It’s quite a sensitive & complex subject, as such we will do our best at providing a clear and concise article to clear any doubts you may have.
What Are Digestive Enzymes?
Your body makes enzymes in the digestive system, including the mouth, stomach, and small intestine. The largest share is the work of the pancreas. Certain health conditions can interfere with the production of digestive enzymes.
When that happens, you can add digestive enzyme replacement before meals to help your body process foods effectively. Some digestive enzymes require a doctor’s prescription and others are sold over the counter (OTC).
Natural Sources Of Digestive Enzymes
Cells on the surface of your intestines store them, too.
Digestive enzymes play a key role in breaking down the food you eat. These proteins speed up chemical reactions that turn nutrients into substances that your digestive tract can absorb. Some digestive disorders prevent your body from making enough enzymes, such as:
Lactose intolerance.
This is when your small intestine doesn’t make enough of the enzyme lactase, which breaks down the natural sugar in milk called lactose. With a shortage of lactase, lactose in dairy products that you eat travels straight to your colon instead of getting absorbed into your body. It then combines with bacteria and causes uncomfortable stomach symptoms.
There are three kinds of lactose intolerance:
Primary. Your lactase levels drop suddenly as a child. Then you’re no longer able to digest dairy as easily.
Your small intestine makes less lactase after an illness, injury, or surgery. It can also be a symptom of both celiac disease and Crohn’s disease. Congenital or developmental.
Covid-19 Updates
But How Do Digestive Enzymes Work, And Who Really Needs To Add Them To Their Diet?
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Ion and absorption of dietary vitamin A require the participation of several proteins. Dietary retinyl esters are hydrolyzed in the intestine by the pancreatic enzyme, pancreatic triglyceride lipase, and intestinal brush border enzyme, phospholipase B. Unesterified retinol taken up by the enterocyte is complexed with cellular retinol-binding protein type 2 and the complex serves as a substrate for reesterification of the retinol by the enzyme lecithin:retinol acyltransferase (LRAT). Evidence supports the idea that the cellular uptake and efflux of unesterified retinol by enterocytes is mediated by lipid transporters, but the exact number, identity, and role of these proteins is not known and is an active area of researc.