Advanced Digestive Enzymes (formerly Bio-Gest) - Thorne

Thorne’s Advanced Digestive Enzymes is a comprehensive blend of digestive enzymes that support good digestion.* A digestive enzyme supplement can be beneficial in circumstances when less than optimal amounts of digestive enzymes are being produced in the body – like during the natural aging process or after gallbladder removal.*

When to supplement with Thorne’s Advanced Digestive Enzymes:

• After consuming a meal heavy in fat or red meat
• For the occasional overindulge
• When eating foods that commonly cause gas and bloating
• When less than optimal amounts of digestive enzymes are being produced in the body – like during the natural aging process or after gallbladder removal

Benefits of Thorne’s Advanced Digestive Enzymes: 

• Provides support for occasional indigestion*
• Minimizes gas and bloating*
• Helps maintain bowel regularity*
• Provides benefits after overuse of antacids*
• Supports individuals who have food sensitivities*
• Provides support after gallbladder removal*
• Optimizes the absorption of essential vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients*
• HCl promotes the body’s absorption of multiple nutrients, including folate, vitamin B12, vitamin C, beta-carotene, iron, and various forms of calcium, magnesium, and zinc*
• Pancreatic enzymes and ox bile promote the absorption of fat-soluble nutrients like vitamins A, D, E, and K, CoQ10, and omega-3 fatty acids*

 Key features of Thorne’s Advanced Digestive Enzymes:

• Contains undiluted pepsin and pancreatin
• Does not contain lactose, which is often used to dilute pepsin and pancreatin
• Contains ox bile

More about digestive enzymes: 

The proteolytic enzymes hydrochloric acid (HCl) and pepsin are secreted in the stomach, while pancreatin, composed of amylase, lipase, and protease, is secreted from the pancreas, and bile is secreted from the liver and through the gallbladder. These enzymes are all essential for digestion and absorption of nutrients from the food we eat. By providing all of them, Advanced Digestive Enzymes offers a complete solution for digestive support. 

Situations such as a long-term illness, gall bladder removal, overuse of antacids, and normal aging can contribute to the insufficient secretion of stomach acid, pancreatic enzymes, and bile, any one of which can lead to various symptoms of gastrointestinal discomfort.* Maldigestion can result in the insufficient absorption of nutrients, giving rise to vitamin deficiencies (particularly vitamins A, D, E, and K) and food allergies. Thorne's Advanced Digestive Enzymes offers broad-spectrum digestive support with hydrochloric acid, pepsin, pancreatin, and ox bile, each of which is important for those individuals who need more effective protein and carbohydrate digestion, and fat emulsification and absorption.* Unlike many comparable digestive aid supplements, Advanced Digestive Enzymes utilizes pepsin and pancreatin that are undiluted and lactose-free.

Hydrochloric acid secretion in the stomach accomplishes several positive things. It assists protein digestion by activating pepsinogen to pepsin; it maintains a sterile environment in the stomach to resist ingested pathogens; it inhibits undesirable overgrowth in the small intestine; and it facilitates the flow of bile from the liver and enzymes from the pancreas.* Hydrochloric acid also facilitates the absorption of a number of important nutrients, including folate, vitamin B12, ascorbic acid, beta-carotene, iron, and several forms of calcium, magnesium, and zinc.* Numerous studies have shown that hydrochloric acid secretion in the stomach begins to decline with advancing age. The overuse of antacids also leads to low levels of hydrochloric acid in the stomach, which results in poor protein digestion.* Thorne offers hydrochloric acid and pepsin from a porcine source.

Pancreatin is a mixture of several digestive enzymes that are produced by cells in the pancreas. Pancreatin is composed of amylase, lipase, and protease. Pancreatin production and secretion by the pancreas is essential to digestion and absorption of numerous nutrients, especially fats.*

ALLERGY WARNINGS: This product is contraindicated in an individual with a history of hypersensitivity to any of its ingredients.

Advanced Digestive Enzymes contains an ingredient derived from a porcine (pork) source.

Excipient free This product does not contain wheat, gluten, corn, yeast, soy, egg, dairy products, or artificial colors, sweeteners, or flavors. This product also does not contain lactose, palmitic acid, or magnesium, calcium, or vegetable stearates.

Pregnancy Warning If pregnant, consult your health-care practitioner before using this product.

Interactions/Contraindications Advanced Digestive Enzymes should not be used concurrently with H2-blocking drugs and proton pump inhibitors, because these drugs are intended to block the production of stomach HCl.

Other Warnings Advanced Digestive Enzymes should be used with caution in a patient with a history of a peptic or duodenal ulcer.

It is not recommended to remove the Advanced Digestive Enzymes powder from the capsule, as it can be irritating to the oral mucosa.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease.