Enzymes

Enzymes are proteins that cut food into parts small enough for your body to absorb. You make them yourself, in the pancreas, the stomach and the gut wall. Three do most of the work: amylase for starch, protease for protein, lipase for fat. Lactase is more specific. It splits lactose, the sugar in milk, into two simple sugars. Lactase production commonly falls after childhood, which is why trouble with dairy often starts in adult life.

Broad blends and single enzymes answer different questions

A broad blend holds amylase, protease and lipase together, sometimes with cellulase for plant fibre or bromelain from pineapple. People choose these around large or rich meals. A single enzyme targets one food instead. Lactase is the clearest example: it is the only enzyme here with a health claim approved in Europe, for improving lactose digestion in people who have difficulty digesting lactose. Blends do not carry that claim, and we will not suggest otherwise.

Some formulas add betaine HCl or ox bile. Products with betaine HCl are usually picked by people who already know that heavy meals sit uncomfortably with them. Ox bile comes from animals, so check the label if you eat plant-based.

Activity units tell you more than milligrams

Enzyme strength is not about weight. It is about activity: how much food the enzyme can break down under set conditions. Lactase is declared in FCC units, protease in HUT, lipase in FIP. Two capsules with the same milligrams can differ several times in activity. So compare the units. If a label gives only milligrams, you cannot compare it at all.

Source matters too. Most enzymes in food supplements come from fungi such as Aspergillus oryzae. These work across a wider pH range, so they stay active in the acidic stomach as well as further along. Animal-sourced pancreatic enzymes work in a narrower range and are less stable in stomach acid.

Form and storage matter more here than with most supplements

• Capsules avoid the pressure and heat of tablet pressing, which can damage the enzyme.
• Powders stir into food, useful for larger doses or if you dislike swallowing capsules.
• Chewables suit lactase, because you take them at the table.

Enzymes are sensitive to moisture. Keep the pot closed, cool and dry, and away from kitchen steam.

How we choose the enzymes we stock

We look at three things: the form, the declared activity and whether the combination makes sense for a real meal. We prefer capsules and powders over compressed tablets, because pressing can damage delicate enzymes. We ask brands for activity units per capsule, not just milligrams, and we are wary of blends that hide everything behind one proprietary total. Lactase we stock from 4500 FCC upwards, the level tied to the approved claim. Every product passes our compliance team, we test in house and independent labs spot-check batches. In more than ten years we have learned that a clear label predicts a good product. Read how we select brands and products.

Who these supplements suit, and who can skip them

With a known intolerance, a targeted enzyme is a practical tool you use per meal, not a daily habit you have to keep up. If your discomfort is vague and constant, an enzyme is not an answer on its own, so speak to your GP first. And when a meal is simply too large, portion size usually helps more than a capsule. People building a longer routine often combine enzymes with live bacteria cultures, which do something different: they are bacteria, not food-splitting proteins.