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

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.

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:

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 signs of gluten sensitivity.

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

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.

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.