Merchient

Merchient’s ingredient library

What can you say about digestive enzymes in your ads and on your site?

The library supports 3 wordings for digestive enzymes; the strongest is “Helps digest lactose, the sugar in milk and dairy foods” (strong, 3,000-54,000 FCC ALU lactase activity a day). Avoid wording that names or implies a disease, a drug or a treatment, such as “Prevents or treats lactose intolerance”.

Also called: Lactase, Alpha-galactosidase, Protease, Amylase, Lipase, Pancreatin, Pancreatic enzymes, Bromelain, Papain

Reviewed

Not legal advice. This guide shows the wording that published evidence supports at a daily dose, from the sources linked below; it is not a ruling on any claim. Your own product, its form and dose, and your own evidence still need to match the wording you use.

Supported wordings

What you can say.

Strong evidenceWording 1

Claims Facts

“Helps digest lactose, the sugar in milk and dairy foods.”

Daily dose3,000-54,000 FCC ALU lactase activity a day
SupportAuthorized in the EU after EFSA review and listed by Health Canada at overlapping doses.
Dose detailsHealth Canada: 3,000-54,000 FCC ALU a day, at most 18,000 per dose, adults 18 and older. EU: at least 4,500 FCC units with each lactose-containing meal, for people who have difficulty digesting lactose.
FormLactase enzyme
SourcesCommission Regulation (EU) No 432/2012, list of permitted health claims
Health Canada monograph: Digestive Enzymes

Moderate evidenceWording 2

Claims Facts

“Helps reduce gas after meals rich in beans, vegetables or whole grains.”

Daily dose260-3,000 FCC GalU alpha-galactosidase activity a day
SupportHealth Canada lists it at 260-3,000 FCC GalU a day; no other listed source covers it.
Dose detailsAdults 18 and older.
FormAlpha-galactosidase enzyme
SourceHealth Canada monograph: Digestive Enzymes

Moderate evidenceWording 3

Claims Facts

“Helps reduce bloating after large, high-fat meals.”

Daily dose5,000-40,000 USP lipase units a day
SupportHealth Canada lists it for pancreatic enzymes; no other listed source covers it.
Dose detailsHealth Canada, pancreatic enzymes, adults 18 and older: lipase 5,000-40,000 USP units a day (at most 20,000 per dose), amylase 17,000-149,000 (at most 37,000 per dose) and protease 16,000-125,000 (at most 38,000 per dose).
FormPancreatic enzymes (pancreatin or pancreatic extract)
SourceHealth Canada monograph: Digestive Enzymes

How strong the evidence is

Strong evidence
At least two listed sources support it independently at a comparable dose and form, and none disagrees.
Moderate evidence
One listed source supports it as an evidence-based use at that dose, and no listed source disagrees.
Limited evidence
The only support is traditional use, the sources disagree, or the source itself calls the evidence weak.

Wordings to avoid

What to leave out.

Claims Facts

Ingredient: Digestive enzymes

Wording to avoidReason
“Prevents or treats lactose intolerance”Names a diagnosable condition. Both the EU and Health Canada support wording about digesting lactose, which is the safer framing.Disease
“Treats IBS or chronic bloating”Names a disease or a symptom of one.Disease
“Replaces prescription pancreatic enzymes, or helps with pancreatic insufficiency”Presents the product as a substitute for a prescription drug and names a disease.Drug
“Reduces inflammation and pain (bromelain)”Promises to relieve a medical problem. Health Canada lists bromelain for minor pain, swelling and inflammation, but that is treatment wording.Treatment

Disease: names or implies a disease. Drug: names a drug or presents the product as one. Treatment: promises to treat, cure or prevent a condition.

Sources

Where this comes from.

All ingredient guides

Check the claims on your own site. Free.

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