Carbohydrates IntoleranceAn intolerance of carbohydrates, or the inability to digest sugars and starches, is actually quite common. It occurs when your small intestine does not secrete enough of the appropriate enzymes such as amylase. Amylase is the enzyme responsible for breaking down starches. A shortage will result in digestive symptoms such as diarrhea, bloating, flatulence, and abdominal cramps, usually within 2 hours of eating your meal. When you eat foods such as breads, cereals, fruits and vegetables, enzymes in your digestive tract break down the carbs into simple sugars that can be absorbed by your bloodstream. Your body then uses these sugars as fuel. Some people, however, don’t make enough, or any, of one or more of the enzymes necessary to break down carbohydrates. What to Look ForIf you are not able to properly digest carbs you will probably feel a craving for sugary foods. Unfortunately, if you eat too many of them you may overburden your already challenged digestive system causing digestive stress and weight gain.Secondary enzymes deficiencies can occur because of conditions such as tropical sprue, acute intestinal infections, celiac disease and neomycin toxicity. The best known example (est. at 70% of the world population) of this type of intolerance involves a deficiency in lactase which is the enzyme that digests lactose or milk sugar. You then experience poor digestion of foods that contain lactose such as milk, yogurt, butter and some cheeses. American Diet Highly RefinedProblems can also arise from a shortage of invertase which is the enzyme that breaks down sucrose into glucose and fructose.The typical American diet is highly refined which means that we consume lots of sugar so a lack of invertase is another cause of digestive stress. Sugar intolerances frequently result in symptoms such as
What Should I Look For?Look for a digestive enzyme supplement that:
For more information on how enzymes assist digestion, please see
Enzymes in Digestion
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