Digestive Enzymes
#362394 - 12/07/10 12:39 PM
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shelgirl
Reged: 09/22/09
Posts: 205
Loc: Wisconsin
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Just wondering if anyone has had any luck with taking digestive enzymes? If so, do you take them with every meal or??? I've been taking them for quite some time now and like alot of things I don't know if they are helping or not and at this point I hate to stop taking them!
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IBS-D. Eating gluten and dairy free.
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Some digestive enzymes such as Beano and lactase work well for helping digest specific carbohydrates and lactose respectively. They have to be taken with every meal that contains these carbohydrates and lactase. Others such as cellulase, lipase don't survive the acids in the stomach and are not particularly useful. In fact, cellulase is only found in ruminant animals such as cows and horses.
In summary - some digestive enzymes work many don't. Those that do work have to be taken with each meal that contains a substance in the food that the enzyme can breakdown. Another factor to consider is many digestive enzymes are ground up dried plant material and they essentially are all insoluble fiber which can be a problem for some.
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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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My ND told me to try "Similase" by integrative therapeutics (found on Emerson Ecologics website) which contains 8 different enzymes. I dont take it regularly because its around $24 a bottle (90 pills) and has to be taken at each meal...which adds up $$. I occasionally take it when i think i may have a problem digesting the food i eat and i think it does help some.
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IBS-D since 2008, female in her 20s
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Digestive enzymes seem to be a favorite recommendation of NDs. The only enzymes in Similase that are of much value are lactase used to help with the digestion of lactose sugar in milk and Alpha-Galactosidase the active ingredient in Beano. Even so there is about one-tenth the amount of lactase normally found in a lactase only enzyme capsule. The rest aren't particularly useful and will likely be deactivated by stomach acid. They cannot hurt you because enzymes are proteins and you will digest them like any other protein. 
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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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Thanks for the good info....That being said just wondering, Syl if you have an opinion about probiotics? I was told to take Probiotic Eleven, made by Nature's Sunshine??
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IBS-D. Eating gluten and dairy free.
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Re: Probiotics?
#362416 - 12/09/10 11:08 AM
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Syl
Reged: 03/13/05
Posts: 5499
Loc: SK, CANADA
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Probiotic Eleven contains a variety of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium bacteria. Clinical trials suggest that Lactobacillus species are not very effective for managing IBS symptoms. On the other hand Bifidobacterium, particularly Bifidobacterium infantis found in the clinically tested Align probiotic, are effective.
A bigger concern is the fact that this probiotic contains the added ingredient FOS which can exacerbate IBS symptoms. As Heather says FOS is a rapidly fermenting probiotic that can cause a sudden release of gas, bloating, and subsequent abdominal pain. It sure does for me - even in small amount 
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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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Oh....good to know. I didn't realize that FOS was in there! It seems it is included in several brands of probiotics. I guess I will have to do more research. I did check out the Align, but, noticed it has sugar and blue dye in and I would rather avoid that as well if possible. Thanks for the info!
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IBS-D. Eating gluten and dairy free.
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Just noticed that very few probiotics have that particular strain you mentioned (Bifidobacterium infantis). I just wonder why products have to include artificial colors and sweeteners, etc...when it's not necessary??? I have the same problem with certain fibers I have tried.
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IBS-D. Eating gluten and dairy free.
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Re: Probiotics?
#362437 - 12/10/10 09:42 AM
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Syl
Reged: 03/13/05
Posts: 5499
Loc: SK, CANADA
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Sugar is not a problem for IBS. And generally speaking the amount of food dye and sugar each dose contains is very small. Align shouldn't present any problems. You could also try VSL#3 and Digestive Advantage. All three have been clinically tested on IBS suffers.
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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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Thanks Syl...think I will try the Digestive Advantage as it seems to have less additives...appreciate your response...
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IBS-D. Eating gluten and dairy free.
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Hi Syl,
Do you have any opinions or heard feedback about Protease, or Amylase enzymes?
I picked up a bottle with multiple enzymes and will give it a shot for a month.
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Amylase is found in salvia and it breaks down starches. The body make many different kinds of proteases which help in the break down of proteins. It is quite unlikely that your body is not producing enough of these digestive enzymes.
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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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Syl, I really appreciate the advice. My main symptom is gas, but it keeps me up every night with some pain and cramping from the pressure. It isn't too bad during the day though. I don't understand why I feel ok during the day and gassy all night. I've had a colon exam, tests for giardia, celiac, and H Pylori which were negative hence thinking food intolerance now.
Do you think a thorough food elimination diet is my best bet? Sometimes I just need a plan or I'll try too many things at once like these supplements, probiotics, etc.
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Have you been tested for lactose intolerance and fructose malabsorption? They are breath tests.
Can you give us a list of the foods and snacks you have eaten in the past 2-3 days? It may give us some clues.
