Over the past 10 years working as a nutritional consultant, the dietary supplement that I have recommended the most often has been digestive enzymes. This may be a surprise to some people as they would have expected a multi-vitamin or vitamin C. In my opinion, enzymes are they key to health and they are the spark for every process in our bodies.

Enzymes are the catalyst, or spark that makes everything possible. In our bodies, there are three main kinds of enzymes: food, digestive and metabolic.

Food enzymes are found naturally in raw foods. The enzymes help the body to break down the foods when consumed. Unfortunately, most food that we eat has been cooked or processed which kill these enzymes. As a result, our pancreas has to work overtime to produce more enzymes and this stresses the body with time.

Digestive enzymes are made by the pancreas to break down food into small enough molecules to be absorbed into the bloodstream and utilized in the body. When we eat, a message is sent to the pancreas to create enzymes to digest the food. These enzymes are made from resources that could also go to metabolic enzymes.

Metabolic enzymes help to regulate nearly every other body process. This includes cell replication, tissue repair and much more. When too many resources are used to make digestive enzymes, it is the metabolic enzymes that suffer.

If we supplement digestive enzymes to the diet, our pancreas does not have to go through the stress and more enzymes will be available for metabolic processes.

It is estimated that up to 80% of our energy can go to digestion. When we supplement digestive enzymes, much of that energy is freed. People who take enzymes report more energy and less drowsiness after eating a meal.

Digestive enzymes can also help in the recovery of many diseases.

Diabetics enjoy enzymes as they ease the burden on the pancreas so that it can recover and produce insulin more efficiently.

People with Crohns, Celiac Disease, Irritable Bowel Syndrome and other digestive disorders can also benefit from enzymes. Taking enzymes will help to properly break down foods and create less stress on the digestive track and can help in allowing the body to heal and recover from the negative symptoms associated with these conditions.

When searching for a digestive enzyme, look for one that is plant based. The animal based enzymes tend to be more beneficial for inflammation, and not as important for digestion. Also, look for an enzyme that is high potency, especially in Amylase for carbohydrates, Protease for proteins, Lipase for fats and Lactose for milk sugar. There are other enzymes which are important, but these are usually the big four. The final factor one should look for in a quality enzyme is that it is broad PH. This means that the enzymes can work both in the acidic stomach, and in the alkaline intestines.

So if you have not tried them yet, consider supplementing digestive enzymes. They can help with energy, relief from negative digestive disorders and can generally improve your quality of life.