Digestive Enzymes vs. Probiotics: Doctors Explain The Differences + Which Might Be Best For You

Uncomfortable digestive issues are the worst. And those on the hunt to alleviate stomach woes often turn to digestive enzymes or probiotics to help (after all, they both get a lot of hype).

While the two are different, both are vital to your digestive health.* And the best one for you depends on what's going on in your body. Here, we break down the difference between probiotics and digestive enzymes, plus how to figure out which is right for you.

Simply put: Digestive enzymes and probiotics both help with GI health and aid in digestion.* They're also both found in supplemental form and naturally in certain foods. However, that's pretty much where the similarities end. 

To understand how digestive enzymes and probiotics differ, it's helpful to define each one.

Digestive enzymes are nonliving proteins that speed up chemical reactions in your GI tract. They play a key role in properly breaking down food that your body can adequately absorb its nutrients. 

In other words, probiotics are living organisms that help maintain balance in your digestive tract,* while digestive enzymes are nonliving proteins that help your body properly absorb as many nutrients as possible.

The most obvious benefit of probiotics is better gut health, but since the gut is related to so many other function, the health effects go way beyond digestive perks.* It's important to note that the health areas that probiotics support are specific to the types of strains and their clinical evidence.*

When your digestive system is functioning as it should, it naturally produces adequate amounts of digestive enzymes. There are three main categories:

But in some cases, the body doesn't make enough of these proteins, and digestion suffers as a result. Fortunately, digestive enzyme supplements offer some support.

The biggest benefit of digestive enzymes is that they help your body break down food better. This translates to better digestive health. You may experience less gas, bloating, and burping. You may also notice that your stomach feels lighter and emptier, like your food is actually moving through it rather than sitting there stagnant.

Digestive enzymes may also help improve food intolerances (not food allergies). Studies suggest that supplementing with digestive enzymes8 can be especially beneficial for anyone with lactose intolerance or those with pancreatic enzyme needs. There's also some preliminary research9 that a digestive enzyme, called AN-PEP, may help improve symptoms of gluten sensitivity.

So, how do you know which one to take? Or should you take both? The answer lies in your symptoms, or the signals your body is giving you. Some common clues you might need probiotics include:*

"A disrupted gut flora opens the door for unfriendly microbes to step in and take over, creating all sorts of issues," Pedre explains. And when it comes to digestive enzymes, Amy Shah, M.D., says they're especially helpful for people who aren't producing adequate amounts of enzymes on their own or have low stomach acid.

Terry Wahls, M.D., previously told mbg that people with bloating and gas, especially those who are over the age of 50, are also more likely to be at risk for low production of enzymes and low stomach acid.

Even if you don't have a known digestive issue, the following are some signs you may need digestive enzymes:

It's also possible that both probiotics and digestive enzymes could be helpful. You can generally take digestive enzymes and probiotics together, since they do different things. In fact, it's often encouraged. Of course, you should always talk to your doctor before adding any new supplements to your routine.

While probiotics and digestive enzymes both help aid the digestive process,* they have vastly different functions. Probiotics help repopulate the gut with good bacteria, balancing the delicate ecosystem that plays a major role in your overall health.* Digestive enzymes break down the food you eat so your body can absorb as many nutrients as possible.

Depending on your specific health needs, you may need one or both of these targeted supplements. Because they work synergistically, you can take them both together, but make sure you get your doctor's OK first.