Digestive Enzymes for Arthritis Relief

By Stephanie Crumley Hill

While we think of arthritis as a disease which affects only the joints, it is a systemic disease which impacts our entire health. Inflammation is a hallmark of the disease. If you suffer from arthritis and want relief without the side effects of prescription medications, you may be able to find relief, as well as improved overall health, by taking digestive enzymes.

Defining Digestive Enzymes
Digestive enzymes are produced by your body to help you break down the foods you eat so that the nutrition contained in those foods can be absorbed and used by your body. Digestive enzymes are present in your saliva, in your stomach and small intestine, as well as in some of the foods you eat. Different enzymes target different components in food. Amylase in your saliva, for example, begins breaking down carbohydrates. While digestive enzymes are crucial to digestion, they play other important roles in the body as well. One of those roles is in helping the body reduce the duration and severity of inflammation and helping with tissue repair and recovery time. As you age, your body's production of digestive enzymes decreases. Coincidentally, arthritis is more common as you age.

Linking Enzymes and Arthritis

According to nutritionist Liz Lipski, Ph.D., faulty digestion contributes to arthritis, and patients with arthritis respond well when treated with supplemental digestive enzymes. She says her clinical work at the Transformation Enzyme Corporation shows supporting evidence that supplemental enzymes for the digestive system and immune system can reduce inflammation and produce arthritis relief comparable to that produced by common medications prescribed for arthritis. Unfortunately, these clinical studies have not been published in any peer-reviewed medical journals, so her evidence at this stage is anecdotal. That doesn't mean she is wrong, only that no objective evidence currently exists that she is right.

Your Use of Digestive Enzymes

The question of whether or not you should try digestive enzymes for your arthritis is one that should be answered by you and your doctor. Do not make any changes to your medication or diet without talking with your doctor first. Your doctor may approve your adding digestive enzyme supplements to your treatment regime because they may help, and even if they don't, they are not likely to cause any harm. If you want to try using digestive enzymes, Dr. Lipski recommends a digestive enzyme supplement with each meal, and protease enzymes twice daily without food. You may also benefit from supplemental vitamin C and glucosamine and chondroitin supplements. Probiotics are also known to support digestive health.