enzymes
#339077 - 12/08/08 05:37 PM
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A friend recommended taking a very heavy course of enzymes for a few days and then easing off. She was told that people rarely have the enzymes needed to digest and this plan really helped her bloating.
I did one day and took probably 10-12 tablets. It caused D cramps pretty bad. Papaya has at times given me D when I am not doing well. The enzymes did help my bloating though.
So has anyone taken a heavy course of enzymes? If so did you have D or did your bloating improve at all? I will try a moderate amount and see what happens. I was just wondering if anyone had experiences to relate. Any time I have tried enzymes before I have had no change, that was why I thought a heavy course for a few days may be something.
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IBS-A for 20 years with terrible bloating and gas. On the diet since April 2004. Remember this from Heather's information pages:
"You absolutely must eat insoluble fiber foods, and as much as safely possible, but within the IBS dietary guidelines. Treat insoluble fiber foods with suitable caution, and you'll be able to enjoy a wide variety of them, in very healthy quantities, without problem." Please eat IF foods!
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What do you mean by enzymes?Are these pills sold in the drug store?
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IBS-D since 1999...mostly stable..i do cheat too.Bad me.
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I have never tried a heavy dose of enzymes, just the recommended dose. It did nothing for me (good or bad). I don't know about the heavy dose, it sounds appealing on one hand but I could see how it would cause troubles. The way I see it is that we need a certain amount of enzymes at the time when we're processing certain foods. So if we take a megadose we might "overdigest" which could cause D and cramps. Enzymes cannot be stored by our bodies for later so that's why our bodies have the need to flush them all out at once. We need balance.
So, you can certainly test it out yourself but I have serious doubts it would help.
Dragonfly - you can buy enzyme supplements at the drug store. Often they're called "pancreatic enzymes", and mainly contain the enzymes amylase, protease, and lactase.
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IBS-C, bloating, cramps
pregnant 
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Re: enzymes
#339099 - 12/09/08 05:46 AM
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Syl
Reged: 03/13/05
Posts: 5499
Loc: SK, CANADA
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Your friend's premise that "people rarely have the enzymes needed to digest" is incorrect. It is rare that your body does not produce enough digestive enzymes. Below are a couple of many links to reputable sources that discuss digestive enzyme supplements. They are in general agreement that unless you have a problem with a specific enzyme such as lactase taking digestive enzyme supplements is of little value.
The write-up from the Medical College at the University of Wisconsin says "At this time, there is no evidence from controlled human trials that digestive enzymes provide a therapeutic benefit."
Quackwatch has a write-up on enzyme deficiency and a product called Nu-Zymes. It discusses the myth about enzyme deficiencies and many of the misleading claims made by enzyme vendors.
The Go Ask Alice column at the University of Columbia says "Any enzymes present in the foods you eat will NOT aid the body in the digestive process! Enzymes are proteins (just like meat, fish, chicken, etc.), and so they are treated as such by the body after being ingested. Upon entering the stomach all proteins are broken down by the acids and digestive chemicals into amino acids which are then absorbed and utilized by the body to make new proteins, provide energy, and repair damaged tissues. Enzyme tablets sold in health food stores will probably not enhance the digestive process, since they too will presumably be broken down into their constituent amino acids. These tablets will contribute a tiny amount of additional amino acid to your diet, but not much else".
One reason you may be having problem with papain is that it occurs in such high concentration in papaya that it is not necessarily extracted from the fruit and purifed. Some times only ground up papaya is used as the source of papain which is high in IF. So taking papain in capsule or pill form may be like taking an IF supplement.
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STABLE: ♂, IBS-D 50+ years - Science of IBS
The FODMAP Approach to Managing IBS Symptoms
Evidence-based Dietary Management of Functional GI Symptoms: The FODMAP Approach
FODMAP Chart & Cheatsheet
The Role of Food & Dietary Intervention in IBS
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That is a good point that you can't store them for later.
