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Vitacost Gluten Enzyme?!

jessthirtytwo

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jessthirtytwo Apprentice
jessthirtytwo
Posted

I was thinking about purchasing the Vitacost Gluten Enzyme DG Biocore DPP IV. The link to the product is here: Open Original Shared Link

I am thinking taking these enzymes would help limit my reaction from hidden gluten or cross-contamination when I eat out at restaurants. Before buying them, I was wondering if anyone had any experience using them, or a similar product? Are these enzymes actually going to do anything? Is there another product you would recommend instead?

Thanks!

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IrishHeart Veteran
IrishHeart
Posted

Sorry, but as far as I know, there is no known "advance protective shield" against gluten CC for a celiac.

These are digestive enzymes, that is all. You can take digestive enzymes made by any company before a meal and get the same result.

Will they help you "digest" gluten? Sure!

Will they "stop the effects" of gluten (i.e. inflammation and the autoimmune response) should you be cross contaminated? Not really.

Will you feel "less bad"--some reviews of these kinds of products suggest they do.

You can try them, but they should never be thought of a "free pass" to eat gluten ---as some people have suggested.

jessthirtytwo Apprentice
jessthirtytwo
Posted
  • Author

Sorry, but as far as I know, there is no known "advance protective shield" against gluten CC for a celiac.

These are digestive enzymes, that is all. You can take digestive enzymes made by any company before a meal and get the same result.

Will they help you "digest" gluten? Sure!

Will they "stop the effects" of gluten (i.e. inflammation and the autoimmune response) should you be cross contaminated? Not really.

Will you feel "less bad"--some reviews of these kinds of products suggest they do.

You can try them, but they should never be thought of a "free pass" to eat gluten ---as some people have suggested.

ok, thanks for breaking it down like that. yeah, i guess digesting gluten and reacting to gluten are two totally different things haha. i do take a pretty heavy duty digestive enzyme with my meals already, so im not sure how much this one would help on top of those...

IrishHeart Veteran
IrishHeart
Posted

I have read this:

"Scientists are exploring the possibility of using enzymes as a celiac disease treatment.

In May 2011, Alvine Pharmaceuticals was awarded four patents for gluten-specific proteases (enzymes). Alvine's lead potential product, ALV003, is a mixture of two enzymes that may be able to break down gluten into fragments too small to cause a reaction.

Scientists at Stanford University conducted the initial research on these enzymes, and Alvine has an exclusive worldwide license for the patents. Other researchers, notably Dr. Frits Koning at Leiden University Medical Center in The Netherlands, also are exploring the idea of digestive enzymes in celiac disease."

but for right now, there is no magic bullet, I'm afraid.

:(

jessthirtytwo Apprentice
jessthirtytwo
Posted
  • Author

I have read this:

"Scientists are exploring the possibility of using enzymes as a celiac disease treatment.

In May 2011, Alvine Pharmaceuticals was awarded four patents for gluten-specific proteases (enzymes). Alvine's lead potential product, ALV003, is a mixture of two enzymes that may be able to break down gluten into fragments too small to cause a reaction.

Scientists at Stanford University conducted the initial research on these enzymes, and Alvine has an exclusive worldwide license for the patents. Other researchers, notably Dr. Frits Koning at Leiden University Medical Center in The Netherlands, also are exploring the idea of digestive enzymes in celiac disease."

but for right now, there is no magic bullet, I'm afraid.

:(

well, at least it sounds promising!

+jasonparker Newbie
+jasonparker
Posted

I tried this recently for the first time as I was having strange belly pains. Seemed to help and I had no adverse reactions.

GottaSki Mentor
GottaSki
Posted

We've used digestive enzymes of all brands to help with cc -- once while traveling I lost my bottle and remembered someone mentioned that "beano" is the same as digestive enzyme -- we tend to stick with "now" or "source naturals" but have never really found a difference among the brands...usually just get more expensive if marketed for "gluten".

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Mom-of-Two Contributor
Mom-of-Two
Posted

I have been using with great results, the Source Naturals digestive enzymes. I have a hard time remembering to take them before each meal though!

That sounds so promising, the enzymes for celiac treatment, just for the sake of CC I mean-- it would take the anxiety out of the diet for sure, just having a safety net to feel like you can eat out of the house every once in awhile. It would be amazing in the future to have that for a child who is celiac as well- I would feel so much less stress with my child getting CC at school or any other place!

You do what you can do on a daily basis, I am very diligant with my diet and outside exposure, but it is almost impossible to go through life as a celiac and NEVER have an issue with CC. It is very frustrating!

Chad Sines Rising Star
Chad Sines
Posted

This is weird to hear because they seem to cause me GI issues even though they are gluten-free. Interesting how we are all reacting so differently.

sallyalewis Rookie
sallyalewis
Posted

I recently realized I was consuming gluten while on vacation. I had purchased some of this enzyme for "just in case". I don't believe I will take anymore of it, because I think I felt worse having slowed down the process. Instead of the D 20 minutes later, I had horrible muscle and joint pain that lasted a few days. This was one of the worst reactions I've had. I think I may have been better off just letting it pass on through.

Good luck!

jessthirtytwo Apprentice
jessthirtytwo
Posted
  • Author

Hmm, thanks everyone for your replies! I think I am probably just going to stick with my usual digestive enzymes, and not go with the "gluten specific" ones. Symptoms give me another incentive to avoid gluten at all costs anyways :P

IrishHeart Veteran
IrishHeart
Posted

This is weird to hear

because

they

seem to cause me GI issues even though

they

are gluten-free. Interesting how we are all reacting so differently.

You said "they" and "they"...what do you mean, Chad? :)

the digestive enzymes cause you digestive issues?

that is unusual as they are designed to help with digestive issues....but if they do....do not take them.

IrishHeart Veteran
IrishHeart
Posted

I recently realized I was consuming gluten while on vacation. I had purchased some of this enzyme for "just in case". I don't believe I will take anymore of it, because I think I felt worse having slowed down the process. Instead of the D 20 minutes later, I had horrible muscle and joint pain that lasted a few days. This was one of the worst reactions I've had. I think I may have been better off just letting it pass on through.

Good luck!

Hon,

You just said ----You were glutened.

THAT causes the "horrible muscle and joint pain".

Not digestive enzymes.

sallyalewis Rookie
sallyalewis
Posted

I'm sorry. My point was, that I felt like the enzyme had extended my reaction time.

Not that it had caused the reaction.

IrishHeart Veteran
IrishHeart
Posted

I'm sorry. My point was, that I felt like the enzyme had extended my reaction time.

Not that it had caused the reaction.

and mine was that digestive enzymes do not cause reactions or extend "reaction time".

Hon, your joint pain was more likely from the gluten, IMHO.... and it takes a while for it to pass. (it does not matter if you took the enzymes or not---they work on the DIGESTIVE process, NOT the after-effects) so I am guessing that is what made the joint pain.

(but I could be wrong...)

Chad Sines Rising Star
Chad Sines
Posted

You said "they" and "they"...what do you mean, Chad? :)

the digestive enzymes cause you digestive issues?

that is unusual as they are designed to help with digestive issues....but if they do....do not take them.

I have tried several different brands of gluten-free enzymes including Digest Gold and all seem to wonk me. Either that or it is an amazing coincidence and I got CC'd from something.

IrishHeart Veteran
IrishHeart
Posted

I have tried several different brands of gluten-free enzymes including Digest Gold and all seem to wonk me. Either that or it is an amazing coincidence and I got CC'd from something.

Okay, I re-read it and I gotcha now!

Edited By IH, with apologies: (which Chad graciously accepted via PM citing "No biggie!" what a sweetie :)

Digestive enzymes work with a person's body to digest food when they lack certain enzymes.

maybe you just do not need them?

If you do not feel well taking them, you should not take them.

tom Contributor
tom
Posted

He never said he thought it was cc.

Why summarily dismiss two ppl's personal experiences w/ a product?

IrishHeart Veteran
IrishHeart
Posted

He never said he thought it was cc.

Why summarily dismiss two ppl's personal experiences w/ a product?

You are absolutely right, Tom.

I did misread what Chad said and I will apologize to him personally and also, right here.

Sorry, Chad. Please accept my apologies.

I will edit my comment to you.

Tom, I am not dismissing their experiences; not at all. I did say if digestive enzymes do not agree with them, they should not take them.

Please do not misinterpret what I say.

Gemini Experienced
Gemini
Posted

I have tried several different brands of gluten-free enzymes including Digest Gold and all seem to wonk me. Either that or it is an amazing coincidence and I got CC'd from something.

Digest Gold enzymes are some of the best on the market and are gluten free. They are meant to replace the enzymes that some Celiac's do not make enough of.

That is what one of my problems is.....pancreatic insufficiency. If you take them when you do not need them, that can cause stomach distress, from what I have learned. I went to a lecture given by the owner of the company and asked him many questions on the product....even corrected him on his Gluten Ease product, but that's another story. I then decided to try them as I needed to use an enzyme and I didn't want Rx ones. They work beautifully for me but I really need to take them as my enzyme factory isn't what it used to be. Not all Celiacs have this problem and they shouldn't use them if they don't.

I am very sensitive to gluten and am a diagnosed Celiac. I take these with almost every meal I eat.....larger meal. If there were even trace amounts of gluten in them, I would be as sick as a dog by now. They are safe! :D

GFinDC Veteran
GFinDC
Posted

I take DPP-Iv If I think I have gotten into a bit of CC. So that isn't very darn often. :) But I thnk it can help a little, so I take it for that reason. I'd never try to eat purposely eat gluten and think DPP-IV would prevent a reaction though. That would be a real bad idea. There is another enzyme that is supposed to help DPP-IV break down the gluten faster, but I don't remember the name of it. You can get the stuff pretty cheap so I don't think it is any big issue really. If it helps someone then that's the point. The only problem I See with it is the marketing that is sometimes misleading and extravagant. That why I don't use the Enzymedica products though because they made some really outrageous claims about their DPP-IV products that were very misleading a few years ago. I get mine from other sources, and much cheaper too.

jessthirtytwo Apprentice
jessthirtytwo
Posted
  • Author

I take DPP-Iv If I think I have gotten into a bit of CC. So that isn't very darn often. :) But I thnk it can help a little, so I take it for that reason. I'd never try to eat purposely eat gluten and think DPP-IV would prevent a reaction though. That would be a real bad idea. There is another enzyme that is supposed to help DPP-IV break down the gluten faster, but I don't remember the name of it. You can get the stuff pretty cheap so I don't think it is any big issue really. If it helps someone then that's the point. The only problem I See with it is the marketing that is sometimes misleading and extravagant. That why I don't use the Enzymedica products though because they made some really outrageous claims about their DPP-IV products that were very misleading a few years ago. I get mine from other sources, and much cheaper too.

Yes, I did some research and read a few research articles on the interaction of DPP-IV and ASP. The results looked promising... maybe :P

But thanks for the info! Sounds like the extra enzymes cant hurt.

tom Contributor
tom
Posted

You are absolutely right, Tom.

I did misread what Chad said and I will apologize to him personally and also, right here.

Sorry, Chad. Please accept my apologies.

I will edit my comment to you.

Tom, I am not dismissing their experiences; not at all. I did say if digestive enzymes do not agree with them, they should not take them.

Please do not misinterpret what I say.

It's certainly not right to claim I misinterpreted when at the time I was replying to your post it still had

"So, if you do not feel well taking them, do not take them.

You are not being CC'ed from them."

as the last 2 lines.

Not only did Chad never say he thought it was cc, but he also never said he was considering taking them any more.

Please don't edit out bits I've replied to.

IrishHeart Veteran
IrishHeart
Posted

It's certainly not right to claim I misinterpreted when at the time I was replying to your post it still had

"So, if you do not feel well taking them, do not take them.

You are not being CC'ed from them."

as the last 2 lines.

Not only did Chad never say he thought it was cc, but he also never said he was considering taking them any more.

Please don't edit out bits I've replied to.

I feel that no matter how many times I explain what I have said, you will argue the point. :unsure:

So, I will just say that I

(1) did not "summarily dismiss anyone" (THAT is the part I am saying you misinterpreted)

and

(2) I did say to both of them that if they "do not make you feel well, do not take them" because who needs more symptoms?

and

(3) the ONLY part I edited was to correct the fact that I misunderstood Chad.

What I said is still here for everyone to see. I did not hide anything.

He has graciously accepted my apology for misreading it.

Kindly stop picking apart every word I say and taking things out of context, please. My whole point to both of them was that digestive enzymes are designed to help you digest food & if they do not agree with you, do not take them.

You made your point. Can we drop it now?

Gemini Experienced
Gemini
Posted

I take DPP-Iv If I think I have gotten into a bit of CC. So that isn't very darn often. :) But I thnk it can help a little, so I take it for that reason. I'd never try to eat purposely eat gluten and think DPP-IV would prevent a reaction though. That would be a real bad idea. There is another enzyme that is supposed to help DPP-IV break down the gluten faster, but I don't remember the name of it. You can get the stuff pretty cheap so I don't think it is any big issue really. If it helps someone then that's the point. The only problem I See with it is the marketing that is sometimes misleading and extravagant. That why I don't use the Enzymedica products though because they made some really outrageous claims about their DPP-IV products that were very misleading a few years ago. I get mine from other sources, and much cheaper too.

I know what you mean about Enzymedica being somewhat misleading with some of their products. I did mention that I had to correct the owner of the company at a lecture I attended on the Gluten Ease product they carry. I got the impression that they were trying to tout the product as helping Celiacs digest gluten better, which would give the impression that you could cheat and use this to cover your butt.....oh no, no, no! I just don't think they grasp the severity of Celiac and the fact that you can't even have a teeny bit...which is the impression that the general population without Celiac has. Wrong!

However, that doesn't stop me from researching and using their enzymes, which are some of the best on the market. I would have no problem recommending them to anyone.

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