Research review
Digestive enzymes: what the research does and doesn't show for bloating, gas, constipation and diarrhea
Searches for digestive enzymes and bloating, gas, constipation and diarrhea are mostly met with marketing, not trials. Here's every controlled study we found that actually tested one of these symptoms, which enzyme it used, and where DigeZyme's own blend fits — or doesn't.
The evidence doesn't support digestive enzyme supplements as a reliable fix for bloating, constipation, diarrhea or gas in a general population — the trials that exist test specific enzymes, at specific doses, in specific situations, most of which don't match DigeZyme's blend. Here's what's actually been tested for each of those symptoms, and what's known about safety in pregnancy and breastfeeding.
What the evidence doesn't support
It doesn't support digestive enzyme supplements, including DigeZyme, as a general remedy for bloating, gas, constipation or diarrhea in someone without a diagnosed digestive condition. Where a positive result exists below, it was found with a different enzyme, at a different dose, or in a narrower population than "anyone with occasional digestive discomfort" — and none of it has been tested in pregnancy or while breastfeeding.
What the trials found
For gas and bloating from beans and similar foods, the enzyme with actual trial support is alpha-galactosidase — which is not one of DigeZyme's five enzymes. A small 2007 trial gave 8 healthy adults a meal of cooked beans with 300 or 1200 GalU of alpha-galactosidase or a placebo; the higher dose significantly reduced both breath hydrogen (a marker of gas production) and the severity of flatulence afterward. A separate 2015 pilot study gave 16 people with lactose or oligosaccharide intolerance a combined alpha- and beta-galactosidase supplement alongside an otherwise unrestricted diet, and found it reduced bloating, flatulence, diarrhea and constipation better than either an unrestricted diet alone or avoiding the trigger foods entirely. Both trials tested galactosidase enzymes specifically for fermentable-carbohydrate intolerance — not the broader "supports digestion" claim, and not DigeZyme, which doesn't include alpha-galactosidase.
For fullness and bloating after a fatty meal, a small 2015 crossover trial gave 16 healthy adults a 280 mg capsule of acid-resistant lipase, or a placebo, immediately before a high-fat meal. The lipase group reported significantly less stomach fullness afterward, though bloating and nausea weren't significantly different from placebo, and the study measured a single meal, not everyday supplementation. DigeZyme does contain a lipase, but this trial tested an isolated, higher, acid-resistant dose from a different source, so it doesn't establish that DigeZyme's own lipase content does the same thing.
For everyday bloating without a specific trigger food, the one placebo-controlled trial of DigeZyme itself — in 40 adults with functional dyspepsia, 150 mg/day for 60 days — measured bloating as one of several symptoms within a broader questionnaire and found an improvement versus placebo, but only in a population already diagnosed with that digestive condition, and run by DigeZyme's own manufacturer.
| Symptom | What was tested | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Gas from beans | Alpha-galactosidase, 1200 GalU, 8 healthy adults | Reduced breath hydrogen and flatulence severity; not in DigeZyme |
| Bloating, diarrhea, constipation from carbohydrate intolerance | Alpha- + beta-galactosidase, 16 people with diagnosed intolerance | Reduced symptoms vs. unrestricted diet or avoidance; not in DigeZyme |
| Fullness after a fatty meal | Isolated acid-resistant lipase, 280 mg, 16 healthy adults, single meal | Less reported fullness; bloating and nausea not significantly different |
| Dyspepsia symptoms incl. bloating | DigeZyme, 150 mg/day, 40 adults with functional dyspepsia, 60 days | Improved vs. placebo; industry-run, diagnosed population |
What we found no trial for
We haven't found a controlled trial testing digestive enzyme supplementation, including DigeZyme, for constipation or diarrhea in a general population without a diagnosed carbohydrate intolerance. No trial we've found tests any digestive-enzyme blend, including DigeZyme, in pregnancy or while breastfeeding — that's not a small effect that hasn't been detected yet, it's simply data that doesn't exist.
Questions people ask
Can digestive enzymes help with bloating?
Depends on the cause. A galactosidase enzyme (not in DigeZyme) reduced bloating from fermentable carbohydrates in one small trial, and DigeZyme's own trial found improved bloating scores in adults already diagnosed with functional dyspepsia. Neither establishes a general bloating fix for everyone.
Can digestive enzymes help with constipation?
One small pilot study found a galactosidase enzyme blend (not DigeZyme) improved constipation in people with diagnosed carbohydrate intolerance. We haven't found a trial testing constipation from any other cause.
Can digestive enzymes cause constipation, or cause diarrhea?
We haven't found a controlled trial reporting either as a side effect of DigeZyme or a comparable blend. See digestive enzyme side effects for what the one controlled safety trial and anecdotal reports actually cover.
Can digestive enzymes help with gas?
The enzyme with trial support for gas from beans, alpha-galactosidase, isn't one of DigeZyme's five enzymes. A trial of that specific enzyme reduced gas production and flatulence in healthy adults after a bean-heavy meal.
Can you take digestive enzymes while pregnant or breastfeeding?
No dosing or safety data exists for either. See who should not take digestive enzymes, and ask a doctor rather than following general adult guidance.
Can digestive enzymes cause weight gain?
We haven't found a trial reporting this. See digestive enzymes and obesity for what the research does and doesn't show on body weight.
Do digestive enzymes help with gluten intolerance?
Not established for DigeZyme or comparable commercial blends — see digestive enzymes and GI disease for the celiac-specific research.
When to talk to a doctor
Persistent constipation, diarrhea, bloating or gas — especially if new, worsening, or paired with weight loss, bleeding or severe pain — is worth a doctor's evaluation rather than ongoing self-treatment with a supplement. Digestive enzymes are not a treatment for a diagnosed digestive disease. See digestive enzymes: what the research does and doesn't show for the broader research picture, and digestive enzyme dosage for what's actually been tested.
Sources
- Evaluation of the Safety and Efficacy of a Multienzyme Complex in Patients with Functional Dyspepsia: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study A 2018 placebo-controlled trial found that adults with functional dyspepsia who took DigeZyme (150 mg/day) for 60 days scored significantly better on several symptom questionnaires than those given a placebo, with no reported product-related side effects; the trial was run and funded by DigeZyme's own maker.
- The effect of oral alpha-galactosidase on intestinal gas production and gas-related symptoms A small trial found that alpha-galactosidase, taken with a bean-heavy meal, significantly reduced gas production and flatulence severity in 8 healthy adults compared with a placebo — alpha-galactosidase is not one of DigeZyme's five enzymes.
- A pilot trial on subjects with lactose and/or oligosaccharides intolerance treated with a fixed mixture of pure and enteric-coated α- and β-galactosidase A 16-person pilot study found that a combined alpha- and beta-galactosidase enzyme supplement, taken alongside an otherwise unrestricted diet, reduced bloating, flatulence, diarrhea and constipation in people with diagnosed carbohydrate intolerance, doing better than avoiding trigger foods altogether — this is a different enzyme pair from DigeZyme's blend.
- Lipase Supplementation before a High-Fat Meal Reduces Perceptions of Fullness in Healthy Subjects A crossover trial found that a single dose of isolated, acid-resistant lipase taken before a high-fat meal reduced reported stomach fullness, but not bloating or nausea, in 16 healthy adults — a different lipase dose and form than DigeZyme's, tested for one meal, not ongoing supplementation.
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.