There’s a lot of misunderstanding regarding digestive enzymes vs probiotics out there: What are they? I’m not sure where I’m going to get them. Do they behave in the same way? And which path shall I take?
Both enzymes and probiotics aid in promoting digestive and immunological health, but they do so in various ways, and each has its own set of advantages. Understanding the distinctions between the two can aid you in determining which is best for you.
Despite both helping in digestion, they are not the same at all.
So, in short, probiotics are found in our gut and help our body/physiological processes positively, whereas digestive enzymes are molecules that help in breaking down the food we eat. Because both probiotics and digestive enzymes are important for our digestive health and perform complementary activities, digestive enzymes and probiotics are occasionally found together in the same supplement.
Although human bodies contain hundreds of enzymes, they also contain billions of microorganisms. They outnumber our bodily cells, which is astonishing. Bacteria and yeasts of many species and strains have been examined and discovered to benefit their hosts, and as a result, these bacteria/yeasts have gained popularity.
See Also: Best Beta Alanine Supplements For 2022
Contents
What Are Probiotics?
Probiotics are live bacteria that help treat and prevent various ailments, particularly by promoting a healthy digestive tract and immune system. Probiotics aid in controlling harmful bacteria that enters your body and the maintenance of a healthy digestive tract. It can also be as “beneficial” or “useful” bacteria. It can be obtained naturally in the body or added to it by consuming certain foods and dietary supplements. Probiotics can even create digestive enzymes, which help break down your food.
Because probiotics, unlike enzymes, are not manufactured by the body, they must be ingested through the diet. Don’t forget to check if the supplements you buy are viable till the end of the shelf life or search for “live and active cultures” on yogurt and cheese. This is important since it indicates if the probiotics you’re taking are still alive. If they aren’t, they aren’t going to help you.
Various factors can disturb the balance of your gut microbes. Antibiotics are the most well-known cause. Antibiotics destroy all bacteria, good and evil, and many doctors now recommend taking a probiotic along with your antibiotic to rebuild your depleted good bacteria levels.
A wide range of bacteria are in probiotics. Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium are the two most prevalent probiotics. Bifidobacterium has eight bacteria strains, while Lactobacillus has 18. “Live organisms that, when administered in suitable proportions, provide a beneficial benefit on the host,” according to the World Health Organization (WHO) definition from 2001.
Probiotics are abundant in yogurt and kefir (a drink made from goat, cow, sheep, soy, rice, or coconut milk). Probiotics are also in sauerkraut, pickles, dark chocolate, kombucha tea, and tempeh. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS),and infectious/antibiotic-related diarrhea are conditions that probiotics can help with.
See also: Clif Builder Bars Review (2022) Are They Healthy?
What Are Digestive Enzymes?
Digestive enzymes are specialized proteins that break down large macromolecules into smaller pieces to be absorbed more easily by the body. Enzymes are the digestive system’s super-efficient worker bees. Their duty is to help your body break down foods chemically to deliver nutrients to cells and transform them into useable energy. Different enzymes work on other things.
Digestive enzymes are in both human and animal gastrointestinal tracts and carnivorous plants.
Stomach secretory cells, salivary glands, and the pancreas and secretory glands in the small intestine produce digestive enzymes in the human body.
- Proteases/Peptidases – to break down protein into small peptides/amino acids
- Lipase – to break down fat into fatty acids and glycerol
- Amylases – to break down the carbohydrate into glucose
- Nucleases – to break down nucleic acid into nucleotides
These digestive enzyme supplements can prevent malnutrition despite eating healthy food.
See Also: Best Multivitamin For Men | Top 13 Supplements
Digestive Enzymes vs Probiotics : What’s the Difference?
What is the difference in digestive enzymes vs probiotics?
Origin
Probiotics are living bacteria.
They’re the proteins that help the body properly digest food.
Synthesized probiotics: Probiotics cannot generate within the body (inherit by the mother or taken orally).
The gastrointestinal system produces digestive enzymes.
Probiotics are highly concentrate in both the big and small intestines.
Digestive enzymes are in saliva, stomach acid, pancreatic juice, and the body’s intestinal secretions, among other places in the GI tract.
Relationship With The Physical Body
Probiotics have a symbiotic relationship with the body of humans by ingesting organic materials.
Digestive enzymes are naturally occurring enzymes that do not require organic ingredients to survive.
See Also: 7 Best Vegan Probiotic Supplements | Buyer’s Guide
Conclusion
Probiotics are bacteria that produce a variety of enzymes. While they are mainly to decompose organic materials that they consume as food, this additional source of enzymes will also assist human digestion and health.
Digestive enzymes are enzyme-producing enzymes that do not create enzymes. Instead, they work as digestive enzymes to aid digestion.
I’m Alexandra Caspero, the Registered Dietitian and Plant-Based Chef behind Delish Knowledge. My goal is to cut through the nutrition noise by providing real-life, nourishing tips for body and mind.
