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If you struggle with common digestive complaints such as gas, bloating, diarrhea, or constipation, you may have heard that digestive enzymes could improve your symptoms. Digestive enzymes don't work for everyone, and it's always worth checking with a gastroenterologist or your primary care physician to see if they're right for you. But absent any underlying digestive condition or prohibition from your doctor, digestive enzymes may help you digest your food more easily and without unpleasant side effects like gas and bloating. Whether you're a runner looking for less digestive upset on race days or just searching for the next health phenomenon, here are the best digestive enzymes of 2023.
Best Digestive Enzyme Supplements - Our Top Picks
- Best Overall Digestive Enzyme: ONNIT Total Gut Health
- Best Chewable Digestive Enzyme: KOS Apple Cider Vinegar Gummies
- Best Digestive Enzyme for Constipation: Clinical Effects Digestive Enzyme
- Best Plant-Based Digestive Enzyme: Athletic Greens AG1
- Best Digestive Enzyme for Gas: Jacked Factory Green Surge
- Best Digestive Enzyme for Lactose Intolerance: ONNIT Total Gut Health
- Best Budget Digestive Enzyme: ONNIT DIGESTech®
Why Trust Us?
The health and safety of ACTIVE's readers is of the utmost importance to us. To ensure your well-being when consuming dietary supplements, the ACTIVE.com editorial team prioritizes products that are independently tested by a third party. We've consulted with a team of nutritionists and dietitians to ensure the products we feature are of the highest standard. This helps us create the most accurate, authentic review content for our readers.
Best Overall Digestive Enzyme Supplement - Onnit Total Gut Health
SPECS
- Active ingredients: Amylase, protease, lactase, and other common enzymes; fennel and ginger root; pre- and probiotics
- Dosage: One packet (7 pills) per day
- Type: Capsule
It's tough to choose just one digestive enzyme supplement that stands out above the rest. Our selection is the Onnit Total Gut Health packet, which we chose because it offers the benefits of digestive enzymes paired with other supplements that are helpful for digestive health. Each packet (one packet is one dose) contains seven capsules, each of which includes ingredients that soothe and support the digestive system. Onnit Total Gut Health includes the enzymes that help your body digest fat, protein, sugar, and dairy. It also includes potent gut-health-boosting ingredients like fennel and ginger root.
You'll also find prebiotic supplements(the fiber that supports good digestion and a balanced microbiome) and probioticsin this set of supplements. Truly, if you're looking for a well-rounded way to promote gut health and get digestive enzymes in your diet, this set of supplements is a great choice.
What We Like
- Wide variety of enzymes
- Includes ginger root, fennel, and other natural supplements that support digestive health
- Pre- and probiotics
- Vegan
- Take as-needed with large meals rather than every time you eat
What We Don't Like
- 7 pills per packet (large dose)
- Expensive
Best Chewable Digestive Enzyme Supplement - KOS Apple Cider Vinegar Gummies
SPECS
- Active ingredients: Apple cider vinegar powder, orange beet root extract, organic pomegranate extract, vitamin B9, vitamin B12
- Dosage: 1 gummy per day
- Type: Gummies
If you struggle with swallowing pills, we have the digestive enzyme recommendation for you! KOS Apple Cider Vinegar Gummies—aka The Apple of My Gut—are easily chewable and come in a red delicious apple flavor. The acetic acid in apple cider vinegar can help aid in digestion by breaking down enzymes and acting as an antimicrobial. This means that the apple cider vinegar component of this gummy can help stop the spread of harmful bacteria, while the prebiotic ingredients can help nourish your gut's healthy bacteria. You're also getting a dose of nutrient-absorbing betaine from the included beetroot extract.
The serving size is just one gummy per day and comes in individual packets, which is easy and convenient if you take your supplements while commuting or elsewhere. Also, with KOS supplements, you can make a one-time purchase or opt for subscribe-and-save and have a monthly supply shipped straight to your home.
What We Like
- Easy-to-take apple cider vinegar for gut health
- Convenient individual packaging
- 1 gummy serving size
- Subscribe-and-save option
- Erythritol-free
What We Don't Like
- Reviewers are divided on the flavor
- Some users have reported experiencing nausea
BUY: KOS Apple Cider Vinegar Gummies
Best Digestive Enzyme Supplement for Constipation - Clinical Effects Digestive Enzymes
SPECS
- Active ingredients: Enzyme blend, bromelain, papain, fungal lipase, and lactase
- Dosage: 1 capsule, twice daily
- Type: Capsule
If you suffer from occasional constipation, you may be interested in trying a digestive enzyme supplement as a way of mitigating your mild symptoms. Digestive enzymes on their own can help with symptoms like gas, bloating, and difficulty digesting certain foods. But they may not be the most effective supplement for addressing constipation. That's why we like Clinical Effects Digestive Enzymes. This enzyme formula helps you break down your food with less discomfort and promotes bowel regularity.
Additionally, Clinical Effects offers a money-back guarantee, so you can try them with little financial risk. So, if you're looking for an enzyme supplement that balances gut bacteria and normalizes motility, this may be a good choice for you.
What We Like
- Plant-based and cruelty-free
- Includes probiotics to help balance digestive flora
- 90-day money-back guarantee
- Made in FDA-registered facility
What We Don't Like
- Contains proprietary enzyme blend
- Expensive
BUY: Clinical Effects Digestive Enzymes
Best Plant-Based Digestive Enzyme Supplement - Athletic Greens AG1
SPECS
- Active ingredients: Alkaline, nutrient-dense raw superfood complex, digestive enzyme and super mushroom complex, dairy-free probiotics, natural flavors
- Dosage: 1 scoop (12g) daily or as needed
- Type: Powder
If you're looking for a plant-based, easily-absorbed digestive enzyme supplement, we heartily recommend Athletic Greens powder for your gut health needs. This digestive health supplement powder is popular for a reason. It contains nutrient-dense superfoods that help move along the digestive process and enhance your body's nutrient absorption, as well as 75 vitamins, minerals, and probiotics. Not only can it help improve your digestion, but these ingredients can also help benefit your immune system and overall energy levels.
Taking Athletic Greens is also very convenient, especially if you struggle with capsules and tablets. The powder dissolves easily in water and can be mixed with eight ounces of water, a morning smoothie, or pressed juice if you want a little more flavor. Additionally, Athletic Greens offers a subscription plan to keep you fully stocked and travel packs for on-the-go supplementation.
What We Like
- Clean ingredients, no gluten, dairy, corn, soy, or any artificial ingredients
- Plant-based, vegan
- NSF-Certified for Sport
- Subscription option
What We Don't Like
- Expensive
- Earthy taste
Best Digestive Enzyme Supplement for Gas - Jacked Factory Green Surge
SPECS
- Active ingredients: Digestive enzyme blend, organic greens, probiotic and inulin blend
- Dosage: 1 scoop, 1-2 times per day
- Type: Powder
In some cases, gas and bloating after eating is caused by a lack of digestive enzymes that help our bodies break down certain types of food. Taking a superfood-loaded digestive enzyme supplement like Jacked Factory Green Surge can possibly help with these gastrointestinal issues. This powder supplement is vegan, preservative-free, and contains no added sugars. It is manufactured in a cGMP-certified facility, so you can trust the quality of the ingredients.
This proprietary blend of digestive enzymes and probiotics. It works by making it easier for your body to digest potentially gas-causing foods. That said, this may work for some, but not all, digestive systems due to the greens content.
What We Like
- Budget-friendly
- 150mg digestive enzyme blend
- Supports health GI tract and digestive health
- 3 flavors to choose from
What We Don't Like
- No extra gas-reducing additives
- Reviews are mixed on the flavor
BUY: Jacked Factory Green Surge
Best Digestive Enzyme Supplement for Lactose Intolerance - ONNIT Total Gut Health
SPECS
- Active ingredients: Amylase, protease, lactase, and other common enzymes; fennel and ginger root; pre- and probiotics
- Dosage: One packet (7 pills) per day
- Type: Capsule
If you don't know which digestive enzymes your body lacks, you may see more benefits from a stacked digestive enzyme supplement. We recommend ONNIT Total Gut Health because it features a full-spectrum enzyme blend, so it's more likely that they will contain the ones your body needs. But if you know you're lactose intolerant, we recommend choosing a digestive enzyme supplement that includes plenty of lactase (the enzyme needed to digest dairy). Many conventional digestive enzyme supplements contain lactase, but not necessarily enough to prevent symptoms after eating dairy in folks with lactose intolerance. Total Gut Health includes DIGESTECH®, ONNIT's flagship enzyme that contains lactase—among other effective ingredients—and helps you better digest lactose, carbohydrates, protein, fats, and fiber.
