The gastrointestinal (GI) tract is a highly intricate system of organs that work together to ensure the smooth and effective digestion of our food. It serves as a robust defense against environmental factors and houses a rich symbiotic microbiota. The GI tract needs to strike a balance between allowing essential nutrients to enter the bloodstream while preventing the entry of harmful substances and microorganisms. Given the challenges it faces, our GI tracts can greatly benefit from dietary supplements that promote the integrity of the GI lining and facilitate a seamless digestive process.
Enumerating all the dietary supplements available to support a healthy GI tract would be impractical within the scope of this article. Instead, we will focus on a few compounds that operate in different ways to aid digestion: digestive enzymes, betaine HCl, and ox bile.
As we age, the production of pancreatic enzymes tends to decline, potentially impairing our ability to absorb necessary nutrients for energy, weight maintenance, and muscle mass. In such cases, taking digestive enzyme supplements can be beneficial.
Digestive enzymes encompass a wide range of popular dietary supplements. These enzymes, typically lipases, proteases, and carbohydrases, are protein-based catalysts that accelerate chemical reactions. Lipases break down large fat molecules into smaller fatty acids, proteases break down proteins into smaller peptides, and carbohydrases break down complex sugars into simpler ones. This process liberates essential macronutrients in the digestive tract, improving their absorption into the bloodstream.
Supplemental enzymes like lipases, proteases, and cellulase (an enzyme that breaks down cellulose) may also have a positive impact on gut microbiota. Preclinical studies demonstrate that protease, lipase, and cellulase preparations derived from Aspergillus have bifidogenic effects on rats fed a high-fat diet. While these results need verification through human clinical trials, they suggest that enzyme supplementation could exhibit prebiotic-like properties.
Quality is a crucial consideration when selecting a dietary supplement containing digestive enzymes. The supplement’s label should provide the weight of enzymes (usually in milligrams) present in the product and indicate the enzymatic activity for each enzyme. Enzyme activities are measured in various units (such as USP Units, GDU, SAPU, FIP), which have been standardized for different types of enzymes. These units indicate the potency of the enzyme and its ability to break down a specific amount of substrate within a designated time and under specific temperature and pH conditions. Additionally, it is important to choose reputable brands of dietary supplements that adhere to rigorous quality standards and good manufacturing practices. Recent industry tests on products purchased online have revealed that certain bromelain-containing products had little or no enzymatic activity.
Other dietary components that complement enzymes in supporting healthy digestion and optimal nutrient absorption are betaine HCl and ox bile extract. Betaine HCl acts as a pH regulator, ensuring the stomach maintains a healthy low pH required for proper functioning. Around 10% of healthy adults aged 70 or older have elevated stomach pH (>5.0), which can adversely affect food digestion and nutrient absorption, including vitamins. Altered gastric pH also has a negative impact on intestinal microbiota. Thus, maintaining a healthy low pH in the stomach is vital to preserving the delicate balance of beneficial bacteria that line the small and large intestines. By promoting a healthy stomach pH, betaine HCl indirectly contributes to maintaining a healthy gut flora.