DIGESTIVE ENZYMES –

When is the right time to take digestive enzymes?

When you take your digestive enzymes may have a significant impact on how well they can assist in breaking down and helping to absorb your food.

A randomized intervention trial recently release in the journal, Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics, used three randomized groups of people to look at the digestive ability of lipase supplementation (an enzyme) to increase fat breakdown in people suffering from pancreatic insufficiency. The pancreas is an organ of digestion that controls the release of this enzyme in addition to others such as trypsin, chymotrypsin and amylase.

Lipase was administered to each group either before, during or just after eating and the ability to digest fat was measured using a breath test. The results concluded that lipase given during or just after eating resulted in the most effective breakdown of ingested fat.

So, based on these results, the currently accepted practice of taking digestive enzymes before beginning a meal may not be the best use of these supplements.

How do you know if digestive enzymes are right for you? If you experience bloating, gas, or excessive burping after a meal, digestive enzymes may be a helpful addition to your supplement regimen. However, before beginning any new treatment plan always check in with a doctor who can examine and diagnose your complaints to be sure you are making a safe choice.

Dominguez-Munoz JE, Iglesias-Garcia J, Iglesias-Rey M, et al. Effect of the administration schedule on the therapeutic efficacy of oral pancreatic enzyme supplements in patients with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency: a randomized, three-way crossover study. Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2005;21:993-1000.