Advanced Digestive Enzymes by Thorne

If fatty meals leave you bloated or with pale, greasy stools (fat not being absorbed well), digestive enzymes with ox bile and pancreatin are often the right fix. They’re commonly used after gallbladder removal, with low stomach acid, or during periods of heavy eating when gas and indigestion flare. If your Pancreatic Elastase (stool) is low, or your Fecal Fat is high, this blend is more targeted than plant-only enzymes. PPI users and reflux-dominant patients usually need a different plan.

Betaine HCl increases stomach acidity so pepsin (the stomach’s protein‑digesting enzyme) can actually work. That sets up proteins for efficient breakdown. Pancreatin supplies lipase, protease, and amylase—the small‑intestine enzymes for fats, proteins, and carbs. Ox bile provides bile acids that emulsify fats, improving absorption of fat‑soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K. Many people notice less gas and better-formed stools by the next few meals; vitamin status shifts, like Vitamin D, 25-Hydroxy, follow over weeks.

Take 1 capsule with the first bites of a meal; increase to 2 if a full meal still triggers bloating or if stools look oily. Heavier, higher‑fat meals typically need the higher end. Avoid taking on an empty stomach. If you feel warmth or burning, reduce to 1 capsule or reserve use for your largest meal. Reassess symptoms within 1–2 weeks; lab checks like Pancreatic Elastase or Fecal Fat can be repeated after 4–8 weeks if you’re tracking.

Avoid betaine HCl if you have active reflux, a history of ulcers, Barrett’s esophagus, or you’re on acid‑reducing drugs (PPIs or H2 blockers). Don’t combine with orlistat (fat‑blocking drug) or acarbose (diabetes med), which these enzymes can counter. Separate from bile acid binders like cholestyramine by at least 3 hours. This formula contains porcine and bovine ingredients, so it’s not suitable for vegetarians, those avoiding pork/beef, or with related allergies.