Digestive Enzymes vs. Probiotics: What’s the Difference and Which One Do You Need?

Did you know that your gut is home to trillions of bacteria? That’s more than the total number of cells in your body!

The gut is more than just a digestive organ; it is the foundation of your overall well-being and health, influencing everything from nutrient absorption to immune function and mental health.

To keep gut health in balance, we rely on two popular supplements: digestive enzymes and probiotics. These play a vital role in supporting digestion. While both promote gut health, they work in entirely different ways. Understanding these differences can help you zero in on the one that works best for you.

Read More: Why Probiotics Might Not Work Without Prebiotics: How to Maximize Gut Health

What Are Digestive Enzymes?

Digestive enzymes are proteins that help break down food into smaller, absorbable nutrients. Your body naturally produces these enzymes in the mouth, stomach, pancreas, and small intestine. The key types of digestive enzymes include:

• Amylase: This digestive enzyme helps break down carbohydrates into simple sugars, making it easier for your body to absorb them. Without enough amylase, carbohydrates cannot be fully digested, leading to bloating and discomfort.
• Protease: This enzyme is responsible for breaking proteins into amino acids. Protease also ensures effective use of dietary protein, and lack of it might result in undigested proteins fermenting in the gut, potentially causing inflammation and digestive distress.
• Lipase: This enzyme helps break down fats into fatty acids and glycerol, which the body can absorb and use for energy. Insufficient lipase production can lead to poor fat digestion, causing greasy stools and nutrient malabsorption.
• Lactase: This is an essential enzyme for digesting lactose, the sugar in dairy products. Lactase is beneficial for people with lactose intolerance, which may cause symptoms such as gas, bloating, or diarrhea. However, many adults produce less lactase over time, making dairy digestion more difficult.

Effectively using digestive enzymes is essential for people with bloating, gas, or Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). It’s also helpful for people with enzyme deficiencies, food intolerances, or conditions like pancreatic insufficiency.

Read More: SIBO vs. IBS: Understanding the Differences and How to Manage Them

What Are Probiotics?

Probiotics are good bacteria that balance the gut microbiome. Unlike digestive enzymes, which assist in breaking down food, probiotics support gut health by maintaining a balanced gut flora. This impacts digestion, immunity, and even your mood. Here are two common probiotic strains:

• Lactobacillus: This strain helps digestion by producing lactic acid, which promotes the breaking down of food and the easy absorption of nutrients. Lactobacillus also strengthens the gut barrier, reducing the likelihood of harmful bacteria entering the bloodstream.
• Bifidobacterium: Essential for breaking down fiber and maintaining a balanced gut environment, Bifidobacterium prevents harmful bacteria from overgrowing. A lack of this probiotic can lead to constipation, irregular digestion, and increased inflammation in the gut.

Probiotics are even more beneficial after taking antibiotics, which can wipe out beneficial gut bacteria. They also help people dealing with digestive issues like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Key Differences Between Digestive Enzymes and Probiotics

Digestive enzymes and probiotics both support digestion, but have different roles with varied functions:

Primary Function:

• Digestive enzymes help break down food directly into nutrients, promoting quick digestion. This makes them essential for those who struggle to digest specific macronutrients, such as fats, proteins, or carbohydrates.
• Probiotics improve the gut microbiome, support digestion in the long run, and improve overall gut health. A well-balanced microbiome helps prevent digestive disorders and strengthens immunity.

How Do They Help:

• Enzymes are particularly useful for those struggling with bloating or food intolerances. When there are not enough digestive enzymes in the body, the fermentation of undigested food in the gut might cause discomfort and gas.
• Probiotics are perfect for restoring gut balance, especially after antibiotics or infections. This is because they replenish good bacteria, and prevent harmful bacteria from growing.

Read More: 10 Signs Your Gut Health Needs Attention (And How to Fix It)

Who Should Take Digestive Enzymes?

Consider taking digestive  enzymes if you:

• Have bloating issues, or gas troubles, or experience discomfort after eating, as these may signal a difficulty in breaking down food properly.
• Find it difficult to digest certain foods such as dairy, fats, and proteins, and experience cramps with irregular bowel movements.
• Have been diagnosed with enzyme deficiencies (e.g., pancreatic insufficiency, lactose intolerance). This means your body does not produce the necessary enzymes to fully digest certain nutrients.

Who Should Take Probiotics?

Consider taking probiotics if you:

• Have been on antibiotics recently. Antibiotics disturb gut flora as they kill both harmful and good bacteria, leading to digestive issues. Probiotics help you regain that balance.
• Regularly experience digestive discomfort such as bloating, constipation, or diarrhea, indicating an imbalance in gut bacteria.
• Wish to support long-term gut and immune health. A strong gut microbiome is crucial for reduced inflammation and better overall well-being.

Read More: 10 Mistakes to Avoid When Trying to Improve Your Gut Health

Can You Take Both?

If you wish to get the best of both worlds, try pairing both supplements together. Since digestive enzymes and probiotics serve different functions, it is a perfect way to complement and leverage both for your gut health. Digestive enzymes help in breaking the food down immediately while ensuring proper nutrient absorption. Probiotics maintain a balanced gut flora for long-term health and reduce the risk of chronic digestive issues.

Natural Food Sources

If you prefer to get your nutrients from food, here are some natural sources that are rich in both, digestive enzymes and probiotics:

• Digestive Enzymes: Include pineapple which contains bromelain, and papaya, which is rich in papain to fulfill your digestive enzyme needs.
• Probiotics: Yogurt, sauerkraut, kimchi, miso, tempeh, and kombucha. These fermented foods introduce beneficial bacteria to the gut, helping maintain a healthy microbiome.

Final Thoughts

When we look at the benefits, both digestive enzymes and probiotics help us maintain gut health. Each plays a unique role and helps you achieve good gut balance. For example, if you struggle with digesting food, digestive enzymes might be the solution. Or, if you want to restore or maintain gut balance, probiotics are important.

It is also important to understand that taking both can be beneficial. Some people may benefit from taking both. But as always, we recommend consulting a healthcare provider before starting any new supplement regimen. Make sure that it aligns with your individual health needs and goals.