PlainPill

Digestive Enzymes

People mainly take Digestive Enzymes for digestion, sleep, pain & inflammation. Based on 35 first-hand reports and 18 meta-analyses & systematic reviews in the medical literature. Ranked #311 of 1,974 overall.

34
User score
Mostly positive
31% positive3% mixed9% negative57% unclear

Of reports that state an outcome, 72% are positive.

Clinical research
AStrong research base
18
meta-analyses
31
RCTs
4,980
papers

What Digestive Enzymes does, according to users

Of the people who reported each effect, the share who said it got better.

3 more with fewer than 3 reports
betterno changeworse

What the research says

Systematic reviews and meta-analyses from PubMed, with their published conclusions.

AStrong research base

3+ meta-analyses or systematic reviews and 10+ randomized controlled trials in humans. The grade measures how much human research exists — read the conclusions below for what it found.

BMJ Clin Evid · 2010 · Meta-analysis / systematic review
Autism

Conclusion: In this systematic review we present information relating to the effectiveness and safety of the following interventions: applied behavioural analysis; auditory integration training; Autism Preschool Programme; casein-free diet; chelation; Child's Talk programme; cognitive behavioural therapy; digestive enzymes; EarlyBird programme; facilitated communication; Floortime therapy; gluten-free diet; immunoglobulins; melatonin; memantine; methylphenidate; More Than Words programme; music therapy; olanzapine; omega-3 fish oil; picture exchange communication system; Portage scheme; probiotics; relati

PubMed 21729335 ↗
BMJ Clin Evid · 2008 · Meta-analysis / systematic review
Autism

Conclusion: In this systematic review we present information relating to the effectiveness and safety of the following interventions: applied behavioural analysis, Autism Pre-school Programme, Child's Talk, More than words, Picture Exchange Communication System, TEACCH, Early Bird Programme, Floor time, Portage scheme, relationship development interventions, social skills training, social stories, Son-Rise, digestive enzymes, gluten free diet, casein free diet, omega-3 fish oil, probiotics, vitamin A, vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) plus magnesium, vitamin C, methylphenidate, risperidone, selective serotonin reup

PubMed 19450315 ↗
Nutrients · 2020 · Meta-analysis / systematic review
Dietary Fiber, Gut Microbiota, and Metabolic Regulation-Current Status in Human Randomized Trials

Conclusion: Taken together, the papers on which the current review is based, suggest that dietary fiber has the potential to change the gut microbiota and alter metabolic regulation. However, due to the heterogeneity of the studies, a firm conclusion describing the causal relationship between gut microbiota and metabolic regulation remains elusive.

PubMed 32210176 ↗
Eur J Nutr · 2018 · Meta-analysis / systematic review
Systematic review of the effects of the intestinal microbiota on selected nutrients and non-nutrients

Conclusion: The systematic review demonstrates that the IM plays a major role in the breakdown and transformation of the dietary substrates examined. However, recent human data are limited with the exception of data from studies examining fibres and polyphenols. Results observed in relation with dietary substrates were not always consistent or coherent across studies and methodological limitations and differences in IM analyses made comparisons difficult. Moreover, non-digestible components likely to reach the colon are often not well defined or characterised in studies making comparisons between studies

PubMed 29086061 ↗

Dosage people report

As stated by users — not a recommendation. Follow the label or your doctor.

with mealsas reported
eveningas reported
dailyas reported
1 capsule3x daily
with every mealas reported
2 per mealper meal

Reported side effects

How often each side effect came up across all reports.

stomach issues ×1

What users say

Verbatim quotes, shortened only — each links to the original discussion.

“Digestive enzymes probably won't make much difference.”
Source discussion ↗
“tablets with digestive enzymes to help with the digestion, especially if there’s a lot of fat.”
Source discussion ↗
“Digestive enzymes with meals”
Source discussion ↗
“I have been trying digestive enzymes, probiotics, and activated charcoal to varying degrees of success”
Source discussion ↗
“Digestive Enzymes - 1 Super enzyme capsule”
Source discussion ↗
Top discussions (5)

Other options for digestion

User data from public discussions; research from PubMed. Information only, not medical advice — talk to a doctor before starting, stopping or combining anything. Data updated October 2, 2026. How we rate