Ask Mary

Digestive enzymes are naturally produced in the mouth, stomach, pancreas, and intestines.  Healthy people make ample amounts and tailor production to the nutrients in a meal.  Digestive enzymes are not only unnecessary, but, because all enzymes are made of protein, the body digests digestive enzymes as if they were a protein in food.  Enterically-coated supplemental digestive enzymes are prescribed for conditions that cause malabsorption, such as pancreatic insufficiency and cystic fibrosis.   At this point, supplemental digestive enzymes have not been shown to be helpful for other medical conditions.