Digestive enzyme supplements
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Digestive Enzyme Supplements: Benefits and Applications
Introduction to Digestive Enzyme Supplements
Digestive enzyme supplements are increasingly recognized for their potential to enhance nutrient absorption and improve digestive health. These supplements contain enzymes that help break down macronutrients such as proteins, carbohydrates, and fats, facilitating better digestion and nutrient uptake. This article synthesizes recent research on the efficacy and applications of digestive enzyme supplements across various contexts.
Enhancing Nutrient Digestibility in Animals
Turbot and Plant-Based Diets
Research on turbot (Scophthalmus maximus) juveniles fed plant-based diets supplemented with exogenous enzymes like Synergen® and Natugrain®TS has shown significant improvements in nutrient digestibility. These enzyme complexes increased the apparent digestibility coefficient (ADC) of dry matter, proteins, lipids, and specific amino acids, enhancing overall nutrient absorption. Additionally, enzyme supplementation increased the activity of digestive enzymes such as lipase and protease, and positively affected gut microbiota diversity 1.
Pigs and Post-Weaning Diets
In weaned pigs, enzyme supplementation has been shown to improve growth performance and nutrient digestibility. A meta-analysis revealed that multi-enzyme complexes, particularly those containing phytase, significantly enhanced dry matter (DM) and crude protein (CP) digestibility, as well as bone mineralization. Phytase supplementation was particularly effective in increasing phosphorus digestibility and improving growth metrics 7. Another study confirmed that enzyme blends could enhance gut health by increasing beneficial bacteria populations and reducing harmful ones like Salmonella and E. coli 10.
Broilers and Wheat-Based Diets
For broiler chickens, enzyme supplementation in wheat-based diets improved growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and gut health. Enzymes like xylanase and beta-glucanase reduced intestinal viscosity, accelerated digestive transit, and increased volatile fatty acid content in the hindgut, contributing to better feed conversion and growth rates 59.
Applications in Human Health
Gastrointestinal Disorders
Digestive enzyme supplements are widely used in managing gastrointestinal disorders such as exocrine pancreatic insufficiency and lactose intolerance. Animal-derived enzymes, particularly pancreatic enzymes, are the standard treatment for pancreatic insufficiency. However, plant-based and microbe-derived enzymes are emerging as promising alternatives due to their efficacy across a broader pH range and lower required dosages 24.
Autism Spectrum Disorders
A study on children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) investigated the effects of digestive enzyme supplements on various symptoms. While no significant improvements were observed in behavior, gastrointestinal symptoms, or language development, a slight improvement in food variety was noted, suggesting potential benefits that warrant further investigation 6.
Pet Food Digestibility
In canine nutrition, enzyme supplementation has been shown to significantly enhance the digestibility of dry extruded dog food. An enzyme blend increased dry matter digestibility, digestible energy, and protein digestibility, as well as the release of essential amino acids and antioxidants, indicating improved nutrient availability for absorption 8.
Conclusion
Digestive enzyme supplements offer substantial benefits in enhancing nutrient digestibility and improving gut health across various species, including humans, livestock, and pets. While animal-derived enzymes remain the gold standard for certain conditions, plant-based and microbe-derived enzymes are gaining traction due to their versatility and efficacy. Further research is needed to explore the full potential of these supplements in both clinical and everyday dietary applications.
Sources and full results
Most relevant research papers on this topic
Exogenous enzymes supplementation enhances diet digestibility and digestive function and affects intestinal microbiota of turbot (Scophthalmus maximus) juveniles fed distillers' dried grains with solubles (DDGS) based diets.
Exogenous enzyme supplementation, such as Synergen® or Natugrain®TS, enhances digestibility and improves gut microbiota richness and diversity in turbot juveniles fed plant-based diets.
RCTDigestive Enzyme Supplementation in Gastrointestinal Diseases
Digestive enzyme supplementation can help manage various digestive disorders, with plant-based and microbe-derived enzymes showing promise in the future.
Literature Review
Highly CitedMeta-analysis identifies the effect of dietary multi-enzyme supplementation on gut health of pigs
Dietary multi-enzyme supplementation with two enzyme complexes positively impacts gut health in pigs, with less heterogeneity than single or more than two enzymes.
Meta-Analysis
Rigorous JournalThe role of enzyme supplementation in digestive disorders.
Enzyme supplementation can effectively manage various digestive disorders, including exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, lactose intolerance, and malabsorption, with potential synergistic effects when combined with animal-based enzymes and microbe-derived enzymes.
Effects of enzyme supplementation on performance, nutrient digestibility, gastrointestinal morphology, and volatile fatty acid profiles in the hindgut of broilers fed wheat-based diets.
Enzyme supplementation improves broiler performance, nutrient digestibility, and gastrointestinal morphology, while decreasing digestive organ size and increasing volatile fatty acid content in the hindgut.
RCTHighly CitedDigestive Enzyme Supplementation for Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial
Digestive enzyme supplementation showed no significant improvement in behavior, food variety, gastrointestinal symptoms, sleep quality, engagement with therapists, or language development in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
RCTRigorous JournalEffect of feed enzymes on digestibility and growth in weaned pigs: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Phytase supplementation consistently improves piglet growth, P digestibility, and bone mineralization, while xylanase and -glucanase have inconsistent effects.
Meta-AnalysisModulation of digestibility of canine food using enzyme supplement: an in vitro simulated semi-dynamic digestion study
Enzyme blend supplementation in canine food effectively enhances digestibility and nutrient availability for absorption, improving nutritional quality.
Influence of enzymes on performance and digestive parameters of broilers fed rye-based diets.
Enzyme supplementation in rye-based diets decreases intestinal viscosity and accelerates digestive transit, improving broiler performance and feed conversion.
RCT
Animal StudyHighly CitedEffects of dietary supplementation of multi-enzyme on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, small intestinal digestive enzyme activities, and large intestinal selected microbiota in weanling pigs.
Dietary supplementation of multi-enzyme in weanling piglets improves growth performance, gut health, and nutrient digestibility, while reducing harmful bacteria in feces.
RCTAnimal StudyRigorous Journal