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Digestive Enzymes

heliosue

By heliosue
in Coping with Celiac Disease

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heliosue Apprentice
heliosue
Posted

I could really use some advice about digestive enzymes, with some specific brand names, if possible.  There are so many products out there that I have not idea where to start and am wondering if certain enzymes might be more appropriate for Celiac sufferers than for folks with different digestion problems.

Thanks.

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cyclinglady Grand Master
cyclinglady
Posted

I used Maxi-Zyme by Country Life for a while.  They are certified gluten-free.

 

I waited one month before taking any supplements after my diagnosis.  I wanted to expedite healing so I carefully added some in.  I tend to have allergic reactions to things, so I am cautious.  Then I would take a supplement and then wait a couple of days to see if I react to them.  Then I slowly build up to the correct daily dose.  This is how my old doctor managed my medications.  I stopped most supplements within the first year (e.g. stopped iron once my ferritin levels were up).  Now I do not take any supplements except for a bit of calicum, vit.D and magnesium supplement for bone support (I have osteoporosis thanks to celiac disease!).  I figure that I am absorbing them from food and I have the lab tests to prove it!   :)

heliosue Apprentice
heliosue
Posted
  • Author

Thanks for the reply. I guess digestive enzymes are not as much in use as I imagined they were.  I'll check out the ones that you mentioned and do some more research.  Thanks again.

LauraTX Rising Star
LauraTX
Posted

I use these, they are the CVS brand and gluten-free Open Original Shared Link

They go on sale buy one get one half off, plus coupons, etc.

StClair Apprentice
StClair
Posted

I'm just starting Source Naturals Essential Enzymes and will check in after a few days to report results.

Zebra007 Contributor
Zebra007
Posted

I use Daily Essential Enzymes and have found them to really make a difference to me..I choose these because they seemed like good value, and I have been taking them a week with no problems.

 

Open Original Shared Link

heliosue Apprentice
heliosue
Posted
  • Author

Thanks for the replies.  I, at least, have a few to choose from now.  I went to the CDF Expo in Pasadena yesterday and picked up a catalogue from a company called Kirkman, which looks interesting.  I have some questions about the value of taking enzymes to help digest gluten, when I'm not eating gluten. Still thinking about this.

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cyclinglady Grand Master
cyclinglady
Posted

Whoa! I googled this manufacturer and the first page of hits are blogs and the company's promotional brochure (PDF). The enzyme products as well as the rest of the products claim to be gluten free (saw no Certified gluten-free labeling.). That is fine, but to state that it will help with accidental glutenings is false! I suppose the applicable enzymes (like peptidases) may help digest grains like wheat but that is not helpful to someone with celiac disease! Their statements of like "living gluten free may cause nutritional deficiencies" is outrageous! Having celiac disease can cause deficiencies -- not a gluten free diet (unless you eat the a typical junk food diet and that can happen on one that contains gluten!). Their list of references are so lame too. References like that on my kid's science project would earn her a failing grade! It is that cheesy!

I have found nothing in research yet that has been tested and proven to help accidental glutenings yet! Drug companies are working on it, but they are not available. I would be very leary of a company which makes such claims and am horrified that they are promoting them at the conference! I guess they will sell space to anyone at the EXPO.

Supplements can be very helpful when the gut is damaged. I encourage everyone to get tested for defciencies when they are first diagnosed but do not expect that you will need to take them for the rest of your life!

Sorry, but this is a classic example of a modern day snake oil or Lucy's Vitameatavegamin scam (view the old "I Love Lucy" skit on this topic on YOUTUBE for a laugh).

heliosue Apprentice
heliosue
Posted
  • Author

Whoa! I googled this manufacturer and the first page of hits are blogs and the company's promotional brochure (PDF). The enzyme products as well as the rest of the products claim to be gluten free (saw no Certified gluten-free labeling.). That is fine, but to state that it will help with accidental glutenings is false! I suppose the applicable enzymes (like peptidases) may help digest grains like wheat but that is not helpful to someone with celiac disease! Their statements of like "living gluten free may cause nutritional deficiencies" is outrageous! Having celiac disease can cause deficiencies -- not a gluten free diet (unless you eat the a typical junk food diet and that can happen on one that contains gluten!). Their list of references are so lame too. References like that on my kid's science project would earn her a failing grade! It is that cheesy!