We think it's great that this capsule balances lactase with probiotics, and it should be helpful for people with lactose intolerance. However, to reap the full benefits of ONNIT Total Gut Health, you will need to take seven daily pills.
What We Like
- Wide variety of digestive enzymes, including lactase for digesting dairy
- Ginger root, fennel, and other natural supplements that support digestive health
- Pre- and probiotics
- Vegan
- Take as-needed with large meals rather than every time you eat
What We Don't Like
- 7 pills per packet (large dose)
- Expensive
Best Budget Digestive Enzyme Supplement - ONNIT DIGESTech®
SPECS
- Active ingredients: Protease, amylase, lipase; 14 other digestive aids
- Dosage: 2 capsules at the start of meal
- Type: Capsule
Digestive enzyme supplements can get expensive, and since there's always a chance that a blend won't suit your individual needs, it may be a good idea to start with a more affordable option to test the waters. If you're interested in our best overall digestive supplement, ONNIT Total Body Health, but are intimidated by the price or seven-pill serving size, we recommend trying ONNIT's DIGESTech® for a more budget-friendly option on a smaller two-capsule scale. DIGESTech® is soy and gluten-free and contains a "power blend" of protease, amylase, and lipase for macronutrient digestion. DIGESTech® features 14 additional digestive aids, including lactase for breaking down dairy, alpha-galactosidase for fiber, and maltase for sugar breakdown. Overall, we think this is a powerful digestive enzyme supplement at an affordable price.
What We Like
- Budget-friendly
- Power blend of digestive enzymes
- 2 capsule serving size
- Subscribe-and-save option
What We Don't Like
- Some reviewers report issues with gas and cramping
- Uses proprietary blends
What to Look For in a Digestive Enzyme Supplement
Active Ingredients
There is a huge variety of digestive enzyme supplements on the market, and they all contain different formulations of active ingredients. In enzyme supplements, the active ingredients are the actual enzymes that will help you digest your food. If you know you lack a specific enzyme (for example, the enzyme lactase, which helps your body digest lactose, the protein in milk) then look for an enzyme supplement that contains that enzyme.
Dosage
Look into the recommended dosage for your chosen digestive enzyme supplement. Many enzyme supplements recommend you take one supplement prior to eating each time you have a meal. Depending on the symptoms you hope to alleviate, you may want to go with something lower cost, like a once-per-day supplement.
Type
Enzymes come in chewable tablets, powders, and capsules you swallow. Depending on your preference, you may want to go with one type over the other. You should also take a look at which enzymes are included in your supplement and make sure you're satisfied with the ingredients and the specific digestive processes it targets.
When to Take Digestive Enzymes
Most manufacturers recommend taking digestive enzymes approximately half an hour before eating a snack or meal. This gives your body time to begin to digest the supplement and primes your digestive system for eating.
As always, check with your doctor and with the manufacturer of your enzyme supplement for specific instructions about when to take your digestive enzymes. We aren't medical doctors, and none of our recommendations should be taken as medical advice.
FAQs About Digestive Enzyme Supplements
What is the most effective digestive enzyme?
There is no single digestive enzyme that is more effective than all others; rather, it's simply a matter of finding the enzyme supplement that contains the enzymes that your body needs the most. What you need will vary based on your diet and your body. Common digestive enzymes include lactase, lipase, and protease.
How do I know if I need digestive enzymes?
You may benefit from digestive enzymes if you don't have a diagnosed digestive condition but still suffer from gas, bloating, constipation, and other mild gastrointestinal symptoms, especially after eating. Some people lack certain enzymes that help our bodies digest certain types of food; others simply don't make enough to match the amount of a certain type of food they consume in their diet. Digestive enzymes help by supplementing your system with digestive enzymes that help your body break down food.
Do digestive enzymes heal the gut?
Digestive enzymes themselves do not heal the gut. However, if you are dealing with long-term motility issues and other uncomfortable digestive symptoms not caused by underlying diseases, improving your symptoms (with enzymes) may help your gut heal over time. The enzymes themselves aren't doing the healing, but they may give your body some space to recover and re-balance the microbiome.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.