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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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I asked my doctors about those tests. My doctor told me that the lactose test will not be accurate and to just avoid dairy... My GI doctor referred me to an allergy specialist instead of giving me an order for the fructose test. It'll be really expensive for me to see an allergy doctor because I don't have insurance. I'm trying elimination dieting for a few months instead. I just started by eliminating eggs and coffee for two weeks. I'm starting a wheat free diet now.
The other day I ate: toast w/butter, a cup of plain yogurt, turkey bacon, an orange, a turkey sandwich on oatmeal/wheat bread, reduced fat potato chips, an apple, tea, almond milk, a bowl of organic corn flakes, grilled chicken, baked potatoes (w ketchup), salad.
I understand IBS diet and what you've mentioned about fiber, and the trigger foods. However, I'm searching for a particular food or foods for intolerance. I would like to test for fructose malabsorption because that would be a difficult diet to do on my own.
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You can actually use dietary measures to determine if fructose malabsorption is a problem. Have a look at the information in the first two links in my signature. In particular, have a look at the table at the end of the first reference which list foods that are high in excess fructose. By excess fructose I mean foods that contain more fructose than glucose such as apples, pears, honey, high-fructose corn syrup, etc not thing such as sucrose which contains equal amounts of fructose and glucose. Try removing these foods from your diet for 10-14 days and see if you notice an improvement.
Fructose malabsorption falls into a broader class of problematic foods called FODMAPs. You might find a reduction or elimination of some other foods containing these ingredients useful for managing IBS symptoms too.
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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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In certain eliminating diets you may need only few days (in general less than a week) to see results.
If you have a lactose intolerance, lactose-free diet should result in an obvious symptom relief in 2-4 days. You need to remove not only all dairy products, but also all commercial foods containing lactose as an additive. This may be a long list and not all lactose-containing products list lactose as an ingredient, so a safe way to test would be avoiding commercial foods as much as possible.
If you have a fructose malabsorption (as an only disorder), a low-fructose (- some other nutrients) diet should give obvious results in 2-4 days. For the diet trial you need to exclude (roughly) fruits and fruit products, honey, wheat products, onions, artichokes, asparagus, sweet foods in general and any commercial food containing fructose, HFCS, sucrose, polyols or sugar alcohols (sorbitol, xylitol, maltitol, mannitol...), and to be sure, any sweetener, fructooligosaccharides (FOS) and inulin.
If you have a celiac disease, avoiding gluten may (not always) result in symptoms relief in 1-2 weeks. Gluten is in wheat, rye, barley and sometimes in oats (contamination during production process). Gluten is in many commercial foods and usually listed as an ingredient.
If you have a food allergy, elimination of suspected foods for few days should result in an obvious symptoms relief.
I want to say, you might need only few days (not months) for every diet trial, so they should not be so hard, especially not trials for lactose intolerance and fructose malabsorption.
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I don't have IBS.
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Celiacs
#364986 - 06/03/11 07:43 AM
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Syl
Reged: 03/13/05
Posts: 5499
Loc: SK, CANADA
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If one suspects celiac disease it might not be wise to remove gluten from one's diet until one has a positive confirmation from a doctor. As you likely know removing gluten before the test (blood or endoscopy) can distort or falsify the results.
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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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I'll give it a shot. I'm also going to see a different doctor next week. I have a history with him so maybe he'll be more open to give me the breath tests. Thanks for the FODMAP info.
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Yes, some weeks/few months before testing for celiac you should not exclude gluten. If someone experiences symptoms relief after a particular diet trial, he/she can get a good idea which official tests to have first, and, if positive, spare some money for other, often expensive, tests.
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I don't have IBS.
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Thanks for the advice. I had the celiac test, but refrained from gluten for a short time before it. I'm considering a second test in the future to be sure.
Edited by Islandsguy123 (06/03/11 09:22 AM)
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I see advertisments on other IBS sites for digestive enzymes - that these will 'cure' IBS in 4 days. I notice that Heather doesn't offer any product like this, therefore, I'm thinking that this digestive enzymes may not be a good solution. I'd like to know more about this and why or why not. I think it would help me understand more.
Thanks so much - I love the Tummy fiber and Tummy Teas!
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Martie Schoener
Unfolding Heart Yoga LLC
Certified Yoga Instructor
Columbus,OH
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Syl, Just rereading this post and wondering if all vegetable/plant based enzymes would be a problem as you mention the Insoluble fiber in them?
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IBS-D. Eating gluten and dairy free.
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It depends on whether or not the enzymes were extracted from the plant material or if they are simply contained in the ground plant material. Many digestive enzymes sold as supplements are ineffective in the human body. They are simply digested like any other protein. You might find this article interesting article
You might try Beano which is know to work and see if it works for you.
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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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