Papaya enzyme for heartburn

I had a love affair with spicy foods that ended a few sad years ago. My age — and, I would guess, too many jalapenos– have made me more prone to heartburn when I eat spicy food. My doctor tells me that there is no underlying problem causing my symptoms and recommends I avoid foods that trigger them. It can be tricky.

When a friend told me that a digestive enzyme supplement available over-the-counter (OTC) might be helpful, I was intrigued. I quickly learned that the pills and powders are advertised a lot. The OTC digestive enzyme market is booming, and sales of all types are expected to reach $ 1.6 billion by 2025.

What you need to know about the supplements that claim to relieve heartburn

OTC digestive enzymes claim to help break down food just like the digestive enzymes that your body produces (mostly in your pancreas). The pancreas produces a variety of enzymes, including:

• Lipase is a fat-breaking enzyme
• Amylase is a carbohydrate-breaking enzyme
• Proteases and peptidases are enzymes that break down proteins.

These enzymes are derived from both plants and animals. Bromelain is derived primarily from pineapples, papain from papayas, and lactase from yeasts or fungi. Animal sources are enzymes from pigs’ pancreases, cows’ or lambs’.

There’s no way of knowing what supplements really contain. You can’t tell what they are made of or how much enzymes may be in them because the FDA doesn’t regulate these supplements. “Buyer beware,” says Dr. Kyle Staller of the Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital.

Can supplements relieve heartburn?

The body can’t produce enough digestive enzymes. It can cause digestive symptoms and slow down the process.

Could a digestive enzyme supplement treat occasional heartburn caused by acid reflux or slow stomach emptying (like mine)? We don’t really know. “Unfortunately, there is very little evidence to suggest that OTC digestive enzymes can help with heartburn,” Dr. Staller says.

We do know, however, that OTC digestive supplements can be used to treat other conditions. If you are unable to produce enough alpha-galactosidase (the enzyme needed to digest sugars in beans), you might benefit from an alpha-galactosidase product.

If you do not produce enough lactase (the enzyme needed to digest the lactose sugar found in milk and milk products), you might benefit from taking lactase supplements. If you lack lactase, the lactose will go to your colon. This leads to more fluid and gas being produced by the bacteria. This causes bloating and flatulence as well as diarrhea, explains Dr. Staller. “A supplement might help.”

What about prescription enzymes

Sometimes, doctors recommend taking prescription-strength digestive enzymes. They may be prescribed when the digestive enzymes are low due to a condition like chronic pancreatitis, cystic fibrosis, or other health conditions.

Prescription digestive enzymes can help restore levels to normal. Dr. Staller says that people with known deficiencies benefit from taking digestive enzymes.

These medications do not treat heartburn.

My story continues

Due to my persistence, I asked whether it would be harmful to use an OTC digestive enzymatic for occasional heartburn. My doctor and Dr. Staller both agreed that it was unlikely to cause harm in most cases. Dr. Staller said not to spend too much money on them. It won’t harm, but we’re not sure if it’ll help. Don’t invest a lot of money in this treatment.

After a few days of doubt and curiosity, I decided to try an OTC enzyme that was made from papaya. Guess what? It worked! As a health journalist, I am aware that it could have just been a coincidence or the placebo effect.

I know it would be foolish to ignore my doctor’s advice to avoid spicy food (which causes my heartburn, but not for everyone else) and risk damaging my esophagus. It would be foolish to use digestive enzymes as an excuse to eat whatever I want.

It is important to know that I can use the OTC digestive supplement if necessary, but it may or may not work.

I will not use it as a regular habit. I will keep the heat level down and learn to enjoy being free of symptoms the same way I used to.