I have found nothing in research yet that has been tested and proven to help accidental glutenings yet! Drug companies are working on it, but they are not available. I would be very leary of a company which makes such claims and am horrified that they are promoting them at the conference! I guess they will sell space to anyone at the EXPO.

Supplements can be very helpful when the gut is damaged. I encourage everyone to get tested for defciencies when they are first diagnosed but do not expect that you will need to take them for the rest of your life!

Sorry, but this is a classic example of a modern day snake oil or Lucy's Vitameatavegamin scam (view the old "I Love Lucy" skit on this topic on YOUTUBE for a laugh).

Thanks.  I haven't had a chance to Google them yet.  I think they also sell on Amazon. To be honest, I don't think the rep was pushing the digestive enzymes at the Expo.  He had lots of products on his table and I mentioned that I was looking into getting some digestive enzymes and he suggested that I check out the catalog.  That was where I found the enzyme that seemed to aimed at the Celiac audience.

heliosue Apprentice
heliosue
Posted
  • Author

Thanks.  I haven't had a chance to Google them yet.  I think they also sell on Amazon. To be honest, I don't think the rep was pushing the digestive enzymes at the Expo.  He had lots of products on his table and I mentioned that I was looking into getting some digestive enzymes and he suggested that I check out the catalog.  That was where I found the enzyme that seemed to aimed at the Celiac audience.

BTW - love the vitameatavegimin  show!

mamaw Community Regular
mamaw
Posted

I think many celiac  folks  take  digestive  enzymes. Plus probiotics....  D-enzymes  help  break down  the  proteins carbs & such  to help  the  body... I use  DIgest Gold  ...

cyclinglady Grand Master
cyclinglady
Posted

I think many celiac  folks  take  digestive  enzymes. Plus probiotics....  D-enzymes  help  break down  the  proteins carbs & such  to help  the  body... I use  DIgest Gold  ...

Mamaw,

I am not knocking digestive enzymes or probiotics as I have used them for over 20 years and my doctor was the first to recommend them. The company that Heliosue mentioned seems to imply that their product works to prevent the effects of accidentally getting glutened. . No one should make that claim! Avoiding gluten is currently the only "cure" for those with celiac disease.

mamaw Community Regular
mamaw
Posted

cyclinglady,  I  was  answering  the posters  comment in her  second  post "I guess digestive  enzymes are not as  much in use  as  I  imagined"  My  comment  back  was  many celiac  folks  use  digestive  enzymes  & probiotics....

And  by the  way  your  post  back  to me -- I totally agree  so I guess  you have  me  confused...I wasn't  knocking  anything  or anyone....how  did  you  get  to think that?

 

I do see  many  pills  labeled  for  help  with gluten  ingestion,  they do make  claims  but  I never  used  any of them because  in twelve  years  I was  glutened  once..... Ie: gluten ease, glutenza & so many more. I can't  give a  yay or  nay  on  these  pills as  I never tried  them........ every company  wants to  jump into the gluten-free  arena to make  big  bucks....common  sense  is needed....

I'm a  great  advocator   of  the benefits  of  probiotics  &  digestive  enzymes....not  to "cure celiac"  but to help  the gut  in the healing process..

heliosue Apprentice
heliosue
Posted
  • Author

Oh. dear!  I think this thread got glutened!  I believe Cyclinglady was totally responding to my post about the Kirkman brand at the Expo.  Sometimes the response get mixed up due to times and which actual post someone is replying to.  Anyway, thank all of you for trying to help me figure out my digestive enzyme problem.

cyclinglady Grand Master
cyclinglady
Posted

Ha! Let's face it. It is so easy for things to be mis-communicated without being face to face! Sorry!

heliosue Apprentice
heliosue
Posted
  • Author

Absolutely nothing to be sorry for from my corner of the ring.  In  the few weeks that I have been hanging out here, I have learned to value your input.  Thanks.

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