[Number 5]

hey! does anyone here use digestive enzymes with their protein shakes? i know some pros recommend this, and it makes sense since most protein powders are so artificial that i doubt your stomach can absorb them efficiently. but this is just a guess not based on any science.

so, 1) do you know whether digestive enzymes help you absorb protein powder?

2) what's a good brand or type of enzyme to go with whey protein?

-5

[whale]

First off let me be a bit of a **** and say that the stomach does not digest protein what so ever. Just messing with you!! Anyway as for the digestion enzimes that the body uses and excrtete via hormones ect there is no real reason according to scientific data that suggests the use of more enzimes. It is a well oiled machine in almost all cases. Now if you are a bit weary of your digestive track and its components then maybe but odds are that if you dont have any issues with this on a normal basis that extra enzimes are not need. The body utilizes different stops and processes to process the protein if the body does not feel that all is necisary in the process of digestion it will not be utilized regardless of more enzimes. So to answer your question in from a scientific standpoint no they ae not needed. Now to confuse you a bit, form a scientific standpoint a lot of stuff shouldnt work. But some things seem to help regardless of science in the body. Remember that each and every one of us is different. But as a nutrition person I would not suggest any type of enzime. Although as I see it there is never a downgrading of other enzimes within the body for digestion so if you want to try and see how it helps then there is no recourse for doing so. Meaning the body wont rebound from having enzimes injested.

whale

[Number 5]

thanks for the reply. i'm still dubious about protein powders though.

you know, pandas can only digest about 20% of the bamboo shoot they eat b/c originally their digestive systems were designed for a diet consisting mainly of meat/fish - so basically they have to eat all the time to get enough energy from the bamboo and they **** a shitload.

now i'm not sure if that has anything to do with digestive enzymes, but it does seem to me that not all foods are digested equally and my expectation of the digestability of protein powders (in humans) is pretty low purely based on the fact that it's something the human body was probably not designed to digest (especially when no fats or carbs are added) and i'm also suspicious of the methods of their production in general.

also, i know lactose intolerant people can take some supplement that helps them consume some dairy w/o getting sick, so i'd would imagine that protein digestion could be improved through some supplement as well.

some times i get gas from protein powders, not sure if that is any indication how well my body absorbs them. i'd be interested in more opinions or info (about the digestive enzymes, not my protein farts).

-5

[silverSurfer]

Read "Food Combining Made Easy" by Herbert M. Shelton (ISBN 0-9606984-0-3). A 63 page booklet that explains how food is digested and the best food combinations to get the most from them.

[Jag]

i was having digestion problems for a while especially after my post w/o shake so i got some digestive enzymes which did nothing them i got some ginger root capsules and they worked very well.

no more bloat and haven't had a problem since.

if your having similiar problems then try enzymes or ginger root capsules but if you DON'T have a problem then i wouldn't worry about it.

Jag