Why Protein Powder Contains Digestive Enzymes

Protein powders are immensely popular among athletes and fitness enthusiasts for muscle building and recovery. However, when it comes to the digestion and absorption of these supplements, digestive enzymes become important. High protein intake can cause digestive discomfort, including bloating and nausea, in many people. Some may have difficulty in digesting even smaller amounts. This is where digestive enzymes come into play, alleviating these digestive issues. In this blog, we’ll explore what digestive enzymes are, their benefits, and why you should choose protein powders that include them.

What are Digestive Enzymes?

Digestive enzymes are natural substances that break down food into its simpler forms so that it can be easily absorbed and digested. They transform carbohydrates, proteins, and fats from food into simpler forms like glucose, amino acids and fatty acids, respectively. The digestive enzymes that are most commonly added to protein powders are protease, amylase, pepsin, and lipase. Premium formulations often include bromelain, a natural extract from pineapple, and papain, a natural extract from papaya.

Naturally, the human body produces three types of digestive enzymes:

• Carbohydrate-digesting enzymes: They primarily convert starch and other polysaccharides into glucose molecules. Examples include maltase, lactase, galactosidase, and amylase.
• Protein-digesting enzymes: These aid in the breakdown of large protein molecules into simpler amino acids or peptides. Examples include protease and pepsin.
• Fat-digesting enzymes:  These work with molecules like bile acids to break down fats into smaller fatty acids for enhanced absorption. The most well-known of these is lipase.

Why are Digestive Enzymes added to Protein Powders?

Many people use protein powders, but may face digestive problems after consumption. In the absence of digestive enzymes, the gastrointestinal tract may experience stress due to the incomplete digestion of protein. To eliminate this issue, many high-quality protein powders are formulated with digestive enzymes.

Moreover, for sportspersons, maintaining a balance between workouts and muscle synthesis is crucial. Partial absorption of amino acids can disrupt this balance. Whey protein powder with digestive enzymes improves the absorption of amino acids by the body, which promotes muscle growth.

Some protein supplements are also enriched with probiotics to strengthen gut bacteria and improve gut health.

Key Benefits of Digestive Enzymes in Protein Powder

• Expedite protein digestion and absorption: Digestive enzymes help break down protein into simpler forms for rapid digestion and absorption. This is a key reason behind athletes opting for whey protein with digestive enzymes for faster recovery and muscle protein synthesis.
  
• Improve nutrient utilisation: In the human body, protein molecules undergo a variety of pH changes during digestion. Digestive enzymes speed up the chemical >protein, making their digestion smoother and more efficient. This allows for the effective absorption and utilisation of protein by the body.
• Alleviate digestive issues: Digestive enzymes lower the risk of gas, bloating and diarrhoea by promoting better digestion of protein.

Who Should Choose Protein Powder with Digestive Enzymes?

1. Sportspersons and fitness enthusiasts who require higher amounts of protein to recover from intense training sessions can benefit from whey protein powder with digestive enzymes, as they improve digestibility.
2. Individuals with digestive disorders like Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) can take them to utilise protein more efficiently.
3. Individuals with sensitive digestion who experience discomfort after taking regular protein powder can reduce gastric symptoms by including digestive enzymes in their supplements.

Final Thoughts:

Opt for a protein supplement with digestive enzymes if you consume higher amounts of protein as concentrated protein powders may sometimes cause digestive issues. While protease enzyme remains a common choice in supplements, with ongoing research, the nutraceutical industry has also innovated with other digestive enzymes such as lipase, amylase, and lactase. Steadfast Nutrition’s whey proteins are a good choice if you’re on the lookout for the ideal combination of a protein supplement with digestive enzymes. Incredible Isolate contains protease digestive enzyme, while HerbFast Protein contains an entire digestive matrix comprising bromelain, protease, and alpha-amylase enzymes, making it the best protein powder for digestion.

FAQs:

1. Which Digestive Enzymes are commonly found in Protein Powders?

Ans: The enzyme most commonly added to protein powders is protease. More advanced formulations may also include lipase, amylase, and bromelain.

2. Do I need Digestive Enzymes if I don’t have stomach issues?

Ans: If you don’t experience digestive issues, you may not necessarily require added digestive supplements. However, since whey protein powders contain concentrated amounts of protein, digestive enzymes can support smoother digestion without any side effects.

3. Which is the Best Protein Powder with Digestive Enzymes?

Ans: Steadfast Nutrition offers whey protein powder enriched with digestive enzymes. HerbFast Protein stands out as the best protein powder for digestion as it provides multiple effective digestive enzymes in a single formulation.