency, and safety paraments while curating the products for this article. To help our readers pick the most suitable digestive enzyme supplements for themselves, we have added a detailed list of pros and cons and ingredient-related information and mechanism of action of the shortlisted products. These digestive enzymes can effectively replenish digestive enzymes and help improve digestive health.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do digestive enzyme supplements really work?
Yes. But, to get complete benefits, it is suggested that you use these supplements every day for a month.
Can digestive enzyme supplements help with weight loss?
It depends on your body type. However, healthy digestion leads to a healthy body. You do not have to worry about your weight as your body will receive all the essential nutrients at the right time.
How long does it take for digestive enzyme supplements to work?
Since these supplements do not need much time to be absorbed by your body, they work within 5 to 20 minutes. But it takes up to 30-40 days to regulate the natural digestion process.
Can you take probiotics and digestive enzyme supplements at the same time?
Yes. Probiotics and digestive enzymes are used for different purposes. Probiotics are made up of good bacteria that help to fight off bad bacteria and keep your body healthy and nutritious. Digestive enzymes break down the food we eat and speed up the chemical reactions that turn nutrients into energy. When consumed together, they support digestion and solve different digestive problems.
Who should not take digestive supplements?
It is advisable to have supplements in recommended doses after consultation with a doctor, especially for pregnant women, people with a history of gallbladder or liver diseases, or stomach ulcers. Some people can experience side effects like nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and allergic reactions.
Do elders need digestive enzyme supplements?
Seniors produce fewer digestive enzymes that cause poorer nutrient absorption. Administering digestive medicine to the elderly improves their digestion and nutrition absorption.
- “Gut reaction: A limited role for digestive enzyme supplements” Harvard Health Publishing, Harvard Medical School.
- “Digestive Enzyme Supplementation in Gastrointestinal Diseases” Current Drug Metabolism, US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
- “The role of enzyme supplementation in digestive disorders.” Alternative Medicine Review, US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
- “Lactose Intolerance” National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health.
- “Restoring Digestive Health” Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Translational and Clinical Research Projects, Georgia College.
- “The Role of Bacteria, Probiotics, and Diet in Irritable Bowel Syndrome” Foods, US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
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