You know the old saying, “You are what you eat?” Fuggedaboutit. These days, knowledgeable health professionals are much more likely to say the far more accurate, “You are what you digest… and what you absorb”.

Digestive health isn”t always the sexiest topic in anti-aging medicine, but it”s one of the most critical for your overall well-being. Here”s why: You can eat the best food in the world and take enormous care with your diet, but if you”re not breaking that food down properly, you’re not going to absorb the nutrients within it.

When you”re not properly breaking down your food, “under-digested” food goes through the digestive tract and some of the larger molecules get through into the bloodstream where they”re seen as invaders by the immune system. This can create all kinds of problems.

Adding to the problem, there can be an overgrowth of “bad” bacteria in the small intestine and colon resulting in a condition called “dysbiosis”. According to Elizabeth Lipski, PhD, CCN, author of Digestive Wellness, dysbiosis may result in conditions ranging from eczema to food sensitivities to irritable bowel to inflammatory bowel disease.

One of the most critical steps in the food breakdown process is provided by digestive enzymes. Unfortunately, as we age, there’s a decline in the very enzymes needed to harvest those essential nutrients from the foods we consume. Couple this with diminishing levels of stomach acid and the above-mentioned imbalance between the beneficial bacteria in the gut (collectively called probiotics) and the “bad” bacteria (like H. pylori), and you”ve got a recipe for digestive disaster.

Enter supplemental digestive enzymes. Virtually everyone over 40 can benefit from them, and the benefits are wide-ranging: better digestive health, improved immunity, and even decreased inflammation. Without a good army of digestive enzymes working for you, many foods may not be completely digested, and this leads to a wide range of symptoms from bloating to gas to inflammation.

The sad fact is, the consequences of poor digestive health can be substantial, particularly in older people. One study1 found a very high rate of vitamin, mineral and omega-3 fatty acid deficiencies in a population 70 and older.

Equally troubling is the frequent deficiency in this population of vitamin B12, which is essential for proper brain and nervous system function. A recent study published in Neurology found low levels of vitamin B12 in an elderly population were associated with a shrinking brain.2

Here is a short guide to some of the most important digestive enzymes:

Pepsin: In combination with stomach acid (hydrochloric acid, HCl) helps break down proteins

Protease: Breaks down protein into amino acids

Amylase: Breaks down carbohydrates into smaller sugar molecules

Lipase: Facilitates the breakdown of fats

Papain (from papaya): Aids with protein digestion

The best digestive enzyme supplements have a mix of these important digestive enzymes plus other helpful synergistic ingredients like hydrochloric acid, a subject worthy of entire column.

Here”s the short version of what you need to know about HCl. Don”t be fooled by the marketing slogans of companies selling you antacids for your “excess acid”. The truth about heartburn and GERD is that most people who suffer from those problems have too little acid in their stomachs, not too much – and the acid that is there tends to go to the wrong place.

Antacids are a really bad idea – you need acid in your stomach for many reasons, too numerous to go into here; paradoxically, most digestive illnesses that are experienced as “acid stomach” can be helped immeasurably by a change in diet and adding more HCl, which is frequently found as part of an overall digestive enzyme supplement.

Low production of stomach acid – a condition called hypochlorhydria – affects about 40% of the population over 40 and about half of those over 50. One reason that apple cider vinegar is such a popular folk treatment is that it acidifies the stomach and improves digestion, thus having the potential to help with a wide range of conditions.

I consider digestive enzymes with HCl (hydrochloric acid) one of the seven top supplements you can take for your health.

References

1. Carriere I. et al. Int J Vitam Nutr Res. 2007 Jan; 77(1): 57-65.
2. Vogiatzoglou, A. et al. Neurology, Volume 71, September 9, 2008, 826-832.

[Ed. note: Dr. Bowden is a nationally known expert on weight loss, nutrition and health. You can learn more about digestive enzymes by listening to his free audio course, The Seven Supplements You Need Now . His new book, The 150 Most Effective Ways to Boost Energy Naturally is available now. For more information, click here. ]

For more great articles like this delivered to your inbox, subscribe to our free natural health newsletter!