Hi I’m Kim - I’m a mom and a holistic health practitioner for 10 years trained in functional medicine, functional diagnostic nutrition, methylation, nutrigenomics and more. I’ve been focused on healthy living and eating for over 15 years including caring for my special needs children.
In a perfect world, we’d be able to eat the foods we want, without worrying about our belly or bowels. However, for some like me! – I’ve mostly been avoiding delicious foods to stop my gut problems and other times paying the toilet costs when I indulge.
I hate these games of “Which food bloats me? What food should I fear this year? And which new diet is the best?” That’s why I turned to digestive enzymes to help me break down all of my foods – so that my belly doesn’t balloon up and I don’t need to be obsessing about my poo. They are the powerful helpers that make sure we get all the nutrition from our food and don’t feed the wrong bugs or bad issues in our bellies.
Ready to see which one tops the list? Click here to jump to my top choice!
The quick scoop: Despite my healthy diet and use of all types of probiotics, they didn’t stop my gut issues. I still struggled with bloating, feeling sluggish, swelling in my mid section, and food intolerances. This drove me to explore other gut healing options - not just for people with pooping troubles - but for anyone who is seeking to enjoy their favorite foods without all the pains. After extensive testing, HoloZyme emerged as the top choice for a clean, effective, and reliable digestive enzyme.
While there are potential upsides to all types of gut support products, here’s what scientific research reveals about the unique benefits of digestive enzymes:
Enjoy Foods Again: Studies show that people who supplement with digestive enzymes have less upset tummies, pain, and other digestive issues when they take digestive enzymes with each meal. They also report more enjoyment of foods.
People Like You Better: When you aren’t in pain or digestive discomfort, you’re nicer to those around and people will like you more. You’ll also be more confident, outgoing, and friendly if you aren’t always worried about bloating, stinky farts or unpredictable bathroom visits.
Nutrient Absorption: Enzymes are what separate the vitamins and minerals from your food so you can absorb them. That’s why studies show better nutrient absorption. So whether you want more protein or more micronutrients for proper aging, including a daily digestive enzyme is a no brainer.
Less Bloat And Gas: Several studies on digestive enzymes suggest they can alleviate gas and bloating, even when you eat tricky foods like dairy or gluten. That’s because digestive enzymes fully break down your food particles, which means bad bugs can’t ferment them and create gas inside your belly.Less
Stool Upset: Digestive enzymes are an important part of the stool creation process. Whether your poops are too hard, too soft, or you’re going too often or not enough – these are all signs you might have a digestive enzyme problem.
To ensure a fair evaluation, I used a comprehensive testing process according to the following protocol. To start I went to Amazon and chose the top 8 products by sales and then I asked doctors and health practitioners what products they used. Together I came up with the top 14 digestive enzyme products.
✅ I found the top 14 products
✅ Researched and ranked the companies, supplement labels, and ingredients in each product
✅ Asked ChatGPT to create a model for ranking their effectiveness (this became the Digestive Enzyme Effectiveness Score, DEES)
✅ Read both 5 star and 1 star reviews to try and figure out what users reported as best and worst uses (Asked ChatGPT to AI the reviews)
✅ Chose the top 5 and did a trouble meal test with each
After that, I looked at other factors that matter for a family like mine (price, refunds, support, etc).
To ensure a fair evaluation, I used a comprehensive testing process according to the following protocol. To start I went to Amazon and chose the top 8 products by sales and then I asked doctors and health practitioners what products they used. Together I came up with the top 14 digestive enzyme products.
✅ Total amount of enzymes
✅ Researched and ranked the compan, supplement labels, and ingredients in each product
✅ Asked ChatGPT to create a model for ranking their effectiveness (this became the Digestive Enzyme Effectiveness Score, DEES)
✅ Read both 5 star and 1 star reviews to try and figure out what users reported as best and worst uses (Asked ChatGPT to AI the reviews)
✅ Chose the top 5 and did a trouble meal test with each
After that, I looked at other factors that matter for a family like mine (price, refunds, support, etc).
Theoretical rankings are great but in order to find out the real-world impact of each enzyme, I choose a challenging meal to test them with. Then I recorded how I felt before, after, and the next day – noting any stool changes, bloating, energy, and being aware of other issues.
My challenge meal was simple homemade nachos. I love them, but they mess up my tummy because of the cheese and corn chips. It’s also a very easy recipe to replicate with the same ingredients over and over.
