Digestive Enzyme Supplementation in Gastrointestinal Diseases

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Enzymology
• Nutritional Science

Background:

• Digestive enzymes break down proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids.
• Supplementation is used for digestive disorders like lactose intolerance and cystic fibrosis.
• Various formulations exist, differing in enzyme type, source, and dosage.

Purpose of the Study:

• Review current knowledge on digestive enzyme supplementation in gastrointestinal disorders.
• Discuss pancreatic enzymes, lactase (β-galactosidase), and conjugated bile acids.
• Explore future perspectives in digestive enzyme therapy.

Main Methods:

• Non-systematic literature search.
• Overview of current knowledge.
• Discussion of specific enzymes and future trends.

Main Results:

• Animal-derived enzymes are the current standard of care.
• Plant-based and microbe-derived enzymes show significant therapeutic potential.
• Advancements in enzyme therapy are driven by novel sources.

Conclusions:

• Enzyme replacement is being explored for non-deficiency diseases.
• Combining different enzymes presents a promising future therapeutic strategy.
• Novel enzyme sources offer new treatment avenues.