DigeZyme® (Alpha-Amylase, Neutral Protease, Cellulase, Lactase, Lipase)
Also known as: DigeZyme®, Digestive enzyme blend, multienzyme complex (MEC), alpha-amylase, neutral protease, cellulase, lactase, lipase
Overview
DigeZyme® is a proprietary multienzyme complex comprising five key digestive enzymes: alpha-amylase, neutral protease, cellulase, lactase, and lipase. These enzymes are derived from microbial fermentation, making DigeZyme® a non-animal sourced supplement. Its primary function is to assist in the breakdown of macronutrients: carbohydrates (alpha-amylase), proteins (neutral protease), cellulose fibers (cellulase), lactose (lactase), and fats (lipase). This blend is designed to improve digestion and alleviate common gastrointestinal discomforts such as functional dyspepsia, bloating, and even delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). DigeZyme® is characterized by its stability across a range of pH and temperatures, allowing it to remain active throughout the digestive tract. It holds a self-affirmed GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) status in the US, indicating its safety for consumption. While research on DigeZyme® is ongoing, several randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have been conducted, showing promising results for its efficacy and safety.
Benefits
DigeZyme® offers several evidence-based benefits, primarily targeting digestive health and muscle recovery. For individuals with functional dyspepsia, a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study demonstrated significant improvements in dyspeptic symptoms, including reduced pain and discomfort, with effects sustained over 60 days. This indicates a strong level of evidence for its efficacy in managing chronic digestive issues. Furthermore, DigeZyme® has shown promise in reducing delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) and associated pain, as evidenced by the same study and a smaller RCT. This suggests a moderate level of evidence for its role in post-exercise recovery. Secondary benefits include a significant reduction in bloating and abdominal distension, observed acutely within 30-90 minutes post-meal in a small RCT. While a pilot study suggested potential enhancement of nutrient absorption, particularly when combined with BioPerine®, this finding requires further validation due to the study's small size and non-peer-reviewed nature. Overall, DigeZyme® appears most beneficial for adults experiencing functional dyspepsia, DOMS, or meal-related bloating, with clinically significant improvements in symptom scores and discomfort.
How it works
DigeZyme® functions by providing exogenous digestive enzymes that supplement the body's natural enzyme production. Each enzyme targets specific macronutrients: alpha-amylase breaks down carbohydrates, neutral protease breaks down proteins, lipase breaks down fats, cellulase breaks down cellulose fibers, and lactase breaks down lactose. By enhancing the breakdown of these complex molecules in the gastrointestinal tract, DigeZyme® reduces the amount of undigested food that can lead to fermentation, gas production, and digestive discomfort. This action helps to alleviate symptoms associated with malabsorption or dyspepsia. The enzymes are stable across varying pH levels and temperatures, ensuring their activity throughout the digestive lumen. They act locally within the gut, improving the efficiency of digestion and potentially enhancing nutrient absorption by making nutrients more bioavailable.
Side effects
DigeZyme® is generally well-tolerated, with clinical trials reporting no serious adverse events. No common (greater than 5%), uncommon (1-5%), or rare (less than 1%) side effects have been consistently documented in the available research. There are no documented drug interactions, though caution is generally advised when combining enzyme supplements with enzyme-sensitive medications. Contraindications are not well-established, but individuals with known allergies to enzyme supplements should exercise caution. Specific safety data for special populations, such as pregnant or lactating women and children, are limited, and therefore, its use in these groups is not recommended without professional medical advice. Overall, DigeZyme® appears to have a favorable safety profile based on current research, but as with any supplement, individual responses may vary.
Dosage
The minimum effective dose of DigeZyme® is not precisely defined in the available literature, as the primary randomized controlled trial used a proprietary dose that was not specified in milligrams. Commercial products containing DigeZyme® vary in their enzyme unit concentrations. For optimal results, DigeZyme® is typically recommended to be taken with meals, especially for addressing post-meal bloating and digestive discomfort. The benefits for functional dyspepsia were observed with daily administration over a period of 60 days. There is no established maximum safe dose for DigeZyme®. It is commonly available in powdered blends or capsule forms. The enzymes are designed to act locally within the gastrointestinal tract, and their stability across a range of pH levels is crucial for their efficacy. No specific cofactors are required for its activity.
FAQs
Is DigeZyme® safe?
Yes, clinical trials indicate DigeZyme® is well-tolerated with no significant adverse effects reported, suggesting a good safety profile.
How quickly does it work?
Improvements in dyspepsia symptoms can be seen within 30 days of consistent use, while relief from bloating may occur acutely within 30-90 minutes after a meal.
Can it help with lactose intolerance?
Yes, DigeZyme® contains lactase, an enzyme that breaks down lactose, which may be beneficial for individuals with lactose intolerance.
Is it effective for muscle soreness?
Some research suggests DigeZyme® can help reduce pain associated with delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS).
Does it improve nutrient absorption?
Preliminary pilot data suggest a possible enhancement of vitamin and mineral absorption, but more robust research is needed to confirm this effect.
Research Sources
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6249666/ – This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial (n=75+) investigated DigeZyme® in adults with functional dyspepsia. It found significant improvements in dyspeptic symptoms and reduced DOMS pain over 60 days, demonstrating good safety and efficacy. The study highlights DigeZyme®'s potential for managing digestive discomfort and muscle soreness.
- https://patents.google.com/patent/US20180117127A1/en – This patent-supported small-scale RCT (n=20) in healthy volunteers reported a significant reduction in DOMS pain and improved agility test performance. While a patent, it provides supporting evidence for DigeZyme®'s role in muscle recovery, though its small sample size limits generalizability.
- https://www.dovepress.com/a-multi-digestive-enzyme-and-herbal-dietary-supplement-reduces-bloatin-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-NDS – This RCT (n=20) explored a multi-digestive enzyme and herbal supplement, including similar enzymes to DigeZyme®, showing a 58-68% reduction in abdominal distension acutely post-meal. It suggests that enzyme blends can provide rapid relief from bloating, although the specific contribution of DigeZyme® components is not isolated.
- https://www.dotfit.com/sites/63/templates/content/images/38360/DigestiveEnzymes.pdf – This non-peer-reviewed pilot study, conducted on a small group of healthy volunteers, suggested that DigeZyme® combined with BioPerine® might enhance vitamin and mineral absorption over 5 days. Due to its low quality and small sample size, these findings are considered hypothesis-generating and require further rigorous investigation.