If I eat these nachos without HoloZyme or other quality digestive enzymes - I would suffer from bloating, gas, and my stools would be…let’s say, unpredictable the next day. So I feel like this was a great meal to test, because it’s usually very tough on my digestion and if the enzymes worked I would definitely notice a positive difference.
Short Answer: Healthy Gut HoloZyme was the ONLY digestive enzyme I tried that I could actually feel working. It prevented any bloating or tummy issues and won this test by a long shot!
What I love:
Best trouble meal score
Highest DEES (digestive enzyme efficiency score)
All 3 types of enzymes present
Full pH coverage
Large amount of co-factor minerals to activate GI tract
No fillers or low-grade ingredients
3rd party tested
GMP-certified
Non-GMO, gluten-free & vegetarian-friendly
60-day money-back guarantee
Free health coaching calls (actually helpful!)
180 capsules per bottle (60-month supply)
No seed oils
No artificial sweeteners
High online ratings & reviews
What could be better:
Not the cheapest option I could find
Only available online
Could include more types of enzymes
★ Overall Rating
The secret seems to be the patented mineral activation system. These enzymes just felt more “turned on” than the other ones I tried. It’s the kind of supplement you don’t realize you need until you run out and try to eat a meal without it…totally different experience.
Not only did it help my poops, I swear I started feeling more energy each day I was testing it.
Plus, they have actual health coaches you can call if you have questions about using it—and a generous 60-day money-back guarantee if it doesn’t work for you.
What could be better:
The only downside? You can’t just grab it at the store, which is annoying when you’re running low. And yeah, it’s not the cheapest, but honestly, I’d rather pay for something that works.
One thing that justifies the price of HoloZyme is how many servings you’re getting per bottle. Their big bottle is 180 capsules – and a serving size is 2 capsules – so that will last most people 60 days! Most of the other brands only sell 1 month supplies, or less, so you feel like you’re getting a lower price…but you’re actually paying MORE per serving when you do the math.
Description:
"You may have tried digestive enzymes before, but you’ve never felt one work like this. HoloZyme is the first truly activated enzyme formula designed for real digestion support. That means you can go out to eat, work, and live your life without stressing about gut discomfort."
❗️3/14/2025 Update:
Healthy Gut is running a promotion for 10% off! Click here to redeem.
What I love:
2nd best Trouble Meal score
4th best DEES (digestive enzyme efficiency score)
All 3 types of enzymes present
Full spectrum pH coverage
Dairy-free, gluten-free, soy-free & vegan
No fillers or artificial sweeteners
Has added ATP, Megnesium Citrate & CoQ10
45-day money-back guarantee
What could be better:
Very low amount of minerals (25mg)
No mention of 3rd-party testing
No GMP Certification listed
Can't return opened bottles
Price per serving very inconsistent
Inconsistent results for customers
★ Overall Rating
What could be better:
After taking this and eating my trouble meal, I definitely felt a little bit better than normal. But I still had some noticeable bloating. The low amount of mineral co-factors could be a reason why.
Also, make sure you look at the price per serving. The small bottle only contains 21 capsules which, if you’re taking 1 at every meal, would only last you 1 week. No wonder the price is so low. However when you look at the 180 count the cost is actually higher than others on this list. Remember – always look at serving sizes when pricing out supplements!
CAUTION: Many people on Amazon and other sites report this product causing adverse reactions, especially stomach pain or cramping. I didn’t have any reactions, but if you are sensitive you’ll definitely want to be careful.
Description:
"Digest Gold ATPro is a high-potency digestive enzyme formula designed to break down proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. With the addition of ATP, Magnesium Citrate, and CoQ10, it supports nutrient absorption and digestion for overall gut health."
What I love:
3rd best Trouble Meal score
2nd highest DEES (digestive enzyme efficiency score)
Full spectrum pH coverage
All 3 types of enzymes present
High enzyme amounts and the most protease of all 3 tested
No fillers or artificial sweeteners
GMP-certified, non-GMO, gluten-free & vegetarian-friendly
365-day money-back guarantee
What could be better:
Artificial lemon scent
Poor quality control of capsules
Only available online
Limited enzymes for carb & fat digestion
Fungal 'amylase' may affect sensitive individuals
3 pills per serving
Very high price per serving size (one bottle only = 10 servings!)
Could contain added Vitamin D that is not listed on the website label
No co-factor minerals
★ Overall Rating
What could be better:
There are a lot of unnecessary additives in this enzyme, like Vitamin D, and they have a weird lemon smell to them which makes me think there are some artificial ingredients inside. The capsules are also very flimsy and some of mine were half-empty and had spilled into the bottle which is a HUGE bummer considering the price per serving.
