Do I need DPP-IV for gut healing? Vital zyme Complete versus Digest Gold

[Guest guest]

We have been doing the Houston trio for over a year now. They have

helped me tremendously, but my son's gut is still extremely leaky and

he still has chronic loose stools. We have gone back on the SCD to try

and help my son's GI issues and have noticed some improvement in his

stools (a little thicker and occasional a firm mass in it) since

starting the SCD yogurt and taking high vitamin cod liver oil/butter oil.

I am looking for a new enzyme to use because I am growing weary of

dosing 3 separate enzymes 6 times a day and it makes it really hard

for any kind of babysitting. I'm looking for something that comes in

one formulation that can easily be added to juice/water. I am trying

to decide between Klaire's Vital Zyme Complete (which has some DPP-IV,

but lower protease overall) or Enzymedica's Digest Gold (which has

higher protease but no DPP-IV (according to the manufacturer)). So

what would be more beneficial for gut healing in this case? Since we

are SCD now and don't eat gluten and only do casein that has been

denatured/altered by the yogurt process we don't need the DPP-IV for

food breakdown (and are getting some DPP-IV action from the yogurt

itself), but I am wondering if we need more DPP-IV to aid in gut

healing. Or would the higher proteases (without DPP-IV) still be

effective in promoting gut healing? I'm driving myself crazy trying to

pick between these two products. I appreciate any advice that any has

to offer.

Thanks,

K

[Guest guest]

For one thing, I will see about verifying if Digest Gold has DPP IV

activity in it, because I was told it DID have some...it is just not

on the label. And I was very adamant on that point asking several

times.

On the next point, as far as I know, gut healing does not require DPP

IV. DPP IV activity is one part needed for casein/gluten breakdown,

but not for gut healing in itself. Proteases in general can help with

gut healing along with other things.

Here is what I would do for trying these different products. Buy 1

bottle of the Klaire product and use that. At the end of that bottle,

get one bottle of Digest Gold. Then whichever product gave you best

results, go with that one. Since you have been on enzymes already for

so long, one bottle should be enough to let you know how that product

will perform for you.

After a year of your other regime, it is time to try something else

with those types of gut issues remaining. The gut is dynamic. It

doesn't mean the first choice was 'wrong'...it just means it may be

time for something different now.

.

[Guest guest]

Thanks . I really appreciate your advice!

As for whether or not Digest Gold has some DPP-IV in it, I emailed the

company and was emailed back by someone named Tammy and she said that

it did not have any DPP-IV. Perhaps it does have some (just not enough

that they market/label it that way). I probably got the standard

answer from a regular customer service rep and you probably got a more

indepth answer from someone higher up with more knowledge?

And yes, after a year of the Houston trio I am doing so much better.

My energy has returned, etc etc. But I started to pick up a new

allergy to rice even with the enzymes (started to trigger my joint

pain and fatigue) and my son's stools didn't really improve much on

them although we followed the regimen quite faithfully. We stopped

seeing undigested food in his stools, but they remained watery and

loose. We didn't even see any improvement with salicylate/phenol

tolerance with the No-Fenol. :-(

We are now going to try strict SCD by the book, really focus on

getting the SCD yogurt into him, have started taking s. bouldardii

capsules, high vitamin cod liver oil, and are slowly working on

getting more vitamin K2 into him.

We are also dealing with yeast through diet. Very little fruit, just a

little watered down to take our enzymes/supplements with, no nuts, no

legumes, in addition to SCD. Also doing coconut oil and plan on

looking into more yeast protocols in the future. Right now we are

finally seeing some ever so small improvements in stools and behavior,

so we are gonna take it slow and hopefully keep moving in the right

direction.

Thanks again for your advice!

>

> For one thing, I will see about verifying if Digest Gold has DPP IV

> activity in it, because I was told it DID have some...it is just not

> on the label. And I was very adamant on that point asking several

> times.

>

> On the next point, as far as I know, gut healing does not require DPP

> IV. DPP IV activity is one part needed for casein/gluten breakdown,

> but not for gut healing in itself. Proteases in general can help with

> gut healing along with other things.

>

> Here is what I would do for trying these different products. Buy 1

> bottle of the Klaire product and use that. At the end of that bottle,

> get one bottle of Digest Gold. Then whichever product gave you best

> results, go with that one. Since you have been on enzymes already for

> so long, one bottle should be enough to let you know how that product

> will perform for you.

>

> After a year of your other regime, it is time to try something else

> with those types of gut issues remaining. The gut is dynamic. It

> doesn't mean the first choice was 'wrong'...it just means it may be

> time for something different now.

>

> .

>

[Guest guest]

Oh, btw, are you familiar with the Serratia peptidase in the Vital

zyme complete? I'm curious if it would be helpful for my son's issues.

[Guest guest]

Goodness, I'm sorry but I'm just full of questions tonight. Do you

think the Digest Gold is too strong for a mostly " normal " child? My 7

year old daughter had some minor GI issues (skinny soft stools) and

the Houston enzymes have really helped that. She can now take snacks,

including SCD yogurt without any enzymes needed. She also has

salicylate issues which so far remain unresolved, but we are working

on that. I think the enzymes have been beneficial for her, but the

Digest Gold is pretty potent as far as the activity in one capsule.

Should I only give her 1/2 a capsule? Or maybe the somewhat weaker

Vital zyme complete would work better for her?

thanks so much for help and sorry for all the questions. :-)

K

Hashi's, Fibro, CFS (mostly healed!!!)

Kids: son Rhowan 5 yrs old, chronic loose stools/diarrhea, ADHD

behavior, salicylate intolerance; daughter Willow 6.5 yrs old,

salicylate intolerance

On enzymes for one year