Digestive enzymes in Canada: how to read the label and choose one

Digestive enzyme supplements supply the same kinds of enzymes your body already makes, like protease, amylase and lipase, to help digest the protein, carbohydrates and fats in a meal. Choosing one mostly comes down to which foods you want help with, and if you'd prefer a plant-based or an animal-derived formula.

What digestive enzymes do

Digestion starts in your mouth, where saliva brings the first amylase to the starches you chew. Your stomach adds acid and pepsin, and the pancreas sends a mix of enzymes into the small intestine to break food into pieces small enough to absorb. Bile from the liver and gallbladder helps with fats.

A digestive enzyme supplement adds more enzymes to that process, at the meal you take it with. They're a digestive aid taken with food, not something that builds up in your body over time.

Enzymes work on the meal in front of them, so take them with your food, not after it.

The enzyme names on a label, decoded

Most labels list several enzymes, each measured in activity units rather than milligrams. The units look intimidating, but they're simply the standard way each enzyme is tested.

Bromelain and papain come from pineapple and papaya. They're protein-digesting enzymes, and they matter if you have a fruit allergy (more on that below).

Broad blend or targeted enzyme?

Plant, microbial or animal-derived

"Plant enzymes" on a label usually means enzymes made by fermentation with microbes such as Aspergillus, plus bromelain and papain from fruit. These formulas are often vegetarian or vegan.

Animal-derived formulas use pancreatin (most often from pork), pepsin and ox bile (from cattle). Some add betaine hydrochloride, a source of stomach acid. They're the more traditional formulas, and common in practitioner lines.

Neither is automatically better. Your diet, allergies and your healthcare provider's advice usually decide it. The label names the source, and the "non-medicinal ingredients" line tells you what the capsule itself is made of.

The digestive enzymes we carry, compared

These are the ones we're asked about most. Stock moves around, so check the product page or call either store before you make the trip.

With ox bile or pancreatin. Not vegetarian.

Enzyme blends, including vegetarian and vegan options.

With lactase, for meals with dairy. Handy for meals built around cheese, ice cream or cream sauces.

How to take digestive enzymes with meals

1. Follow the label. Labels usually give a dose per meal and a maximum per day. A bigger meal doesn't mean going past the limit.
2. Take it with food. At the start of a meal or with the first few bites, because enzymes need food to work on. One taken an hour later doesn't do much for the meal you already ate.
3. Give it a fair try. Notice how you feel after the meals you take it with, and which foods are involved. That note is useful if you end up talking to a practitioner.

Enzymes, probiotics and gut powders aren't the same thing

People often find enzymes while looking at other digestive products, and the names overlap. They do different jobs, and it's common to use more than one.

Our probiotics guide covers those in more detail. Two gut powders people often ask us about:

Who should check with a provider first

Digestive enzymes are widely used, but they aren't for everyone. Talk to your doctor, pharmacist or naturopathic doctor before starting one if any of these apply.

• Celiac disease. Some enzyme blends mention gluten. None of them replace a strict gluten-free diet.
• Ulcers or reflux. Formulas that add betaine HCl or ox bile aren't suitable for everyone, especially alongside anti-inflammatory medications.
• Blood thinners or fruit allergies. Bromelain and papain carry cautions for people taking anticoagulants and anyone allergic to pineapple or papaya.
• Alpha-galactosidase. People with galactosemia shouldn't use it, and people with diabetes should ask first.

Every product's NPN can be looked up in the licensed products database (linked below) to see its approved use and cautions. Our Bedford clinic also has naturopathic doctors who can take a fuller look at digestion.

Questions we get a lot

Is it okay to take digestive enzymes every day?

Many labels are written for use with meals, every day, within a stated daily maximum. Stay within the label, and if you find you need them with every meal, mention it to your healthcare provider.

Should I take digestive enzymes or probiotics?

They do different things. Enzymes help digest a meal; probiotics are live microorganisms taken for the gut flora. Some people use both.

Are there vegan digestive enzymes?

Yes. Flora Daily Maintenance Enzymes are vegan, and Enzymedica Digest Spectrum, Enzymedica Lacto and CanPrev Digestive Enzymes come in vegetarian capsules. Formulas with pancreatin, pepsin or ox bile are animal-derived.

What helps with dairy?

Look for lactase on the label, measured in ALU. Enzymedica Lacto and Flora Immediate Relief Enzymes (shown above) both include it. Take it with the first bite of the meal that contains dairy.

What's the difference between NFH and Naka digestive enzymes?

Both include ox bile with their enzymes. NFH Digestive Enzymes SAP also contains betaine hydrochloride and pancreatic enzymes, while Naka's Platinum Enhanced formula has its own ingredient list. Compare the medicinal ingredients side by side, or bring both bottles to our supplement team.

Do digestive enzymes work right away?

They act on the meal you take them with, so people tend to judge them meal by meal. Results vary, and they aren't a fix for an underlying condition.

You'll find digestive enzymes, probiotics and gut powders in the supplement aisle at both stores: 486 Starboard Drive in Bedford and 590 Portland Street in Dartmouth. Browse the full digestion collection online, order before 11 am for Luminate Express same-day delivery across most of HRM, or have it shipped anywhere in Canada, free over $80.

Sources: Licensed Natural Health Products Database; product labels and listings. This article is general information, not medical advice.