BioDigest

BioDigest provides a comprehensive formula designed to enhance the digestion and absorption of carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, as well as micronutrients. A decline in acid production is associated with a number of conditions, including hypothyroidism and diabetes, along with the normal aging process, and may impair the absorption of a variety of micronutrients (including zinc, iron, vitamin B12) and contribute to bacterial overgrowth in the intestinal tract.1, 2 Hydrochloric acid, complexed to both betaine and glutamic acid, has been shown to normalize gastric pH among participants with impaired acid production, achieving a pH of less than 3 within 10-15 minutes, and duration of over 70 minutes. This effectively improved the absorption of substances dependent upon low gastric pH.3

BioDigest also provides pancreatic enzymes designed to restore normal digestion to those with impaired pancreatic function, with protease, amylase, and lipase activity for digestion of all macronutrients. The inclusion of ox bile promotes not only efficient lipid absorption, but bile acids have recently been shown to enhance the proteolysis of dietary protein as well.4 Additionally, bile acids upregulate brown adipose tissue activity, have antimicrobial activity in the small intestine, and have systemic metabolic and endocrine effects previously unrecognized, influencing thyroid function, metabolism, and glucose and lipid homeostasis.5-8

References:
1. Väkeväinen S, Tillonen J, Salaspuro M, et al. Hypochlorhydria induced by a proton pump inhibitor leads to intragastric microbial production of acetaldehyde from ethanol. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2000 Nov;14(11):1511-8.
2. Britton E, McLaughlin JT. Ageing and the gut. Proc Nutr Soc. 2013 Feb;72(1):173-7.
3. Yago MR, Frymoyer A, Benet LZ, et al. The use of betaine HCl to enhance dasatinib absorption in healthy volunteers with rabeprazole-induced hypochlorhydria. AAPS J. 2014 Nov;16(6):1358-65. doi: 10.1208/s12248-014-9673-9
4. Gass J, Vora H, Hofmann AF, Gray GM, et al. Enhancement of dietary protein digestion by conjugated bile acids. Gastroenterology. 2007 Jul;133(1):16-23.
5. Broeders EP, Nascimento EB, Havekes B, et al. The Bile Acid Chenodeoxycholic Acid Increases Human Brown Adipose Tissue Activity. Cell Metab. 2015 Sep 1;22(3):418-26.
6. Thomas C, Pellicciari R, Pruzanski M, et al. Targeting bile-acid signalling for metabolic diseases. Nat Rev Drug Discov. 2008 Aug;7(8):678-93.
7. Watanabe M, Houten SM, Mataki C, et al. Bile acids induce energy expenditure by promoting intracellular thyroid hormone activation. Nature. 2006 Jan 26;439(7075):484-8. Thomas C, Auwerx J, Schoonjans K. Bile acids and the membrane bile acid receptor TGR5–connecting nutrition and metabolism. Thyroid. 2008 Feb;18(2):167-74.