Food is fuel. As a doctor of chiropractic, you know that the body’s goal is to utilize that fuel as efficiently as possible. That specific task is one that’s typically reserved for digestive enzymes.
These enzymes reside in the gastrointestinal tract and help extract essential nutrients from the food you eat. When functioning optimally, the digestive system will contain the right number and type of enzymes and benefit the health of your body as a whole.
It’s likely you’ve come across patients in your practice who have subpar levels of digestive enzymes. The result? Their gastrointestinal tracts might operate below optimal levels. This can lead to a host of digestive issues and health problems, but it is possible to correct shortcomings or enhance an already healthy digestive tract through supplementation.
As a DC, you’re in a position to provide them with supplementation that could alter their health and wellness for the better.
Supplementing with digestive enzymes
The gastrointestinal tract—including the microbes that exist within it—affects overall health. These effects are wide-reaching, encompassing everything from appetite to immunity. Practically applied, this means that caring for the gut and the microbes that contribute to its function and health is necessary to experience well-being as a whole.
What harms microbiota?
Like other aspects of health—cardiovascular, for example—the state of the gut is influenced by a host of factors ranging from diet to drugs. Identifying these factors and being cognizant of them can help improve the health of your digestive system.
Processed foods, pesticides, drugs and even antibiotics can adversely affect the microbiota of the gut. Limiting these influences can improve the state of your patients’ gut health by encouraging optimal microbe levels.
That said, in the modern world, it is unrealistic for patients to entirely avoid things like antibiotics and processed foods, despite their best intentions.
So, while preserving gut microbes is important, encouraging higher levels through supplementation is arguably more impactful.
The role of enzyme supplementation in gut health
Digestive enzymes are broken down into three primary categories, amylase, lipase and protease.
Amylase is responsible for breaking down carbohydrates, lipase handles fats and protease is in charge of proteins. These three enzymes, together with a handful of others like lactase (lactose) and sucrase (sucrose), contribute to a healthy digestive tract when present in high enough numbers.
The consequences of enzyme deficiencies can vary in severity and type. Irritation is common, taking the form of bloating, diarrhea and other widespread gastrointestinal complaints. However, enzyme deficiencies can lead to more serious issues like the development of gastrointestinal disorders.
Enzyme supplementation can help prevent deficiencies from occurring and correct said deficiencies if they exist. This, in turn, can help individuals suffering from digestive issues, such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and lactose intolerance (among others).
Right now, enzymes derived from animal sources are considered the standard. They are well-researched and proven. That being said, more plant-based options are emerging both in studies and on the supplementation front.
Enzyme supplements to consider
As more research is conducted and the public grows more aware of the benefits of enzymes, the market for digestive enzyme supplements has grown tremendously. This increased interest in and use of enzyme supplementation also overlaps with a rise in digestive health concerns, such as IBS.
With many enzyme supplements flooding the market, determining which are worth the investment becomes more tedious. While there are bound to be developments as new studies emerge and our understanding of gut health continues to evolve, there are a select few enzyme supplements that should be considered right now.
Bromelain. Derived from pineapple plants, bromelain is a plant-based enzyme that falls under the protease category. Research indicates it has anti-inflammatory properties, making it a useful supplement for those suffering from inflammatory diseases related to the digestive system.
Lactase. Lactose intolerance is an abundantly common condition. For those who suffer from this intolerance or otherwise find digesting dairy products difficult, supplementing with lactase enzymes can be a significant aid.
Papain. With an ability to aid in gastric motility, this protease enzyme is derived from papaya. It assists in moving food through the digestive system, thereby increasing efficiency and reducing the occurrence of unpleasant problems like constipation and bloating.
With Dee Cee Laboratories’ Proteo-Zyme Proteolytic Enzymes, you can offer your patients a supplement designed to nutritionally support the body’s natural response to inflammation. By boosting enzymes to help digest food, break down food and break down proteins, Proteo-Zyme Proteolytic Enzymes promotes a smoother-running digestive system.
DeeCee Laboratories is on the cutting edge of supplementation, providing well-researched and high-quality supplements to the market. Its digestive enzyme supplements are produced in an FDA-registered facility under strict quality control standards, making them as trustworthy as they are effective.
