What are the differences between Digestive Enzymes and Probiotics?
Digestive enzymes and probiotics both work to support proper digestive
health but in different ways. Digestive enzymes work directly with the
food a person consumes to break down carbohydrates, fats and protein
into small
substrates that can be properly absorbed and nutrients utilized by the
body for energy throughout the day. Enzymes are naturally produced by
the body, however, as a person ages, they can become deficient which can
create inflammation and stress on the body starting in the
gastrointestinal tract. Probiotics are live bacteria that assist with
balancing the "flora" digestive
tract, improving vitamin absorption and may help reduce lactose intolerance.
Probiotics can take up to a few months to get into your system and for a
person to be able to determine whether or not they are working
properly. Probiotics do not break down food but rather work to create a
state of balance in a person's digestive tract. Since digestive
enzymes work directly with the food a person eats, when taken with a
meal, they begin to break down right away and many people report feeling
a difference after adding enzymes to 1 or 2 meals, especially those who
are in tune with their body.
Consuming
inflammatory foods such as dairy, sugar, red meat, refined grains and
processed foods can cause stress on the gut and lead to many GI issues.
Adding digestive enzymes to your daily regimen will
give your body the support it needs to break down food properly and
reduce inflammation starting in the gut. Food can only be utilized for
energy if it is broken down into small enough substrates to be absorbed
in the blood stream.
According to the National Institute of Health, 60 to 70 million people in America suffer from some type of digestive disorder. People who suffer from poor digestive health are commonly linked to: Low energy, excessive gas, poor skin health, joint pain and discomfort, bloat following meals, weight gain, weak immune system, heartburn and headaches.
See what Dr. Doron Kahana says about his experience implementing digestive enzymes into his practice.
"Hi, my name is Dr.
Doron Kahana and I am a Board Certified Pediatric Gastroenterologist
with an additional Board Certification in Clinical Nutrition. After completing my training in
Chicago, Israel, Minnesota and UCLA, I was on faculty at Harbor-UCLA
Medical Center, where I directed a specialty clinic for patients with
non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and inflammatory bowel disease
(IBD). I currently serve as the Medical Director at the Center
for Digestive Health & Nutritional Excellence (CDHNE), a clinic in
Torrance, California, that focuses on integrating medical nutrition with
conventional therapy for GI disease.
Seven months ago I was introduced to Innerzyme, a line of natural enzyme
supplements from a local nutraceutical company, founded and directed by
Katie Jodscheidt. I had previously prescribed
pharmaceutical-grade enzymes, such as lipases and pancreases, as well as
over-the-counter enzymes, but my experience with Innerzyme has
superceded my previous ones. I first implemented
Innerzyme’s Digestive Enzyme Complex and Papaya Enzyme Chewable into my
practice and patients reported that it was easy to administer with a
very quick rate of onset and symptom relief. I have since also started incorporating Innerzyme’s Pain & Inflammation Blend with similar results.
I honestly think that Innerzyme’s product is superior to most other enzymes available on the market. It
is natural, easy to administer, quick in onset, and yields great
results for patients with a large gamut of clinical conditions, from
indigestion and reflux, to bloating, gassiness, and diarrhea. I
have given out many samples and quite often patients return reporting
significant benefit and ask to purchase the product. The price is very
reasonable and comparable to similar products on the market, but I trust
Innerzyme after having had the chance to discuss the manufacturing
process with Katie and after seeing the significant benefit to my
patients, beyond that of other, generic digestive enzymes.
As
a Pediatrician, I often prescribe dietary modification for nursing moms
whose children present with colic, reflux, eczema, and sometimes frank
bloody stools. Allergic proctitis in infancy is not
uncommon and current standard therapy is to switch formula to a
“hydrolyzed” or pre-digested formula. I have added Innerzyme to mom’s regimen and have observed a significant improvement in the nursing child’s clinical symptoms. It
makes sense, since extensive digestion reduces the antigenicity of food
and may thus help with symptom relief, from reflux and colic to eczema,
which is an immune-mediated disease.
Digestive
enzymes may indeed represent a paradigm shift in the care of
gastrointestinal issues, from peptic disease and functional dyspepsia to
gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), irritable bowel syndrome, food
sensitivity, and malabsorption. My ultimate goal is to “graduate” my patients to complete wellness through specialized care and education. Since adding Innerzyme into my practice, I am very pleased to see improved results in my graduation rates.
I highly recommend Innerzyme and feel it is a great addition to my clinical practice."
Learn more about the benefits of Innerzyme's Digestive Enzyme Complex, visit:
People often ask if they can get an adequate amount of enzymes from the
food they eat. While raw fruits and vegetables are a great source of
natural enzymes, it is often difficult to consume enough to get a
therapeutic benefit. This is even more challenging since many foods
today lose their nutritional benefits with food processing methods. This
is why taking a daily enzyme supplement, like Innerzyme, will allow you
to get the proper support you need to ensure your body is functioning
as it was designed to. 
