17 Best Enzyme supplements
- Formula with a blend of enzymes
- Contains betaine HCl, L-glutamine, ox bile extract, pancreatin and pepsin
- Contains 100 mg natto extract per capsule
- 2000 FU per capsule
- Betaine HCl - Pepsin
- With lactose-free pepsin
- Formula for digestion
- Contains 6 different enzymes
- Broad spectrum: contains 14 different enzymes
- Supports the digestion of sugar, grains, fats, carbohydrates and protein
- Contains betaine HCl, pancreatin and pepsin
- Undiluted and lactose free pepsin and pancreatin
- Contains pure pancreatin
- Undiluted and lactose-free
- Highly concentrated conjugated bile acids
- From ox bile from the U.S. and/or New Zealand
- Contains 500 mg bromelain
- 1000 GDU
- Combination of three proteolytic enzymes
- Patented BioCore® Optimum Complete, superior absorbability
- Formula for digestion
- Contains carbohydrate, protein and fat splitting enzymes
- Contains carbohydrate, protein and fat splitting enzymes
- Suitable for short-term digestive support
- Multienzyme complex with 9 different enzymes
- High enzyme activity per capsule
- Formula for bowel movements
- Complete formula with fiber, protein, enzymes and L-glutamine
- Formula for digestion
- Contains the Digezyme® digestive complex, ginger, bacteria strains and zinc methionine.
- Complex of 4 enzyme species
- Contains lipase, amylase, cellulase and protease
Buy the best Enzyme supplements here. Or read more about enzymes below.
Enzymes are proteins that play a vital role in the body. They act as catalysts and accelerate thousands of chemical reactions, without being consumed themselves. Think of them as clever 'tools' that break down food, produce energy, and support cells, and are essential for almost every process in the body.
Salivary glands in the mouth produce Amylase that converts starch/amylose to glucose. Gastric juice glands produce Peptase, which converts proteins (substrate) into amino acids (product). The pancreas produces Lipase, which converts fats into mono-glycerides, glycerol and fatty acids.
This depiction is simplified though, realize that burning 1 glucose molecule in the mitochondria requires about 25 different types of enzymes.
Enzyme activity depends on temperature and acidity. Good gut flora is important for optimal enzyme activity.
The function of different enzymes
Protein-splitting enzymes
These enzymes (proteases) such as bromelain and papain break down food particles. Because the breakdown into elemental nutrients already occurs largely in the stomach, the intestines are spared and food intolerances have less of a chance to manifest themselves.
These enzymes are used to break down food particles.
The pineapple plant contains the protein-splitting enzyme bromelain. The action of bromelain is the same as pepsin and trypsin.
Pepsin is often combined in supplements with betaine HCl and pancreatin.
Fiber-splitting enzymes
Fiber-splitting enzymes, such as cellulase in Thorne's Plantizyme, are important to enable the digestion of fiber in our food.
Carbohydrate-splitting enzymes
Processing carbohydrates requires certain enzymes, including amylase (in the Life Extension Extraordinary Enzymes). An important carbohydrate-splitting enzyme that is mixed with food in the oral cavity, and is also formed in the pancreas.
Fat-splitting enzymes
Carbohydrates are broken down in several stages into simple sugars, such as dextrose. Proteins are broken down into amino acids. When converting fats into fatty acids, the bile turns the fats into tiny fat droplets so that the fat-splitting enzymes (Plantizyme) have a larger surface area to act on the fat.
Lactose-digesting enzymes
Lactase is an enzyme and acts as an "adjuvant" to digest lactose.
Special enzymes
Bromelain
Pineapple contains a protein-digesting enzyme, bromelain. It is a popular and powerful enzyme that can be used for many purposes.
Nattokinase
Natto is self-produced in many households. We can compare this to making kefir from milk with the kefir plant. A number of interesting products can be extracted from natto, including vitamin K2 and nattokinase. The first reports of the fibrinolytic (splitting of the protein-rich fibrin) action of nattokinase appeared in the 1980s.
Serrapeptase
Serrapeptase is a proteolytic (protein splitting) enzyme. It was originally produced by Serratia E15 bacteria in the silkworm to dissolve the hard cocoon in which it transforms into a butterfly. Because there are not yet sufficient safety data on the use of serrapeptase as a supplement, it is not allowed to be sold in the EU.