Syl, you must mean that papaya is high in SF not IF. Papaya is an SF source and the digestive enzymes in papaya are beneficial, as are the ones in pineapple.
I would never have guessed they consider enzymes to be a protein. I didn't think papaya and pineapple were sources of protein??
I am still trying a normal amount of enzymes out to see if it has an effect on bloating. Since enzymes vary so much maybe I will have some luck now that I didn't have 10 years ago when I tried pretty much everything.
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IBS-A for 20 years with terrible bloating and gas. On the diet since April 2004. Remember this from Heather's information pages:
"You absolutely must eat insoluble fiber foods, and as much as safely possible, but within the IBS dietary guidelines. Treat insoluble fiber foods with suitable caution, and you'll be able to enjoy a wide variety of them, in very healthy quantities, without problem." Please eat IF foods!
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Quite coincidentally, I went to a "wellness center" two weeks ago in the hopes they'd be able to do something about my constant diarrhea. They had me watch a video (more of a short infomercial) about how their service works. It concentrates on the use of prescribed enzymes (about $100 each month) to help in the digestive process. I agreed to have an initial test/consultation done (cost me $340) which showed some stress points on a computer screen.
They wanted me to sign up for a series of treatments which would have cost $4,000 over six months (and insurance doesn't cover it) so I decided against the treatment.
The more I think about, the more convinced I am that it's a scam.
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Saul (IBS - D)
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Re: enzymes
#339178 - 12/10/08 06:16 PM
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Syl
Reged: 03/13/05
Posts: 5499
Loc: SK, CANADA
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Papaya contains roughly equal amounts of SF and IF. Many digestive enzyme supplements contain fillers such as cellulose and rice bran.
All enzymes are proteins. They are digested in the stomach just like any protein. All fruits and vegetables contain some protein. Papaya contains about 1% protein and pineapple about 0.5% by weight.
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STABLE: ♂, IBS-D 50+ years - Science of IBS
The FODMAP Approach to Managing IBS Symptoms
Evidence-based Dietary Management of Functional GI Symptoms: The FODMAP Approach
FODMAP Chart & Cheatsheet
The Role of Food & Dietary Intervention in IBS
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Re: enzymes
#339192 - 12/11/08 08:08 AM
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ericai
Reged: 11/09/08
Posts: 102
Loc: Nassau County, NY
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Since we're both on LI, I wonder where you went? I went to a wellness center in Port Washington 2 years ago and did similar testing (I think). The treatments were expensive also. It was a more wholistic approach, but it also felt like a scam and I never went for the treatments.
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Erica
IBS-D
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Quote:
Since we're both on LI, I wonder where you went? I went to a wellness center in Port Washington 2 years ago and did similar testing (I think). The treatments were expensive also. It was a more wholistic approach, but it also felt like a scam and I never went for the treatments.
Commack.
I didn't like their "hard-sell" approach. Oddly enough, I saw a story about them on Channel 12 News (if you have Cablevision service, you'll get Channel 12).
They ran some scan up and down my back and it translated it's findings to a colorized computerized screen showing where I had stress in my body. I have to admit that I was impressed by that... it (obviously) showed stress in the area of the intestines but it also showed a lot of stress in my lower back (where I occassionally have issues - and I didn't tell them about it before the scan was done).
My insurance doesn't believe in holistic healing and won't pay for any such treatments. I would have continued with this place if my insurance covered it, but the $4,000 is a little out of my budget now.
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Saul (IBS - D)
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Whoever it is that did the studies at these sites you mentioned, those who wrote that taking digestive enzymes don't help, are absolutely clueless. A product I've been taking for 5 few years called Digest Gold has been the best thing I have come across to help with my IBS problems.
Let these medical professionals contract this syndrome, then try enzymes, then give us a report. They're likely writing from a perspective void of personal experience.
Don't believe everything you read....except what follows these lines.
Dave
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God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will we not fear.
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