title: Digestive Enzyme Supplementation in Gastrointestinal Diseases.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Digestive enzymes are able to break down proteins and carbohydrates and lipids, and their supplementation may play a role in the management of digestive disorders, from lactose intolerance to cystic fibrosis. To date, several formulations of digestive enzymes are available on the market, being different each other in terms of enzyme type, source and origin, and dosage.
  
  
  METHODS
  This review, performed through a non-systematic search of the available literature, will provide an overview of the current knowledge of digestive enzyme supplementation in gastrointestinal disorders, discussion of the use of pancreatic enzymes, lactase (β-galactosidase) and conjugated bile acids, and also exploring the future perspective of digestive enzyme supplementation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Currently, the animal-derived enzymes represent an established standard of care, however the growing study of plant-based and microbe-derived enzymes offers great promise in the advancement of digestive enzyme therapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  New frontiers of enzyme replacement are being evaluated also in the treatment of diseases not specifically related to enzyme deficiency, whereas the combination of different enzymes might constitute an intriguing therapeutic option in the future.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Sciences, Division of Internal Medicine, Gastroenterology and Liver Unit, Catholic University, School of Medicine and Surgery, A. Gemelli Hospital Rome, Italy, Largo A. Gemelli 8, IT-00168 Rome, Italy. gianluca.ianiro@hotmail.it.
authors.forename: Gianluca
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ianiro
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pecere
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Giorgio
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gasbarrini
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cammarota
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001647:Bile Acids and Salts / Q000378:metabolism; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005765:Gastrointestinal Agents / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D001616:beta-Galactosidase / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D001647:Bile Acids and Salts; D005765:Gastrointestinal Agents; D001616:beta-Galactosidase