written by Team NB Pure on September 8, 2021
Digestive Enzymes vs. Probiotics: The Differences + Which Might Be Best For You
Having to deal with uncomfortable digestive issues is absolutely the worst! If you have been doing some research on how to fix these tummy issues, you’ve probably come across the words digestive enzymes and probiotics.
At this point, you’re probably wondering which one is best for you. Both are incredibly different and vital to your health - the answer to which one is best for you, all depends on you individually. You may even need both to feel your best.
We’re going to break down the differences between digestive enzymes and probiotics and how to determine which one is the right choice for you.
Digestive enzymes and probiotics: What do they have in common?
Well, at the end of the day, they both help with GI health and aiding in digestion.
You can find both in supplement form as well as in foods to ingest on a regular basis.
Digestive enzymes vs. probiotics: What's different?
There is plenty that is different between the two, so we’re going to start with basics and then flow into the good stuff.
To begin, probiotics are live bacteria and yeasts that are good for you, good for your digestive system mainly. The human body is filled with good and bad bacteria.
Probiotics are often nicknamed the “good” or “helpful” bacteria because it helps with keeping the gut healthy.
When you lose good bacteria in your body, probiotics help replace them.
They’re like these tiny ninjas that maintain order in the gut ecosystem.
Digestive Enzymes are helpful in breaking down the food you eat. These proteins speed up the chemical reactions that your body does to turn nutrients into substances that the digestive tract can absorb.
For a lot of people, the real issue and underlying cause of most gut irritation is not digesting food properly.
Unlike probiotics, enzymes can make a prompt difference in digesting a meal. That is because enzymes help digest food, probiotics do not.
To summarize, probiotics are living organisms that can have beneficial effects on digestive health, but they are not very effective in dealing with many common digestive complaints like the irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) as well as indigestion, gas, bloating, and food intolerances.
The reason is simple: probiotics do not digest food. Digestive enzymes do and allow for proper nutrient absorption.
Benefits of Probiotics
Better gut health, for starters.
Probiotics restore the gut balance by repopulating it with health bacteria.
This will aid with digestive comfort and can even benefit the skin health as well. Good skin starts from within.
Probiotics help with support for a health weight.
When the probiotics feed on prebiotics, the produce short chain fatty acids. These have been shown to support the gut lining, help with weight management, and can help aid in normal inflammation.
They support the immune system.
The gut is the largest immune organ.
Mood Regulation
Especially with anxiousness and irritability.
Benefits of Digestive Enzymes
While our own body produces digestive enzymes, it may not be enough especially as we age.
Aging leads to actual structural changes in the pancreas as well as reduced output of digestive enzymes, often leading to impaired digestion and symptoms ranging from minor gas, pain, nausea, and bloating to severe malabsorption and malnutrition.
There are three main categories of digestive enzymes:
Amalyse
This is found in saliva and breaks down carbohydrates into simple sugars.
Protease
Found in the stomach and breaks down proteins into amino acids.
Lipase
Produced in the pancreas and it’s secreted into the small intestine. This helps break down fats into fatty acids.
The simple truth is that the benefits that many people are looking for in improving their digestive complaints with probiotics, are better achieved with the use of other natural digestive aids, especially enzymes.
While probiotics are marketed as a cure-all for digestive complaints, the relief that people are seeking to find is best obtained through supplementation with digestive enzymes. Unlike probiotics, enzymes can make an immediate difference in digesting a meal.
How To Know Which One To Take?
The truth is, you may need one of these, or you may need both. The best way to get direct results is to speak with your doctor.
Since probiotics and digestive enzymes do different things, it's not only safe to take them together, it's often encouraged.
Signs You Need To Seek Enzymes:
- Gas
- Bloating
- Lack of bowel movement regularity
- Frequent burping
- Indigestion
- Feeling full especially after a meal
The Enzymes will:
Help break down food when experiencing occasional digestive difficulties such as indigestion, bloating, or gas.
Combat malabsorption and malnutrition caused by a reduction of digestive enzymes.
Our Digestive Enzyme recommendation is Digestive Enzyme Complex.
Digestive Enzyme Complex is an effective blend of plant-based digestive enzymes and herbs that work together to promote complete digestion, nutrient absorption, and a healthy gut.
This proven, 100% vegan, non-GMO enzyme supplement ensures that your digestive system absorbs the vitamins, minerals, and energy from the food you eat every day.
- Increase nutrient absorption
- Ease indigestion and bloating
- Boost energy production
- Break down hard-to-digest foods
Signs You Need To Seek Probiotics:
- Gas
- Bloating
- Issues with regularity like not going often enough or going too often
- Skin issues
- Mood challenges (anxious and irritability)
- Need immune system support
The Probiotics Will:
Aid in the prevention and treatment of urinary tract infections (UTIs).
Help in the prevention as well as promotion of recovery from antibiotic-induced diarrhea.
Great for children to boost immune function and prevent gastrointestinal infection. Formulas that are specially designed for children are best.
Our recommendation for probiotics is Enzybiotic and Daily Multi Fiber.
Enzybiotic is a lactobacillus acidophilus probiotic blend that combines plant-based enzymes, prebiotics, and probiotics in one easy-to-take daily capsule. This probiotic really works to gently ease gut discomfort and restore balance to your digestive system.
Daily Multi Fiber is designed with both prebiotics and probiotics. The fiber supplement can help improve overall gut health, weight management by curbing your appetite, support heart health and cholesterol management, and aid in maintaining healthy blood sugar levels.
The Wrap Up
Both aid in the digestive process, but they both have very different purposes.
Probiotics are there to help bring those good bacteria back to the body. They help with balancing the ecosystem in your overall gut health. They’re often marketed as a cure-all for digestive complaints, but the systems that people could be having could be helped with adding in a digestive enzyme supplement.
Digestive enzymes help break down the food that’s eaten so the body can absorb as many nutrients as possible. Digestive enzymes can help make an immediate difference in digesting a meal.
Digestive enzymes help digest food. Probiotics do not. Because they work hand in hand together, you can take them with each other. Just make sure to get your doctors thumbs up first!
