With systemic benefits shown, enzymes are forging beyond digestive supplements to create stronger products.

With food intolerances on the rise, and a desire to prevent digestive distress, consumers are embracing the importance of healthy digestion, leading to a growing market for enzyme supplements.

Digestive enzymes, found naturally in the body, begin to deplete as a person ages, causing digestive discomforts such as indigestion. Depleted enzymes can also bring on gastrointestinal distress in the form of lactose intolerance, said Nithya Hariharan, marketing manager with New Jersey-based DSM Nutritional Products.

It’s not just age that can contribute to digestive distress, but also the fast-paced, unhealthy world in which we live. “In a Western lifestyle dominated by stress and pre-packaged, fast-food diets, the need for digestive support continues to be an issue,” said Danielle Harrison, scientific and regulatory affairs manager with Missouri-based National Enzyme Co. (NEC), a company that offers a full range of dietary supplement products and services. “As more people learn about the benefits of digestive enzyme products, the market continues to expand.” 

While enzymes play a vital role in digestion and gut health, they are also valuable in other aspects of the body. “Enzyme-based supplements have been shown to provide a foundation for overall wellness through a variety of benefits, including optimized nutritional uptake, normal immune function support and promoting antioxidant activity,” said Scott Ravech, CEO of Deerland Enzymes Inc. in Georgia.

According to Ravech, systemic enzymes, such as those for inflammation and cardiovscular health, are also gaining popularity. These enzymes work beyond the gut in every cell and organ. “For example, supplements that support proper inflammatory response in the body include protease enzymes, such as serratiopeptidase and nattokinase,” he said. Deerland Enzymes, a company that specializes in customized enzyme-based supplement formulations, offers ThiZymeYD, an enzyme-based formulation to support normal levels of yeast in the body, such as candida.

“Systemic proteases have been used and studied for several decades, particularly in Europe,” said NEC’s Harrison. “When taken on an empty stomach, research indicates that proteases support joint and soft tissue health as well as immune system health.” 

Enzymes can also be used for protein hydrolysis, such as for use in protein supplements or meal replacements, making it ideal for bodybuilders, runners or anyone with an active lifestyle, Ravech said, noting his company’s ProHydrolase that digests protein into a bio-usable form.

Research also supports the use of enzymes for specific applications such as blends or proteases for improved amino acid delivery for muscle growth, said Harrison. “This is useful in the growing sports market and for aging Baby Boomers who want to maintain muscle strength,” she said.

Harrison added that certain enzyme blends are able to positively impact the availability of various nutrients. “For instance, in vitro testing indicates that BioCore Lipo may improve the availability of essential fatty acids. Similarly, Isolase has been investigated for its ability to enhance the absorption of isoflavones in an unpublished clinical pilot study,” she said.

Lactase, an enzyme responsible for the digestion of milk, has been added to many formulations for the growing number of Americans with lactose intolerance. DSM’s Tolerase L acid lactase may help relieve this common ailment by reducing intestinal fermentation. “Lactase efficacy is supported by 14 clinical trials, showing that in consumers with lactose intolerance, lactase reduces intestinal fermentation (measured as breath hydrogen) and intestinal symptoms after a lactose challenge,” said Hariharan. “Phytase efficacy was demonstrated in 18 clinical trials, 13 of them showing better iron uptake from whole grain- or legumebased meals. Six of them showed better zinc uptake from such meals.” 

Other options for enzymes beyond digestion include use in the food industry to improve the quality of foods such as bread, or to increase production of juices or beer, said Hariharan.

A Challenging Ingredient 

Enzymes are considered a highly active ingredient and so they need to be treated accordingly when mixed with other components, said DSM’s Hariharan. “Temperature conditions and handling have to be taken into consideration when determining stability and activity,” she said, adding that enzymes are best stored in a cool, dry place.

“The biggest challenge is designing effective formulas, as most of the enzymes we use are very stable when stored at or below room temperature in A dry environment,” said Richard Mihalik, director of innovation and product development at NEC. “A formulator must have extensive knowledge of the different side activities of the enzyme extracts, the pH activities and the bonds upon which the enzymes act to design an effective formula.”

Most challenges associated with enzyme product formulations are usually determined by the knowledge of the customer, said Deerland’s Ravech. “Those with little experience dealing with enzymes have less understanding of the activity/potency properties,” he said. “It’s important to understand that potency of enzymes is not measured in the same way as other nutritional supplements.” 

According to Ravech, enzymes are not measured by weight, unlike other supplements, meaning the weight in milligrams of a product does not mean more or less potency. “The determining factor of an enzyme product’s potency is its ‘activity’—the effect it has on proteins, fats and carbohydrates,” he said. “Different enzymes use different units of measurement to determine potency.” 

And further, the challenges of this ingredient extend beyond the manufacturer to the consumer. A lot of enzyme products’ efficacy depends on the user taking the supplement at the correct time. “As enzymes for food intolerances have to be taken with the meal, the effectiveness of the enzyme has a time stamp,” said Hariharan. “It is important for consumers to understand that and use them accordingly to get maximum benefit.” 

Delivery & Trends 

Ravech said customization is key when it comes to formulation, and added that capsules are still the most common delivery method for enzyme-based supplements. Tablets are another choice, but are used less frequently. “This is driven by consumer preference (ease of swallowing), and by the nature of enzymes—when capsules are compressed, it generates heat and pressure necessitating the addition of an enzyme ‘overage’ to compensate for any activity (potency) lost,” he said.

According to Mihalik, there is also a trend steering away from the use of unstable animal enzymes in favor of more useful plant and microbial enzymes in more effective, substrate-targeted formulations. Mihalik said plant and microbial enzymes are underestimated and are, despite common opinion among medical practitioners, quite rugged and stable in the body.

“I believe that this misconception stems from issues with animal enzymes such as pancreatin that are not effective unless enteric coated because they denature and become inactive in stomach acid,” he said. “In contrast, most of the digestive work with plant and microbial enzymes actually occurs in the stomach, before the pH of the food becomes too acidic. This predigests the food in the stomach, leaving less work for pancreatic enzymes that are secreted in the intestines.”

Further, Mihalik agreed with Ravech that delivery methods are trending toward more convenient forms, adding that tasty, chewable tablets are also becoming more popular.