Digestive enzymes: Who should take them?

Updated on June 16, 2026

Abstract: Digestive Enzymes: Who Should Be Concerned?

Naturopath Lynn Goneau explains that digestive enzymes are essential for breaking down proteins, fats, and carbohydrates so that the body can properly absorb nutrients. Although the body produces them naturally, their production can decrease with age, stress, or certain dietary habits, which can lead to symptoms such as bloating, gas, a heavy feeling after meals, and other digestive discomforts.

Lynn Goneau points out that these symptoms are often linked to poor digestion rather than food intolerance. Lynn also mentions that certain fermented foods, such as kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, and miso, can support digestion, while a digestive enzyme supplement can provide additional support when needed. She specifically recommends Natural Factors Multi-Enzymes, a comprehensive formula designed to promote better digestion and optimal nutrient absorption.

1. The Role of Digestive Enzymes

Digestive enzymes act like tiny specialized workers that break down food into nutrients the body can absorb. They convert proteins into amino acids, fats into fatty acids, and carbohydrates into simple sugars, thereby enabling optimal nutrient absorption.

2. Why might we have an enzyme deficiency?

The body naturally produces digestive enzymes in the mouth, stomach, pancreas, and intestines. However, aging, stress, eating too quickly, or certain lifestyle habits can reduce this production and impair the efficiency of digestion.

3. Signs of Less Efficient Digestion

An enzyme deficiency can cause bloating, gas, a feeling of heaviness after meals, or other digestive discomforts. In some cases, difficulty digesting certain foods, such as dairy products, may be linked to a deficiency in specific enzymes, such as lactase.

4. How can you support digestion?

Lynn Goneau recommends starting by incorporating fermented foods such as kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, or miso, provided they are well tolerated. For people who need additional support, digestive enzyme supplements can help improve digestion, reduce discomfort, and promote better nutrient absorption. She specifically mentions Natural Factors Multi-Enzymes as a comprehensive option to support the digestion of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates.

About the Author

Lynn Goneau, Certified Naturopath

Specializes in:

• Digestive Health
• Hormonal Health
• Stress and Fatigue
• Memory and Concentration
• Weight Management

Frédéric Bisson, radio host on 104.7 FM

Radio host at 104.7 FM, part of the Cogeco network. Frédéric Bisson has been hosting the show *L'Outaouais Maintenant* from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. every weekday since February 27, 2023.

Transcript

Frédéric Bisson - Radio Host, 104.7 FM:

Today, we’re talking about a topic that affects a lot of people, and as I mentioned before the show, it seems like this is one of the issues I struggle with—digestive problems, such as bloating, whether it’s gas or that heavy feeling after meals. What if I told you that the solution is often simpler than we think, and it comes down to digestive enzymes? I have no idea what those are. Lynn Goneau, naturopath at La Boite à Grains will help us understand this clearly today. Hello, Lynn.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath from La Boite à Grains:

Hello, Fred.

Frédéric Bisson - Radio Host, 104.7 FM:

What's that? It must be because I've never had any problems with my digestive enzymes, right?

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath from La Boite à Grains:

Digestive enzymes—well, think of them as tiny, highly specialized workers in your digestive system. Their primary job is to break down food into tiny particles so your body can absorb them, since the foods on our plates are really complex. The proteins you eat need to be broken down into amino acids. Fats become fatty acids. Carbohydrates become simple sugars. So you need enzymes to make that happen—without them, you can eat, but you won’t absorb nutrients properly. You can eat healthy and still be lacking in nutrients.

Frédéric Bisson - Host, 104.7 FM:

OK, because it's not broken down properly. That's right. So we're lacking enzymes.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath from La Boite à Grains:

So the body isn't able to absorb it properly.

Frédéric Bisson - Radio Host, 104.7 FM:

But the good news is that the body produces these enzymes.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath from La Boite à Grains:

Yes. The body naturally produces enzymes through the mouth, stomach, pancreas, and intestines. But these systems aren’t foolproof, Fred—especially over time and given our lifestyle, of course. And as we age, enzyme production decreases. Stress slows down digestion, and eating too quickly actually hinders the process—so the result is that we eat, but we don’t digest as well. And that’s when the symptoms appear. Bloating, gas, that heavy feeling after meals, and digestive discomfort—it’s not that our bodies can’t tolerate these things; it’s often that they lack the tools to do the job properly.

Frédéric Bisson - Host, 104.7 FM:

Okay, so sometimes you might think it’s an intolerance rather than an allergy. But in that case, as you say, we’re missing those little soldiers that enzymes can help with—because I understand that you can take a supplement for that.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath from La Boite à Grains:

Yes, that's right—when the body doesn't produce enough of it, it can be helpful for people who often feel bloated or even have irritable bowel syndrome. That heavy feeling after meals, food intolerances—like lactose intolerance, for example—are caused by a lack of an enzyme called lactase. You don’t digest dairy products as well.

Frédéric Bisson - Radio Host, 104.7 FM:

And there are also foods that will improve—or at least support—digestion.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath from La Boite à Grains:

For those who can tolerate them well, there's sauerkraut, kefir, kimchi, and miso. These are all fermented foods.

Frédéric Bisson - Radio Host, 104.7 FM:

Oh, right, I see. So let's get back to the supplements—they might help.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath from La Boite à Grains:

Yes, yes, it can really help if you don't tolerate fermented foods well or if that isn't enough and your body is lacking enzymes—a supplement can give you a boost. For example, a comprehensive enzyme formula will improve digestion and reduce discomfort. It will help your body better absorb all the nutrients.

Frédéric Bisson - Radio Host, 104.7 FM:

So give us an example of a product.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath from La Boite à Grains:

Yes, that’s exactly it—a really practical suggestion. This is the product I really love to recommend to my clients because I see a huge difference every time. It’s Natural Factors’ Multi Enzymes. It’s truly a multienzyme supplement. It’s a comprehensive formula designed to help digest proteins, fats, and carbohydrates when taken right before meals; many people will notice a difference in their digestive discomfort very quickly. Okay, because ultimately, I like to say that we aren’t what we eat—we’re what we absorb, Fred.

Frédéric Bisson - Radio Host, 104.7 FM:

Ah, that's good. I remember a friend of mine who told me once, “Someone told me I was malnourished, but I eat really well.” And she had to change that—her enzyme production. She was malnourished. Can you believe it? She was eating well, but her body wasn’t absorbing anything.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath from La Boite à Grains:

Yes, it's strange when you look at it that way, but that's really what absorption is.

Frédéric Bisson - Radio Host, 104.7 FM:

And thank you so much, Lynn. So if we want to consult with you one-on-one in private, can we schedule appointments?

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath from La Boite à Grains:

Yes, that's right—all my contact information is on the website at La Boite à Grains. And then you can just send me a quick email. We can set up a time together, and then we can talk about digestion.

Frédéric Bisson - Radio Host, 104.7 FM:

To see if it's an enzyme issue or something else, because obviously, it could be a lot of different things. Lynn Goneau, let me remind you that you're a naturopath at La Boite à Grains. Thank you, and have a great week.