Digestive Enzyme Disorders and How to Overcome Them

Gdisturbance enzyme digestioncan cause the process food processing and nutrient absorption in inside the body also disturbed. To overcome this, it is sometimes necessaryaddition digestive enzymes from the outside. 

The food consumed by humans needs to be broken down into smaller substances to make it easier for the body to absorb. This is why digestive enzymes are needed. These enzymes help digest important nutrients in food, such as protein, carbohydrates, and fats. Digestive enzymes are produced by the body, namely in the mouth, stomach, pancreas, and small intestine.

Types of Digestive Enzymes

There are several types of digestive enzymes with different functions, namely:

• Lipase: breaks down fat into glycerol molecules and fatty acids.
• Proteases and peptidases: break down proteins into smaller amino acid molecules.
• Amylase: breaks down carbohydrates and starches into simpler forms, namely glucose.
• Lactase: breaks down the lactose type sugar found in milk.
• Maltase: produced in the small intestine and is responsible for breaking down maltose (a sugar in wheat and grains).

Disease What Causes Digestive Enzyme Disorders

Lack of digestive enzymes in the body can occur due to the following conditions:

• Metabolic disorders

  This condition can lead to a buildup of toxins and the non-absorption of various essential nutrients for the body, due to insufficient or absent certain digestive enzymes.

• Gaucher's disease

  The disease has no cure, but medication can be given to help relieve symptoms and prevent further organ damage. The treatment can be in the form of enzyme replacement therapy, medication for osteoporosis, to surgery to repair the damage in the body caused by this disorder. If left untreated, this disease can lead to complications such as bone damage, fertility problems, delayed puberty, or even death.

• Chronic pancreatic disorders

  This disease occurs when the pancreas does not produce enough enzymes to break down and absorb food. As a result, nutrients such as fats, vitamins and minerals cannot be absorbed by the body, causing

In addition to the diseases above, there are other conditions that can cause disturbances in digestive enzymes, namely inflammation of the pancreas, pancreatic cancer, Crohn's disease, cystic fibrosis, as well as impaired recovery after pancreatic surgery.

Digestive Enzyme Disorder Treatment

To help the digestive process in people who have digestive enzyme disorders, drugs are available in the form of additional digestive enzymes. This drug can be used when the pancreas cannot produce digestive enzymes properly. Additional digestive enzymes can be obtained through a doctor's prescription, or in the form of over-the-counter supplements.

Side effects that can occur due to the use of drugs or supplements to replace digestive enzymes are:

• Stomach pain or stomach discomfort
• Nauseous
• Bloated
• Headache
• Diarrhea
• Heartburn
• Constipation
• Allergy

To avoid side effects, patients are advised to consult a doctor before taking digestive enzyme supplements. The doctor will conduct an examination to determine the cause of the complaints you are experiencing, and consider whether additional digestive enzymes are needed.

Some things to consider when taking digestive enzyme supplements are:

• Drugs in tablet form, should be swallowed with water and not swallowed in the mouth because it can cause irritation of the gums and mouth.
• Avoid taking the drug on an empty stomach, it is recommended to take enzyme replacement drugs after eating.
• Do not inhale digestive enzyme medications in powder form, as they can irritate the inner lining of the nose and trigger symptoms in asthmatics.
• Do not change your dose or stop taking the drug without consulting your doctor first.

Make sure the digestive enzyme drugs to be consumed have been registered with the BPOM. Another important thing to remember, this drug cannot work optimally if it is not supported by a healthy diet and lifestyle.