Some people seem to always have a little smile on their face. No matter where they are or what they are doing, that little smile is there! Is that the way their face just is? It’s not. These people are living their lives with incredible digestive health and they feel great. There are many aspects to digestive health. Probiotics and digestive enzymes being two of the most important.
Many people have heard about probiotics in a general sort of way. Foods are often advertised as having probiotics and being healthy. However, that doesn’t really explain how these little organisms work! The phrase “probiotic enzymes” is sometimes thrown away, but that doesn’t quite exist. Some supplements do offer probiotics and digestive enzymes in the same supplement. Take this opportunity to learn more about digestive health, probiotics and digestive enzymes.
Digestive enzymes are what take care of actually breaking down food and processing it into nutrients. Some people think they only exist in the stomach, but digestive enzymes are located throughout the system from the mouth to the intestine. Digestive enzymes are actually chains of proteins. What’s more is that there are a huge number of different types of digestive enzymes. All of them work on a specific type of food molecule, which is why there’s so many different types of enzymes. Many food intolerances come from a lack of a specific digestive enzyme. Taking a proper supplement can reduce food intolerances. Taking additional digestive enzymes can also ensure that molecules are further broken down, or broken down more efficiently. This means more nutritional benefit is available to the body and not wasted.
Probiotics have to do with the natural bacteria “biome” of gut health. Each person has a wide variety of bacteria that is within their digestive tract. It’s constantly regrowing itself. Sometimes, that balance of bacteria is harmed. If this “good” bacteria is removed through an illness or other issue, there’s room for harmful bacteria to take the spot. Probiotic bacteria isn’t actually produced in the body. By taking probiotics or getting them from food, in moments when good bacteria leaves a vacancy, probiotics take up residence, instead of allowing bad bacteria in. Since so much of the immune system is localized in the digestive tract, this can have a great benefit to immune health! Digestive enzymes and probiotics are typically best used together.
With all that information, it’s likely that there are plenty of other questions that you may have regarding probiotics and enzymes. These small answers can hopefully fill in any gaps you may have as to how they work.
Q: Can both be taken together?
A: Absolutely. Since they both do different things in the digestive tract, they can work really well when taken together.
Q: Where do enzymes come from?
A: Most enzymes are naturally produced in the body. Enzyme supplements can replace those not naturally created. Taking a probiotic can sometimes stimulate enzyme growth as well.
Q: Are enzymes good for anything else?
A: In addition to digestive enzymes, there are also metabolic enzymes. These assist with a person’s metabolism and the entire metabolic process.
Q: Where can I get probiotics from?
A: Since they aren’t produced in the body, probiotics need to come from somewhere. There are plenty of products which offer probiotic cycles through pills or supplements that are taken for a period of time. Alternatively, many foods are high in probiotics. This is especially true of fermented foods.