Overall, this enzyme is definitely for a specific group—athletes and big protein eaters. It might not be the best for you if you don’t fit in those categories. It also doesn’t contain any co-factor activation minerals, which might be why some users report it not working for them. For me personally, I didn’t notice a huge difference with the nachos - but I would try it again with a protein-heavy meal like a steak.
Description:
"Masszymes is the ultimate high-potency enzyme formula designed for protein digestion and muscle recovery. Its plant-based protease blend helps maximize protein absorption, supporting performance and gut health for athletes and active individuals."
What I love:
All 3 types of enzymes present
Contains 165mg co-factor minerals (which is good!)
Contains AstraZyme, which enhances protein digestion
Full spectrum pH coverage
Non-GMO, vegan
Contains no gluten, fillers or preservatives
Users often report positive outcomes
What could be better:
No mention of 3rd-party testing
No GMP certification listed
No refund or money-back guarantee
Not available on Amazon
Need a doctor's recommendation to purchase
Lack of reviews and real-world use cases
★ Overall Rating
What could be better:
The main problem is this enzyme is hard to get. They don’t sell it on their website or Amazon, and you typically need to get it from a doctor or practitioner with an affiliate relationship. That also means there aren’t many reviews or reports of people using it that you can look into. And they don’t offer returns. So if it doesn’t work for you, there’s no way to get a refund and that’s a big downside for the price.
Description:
“DigestXYM+ is a blend of 23 full-spectrum, plant-based digestive enzymes designed to accelerate and support the digestion and assimilation of food. Enhanced with AstraZyme, this formula aims to improve nutrient absorption and alleviate occasional digestive discomfort.”
What I love:
All 3 enzymes present
5th best DEES & 5th best Trouble Meal score
Parents of children with food intolerances frequently note improvements
Large amounts of enzymes (500mg)
What could be better:
No co-factor minerals
No mention of 3rd-party testing
No full spectrum pH coverage
No GMP certification listed
May contain gluten or soy
Can only return unopened bottles within 60 days
Mixed online reviews
Not the cheapest option
What Could Be Better:
Compared to others it was very “meh” even though I’ve used it in the past (I didn’t know how much better it could be). The enzymes are high, but no activation minerals which could be why it’s hit-or-miss for so many people. It’s also up there in price with HoloZyme but not nearly as effective or noticeable. And you can only return bottles that are unopened so if it doesn’t work for you, then you’re out some money.
Description:
"TriEnza® provides digestive support for a broad range of foods. The unique blend of enzymes in TriEnza break down foods to help prevent occasional digestive discomfort from food intolerances."
What I love:
Contains enzymes that cover the basics
Non-GMO, gluten-free & dairy-free
No artificial additives of fillers
What could be better:
Low DEES score (59 versus the winner that scored a 146)
No mineral co-factors
No mention of 3rd-party tested
Only able to return unopened bottles + you have to pay a processing fee
Mixed to poor online reviews
What Could Be Better:
This isn’t a bad formula, but it’s not a strong one either.
It’s clean, it’s basic, and it might help a little. Minerals matter, and this formula doesn’t have them. The result? A weak DEES score (59) and hit-or-miss results for people using it. If you’re going to invest in digestive enzymes, why not get one that actually works?
Description:
"High-strength mixture of betaine HCl with vegetarian enzymes to support enhanced protein, carbohydrate, fat, fiber and dairy digestion.”
What I love:
Good general enzyme blend
Budget-friendly option
Non-GMO, gluten-free & dairy-free
Some say it helps with bloating
What could be better:
Low DEES score
No mineral co-factors
No mention of 3rd-party testing
No refund policy
Some users notice no difference
What Could Be Better:
Zenwise just doesn’t bring enough to the table. Without proper mineral activation, these enzymes aren’t working at their full potential. HoloZyme has 290mg of minerals (which is why it works so well), and Zenwise has zero. That’s why some people feel a difference, and others don’t feel anything at all.
Description:
“Zenwise Digestive Enzymes is a blend of plant-based enzymes, prebiotics, and probiotics designed to support digestion and nutrient absorption. This formula aims to alleviate occasional bloating and promote overall digestive health."
What I love:
3rd-party testing
GMP certified
Gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free & Non-GMO
What could be better:
No co-factor minerals
No wide spectrum pH
★ Overall Rating
Description:
“Broad-spectrum enzyme blend that helps break down gluten, proteins, carbs, sugars, fats, and more.”
❗️3/14/2025 Update:
Healthy Gut is running a promotion for 10% off! Click here to redeem.