1st Phorm Digestive Enzymes
A 500mg blend of digestive enzymes in a vegan capsule, taken before meals. Your body makes these enzymes already — this supplies more of them alongside food.
Two of the ingredients are the ones that make it genuinely useful, and they are not the obvious ones.
What each enzyme does
- Protease I and II, bromelain and papain — break proteins into amino acids. Bromelain comes from pineapple and papain from papaya, which is the origin of the old advice about pineapple with a heavy meal
- Amylase — breaks starches into simple sugars
- Lipase — breaks fats into fatty acids and glycerol
- Lactase — breaks lactose, the sugar in dairy
- Cellulase — breaks down plant cell walls
- Alpha-galactosidase — breaks down the specific carbohydrates in beans, lentils and cruciferous vegetables
The two that matter most
Cellulase and alpha-galactosidase are the reason to buy this, because they do something your body genuinely cannot.
Humans do not produce cellulase. We have no enzyme for cellulose, the structural fibre in plant cell walls. It passes through undigested, and gut bacteria ferment it in the colon — which produces gas. Supplying cellulase means some of that plant material is broken down higher up instead.
Alpha-galactosidase targets the specific culprits in beans. Beans, lentils, broccoli, cabbage and Brussels sprouts contain galacto-oligosaccharides — carbohydrates humans lack the enzyme to digest. They reach the colon intact and ferment, which is precisely why those foods have the reputation they do. Alpha-galactosidase is the enzyme that breaks them down, and it is the same active ingredient in the well-known anti-gas products.
That is a real mechanism for a real problem, and it is worth more than the protease and amylase, which your pancreas already produces in quantity.
Lactase is the third genuinely useful one, for anyone lactose sensitive eating dairy.
Honest framing: who actually benefits
We would rather set expectations properly than let you buy this hoping for something it will not do.
A healthy pancreas produces protease, amylase and lipase in substantial quantities. If your digestion is fine, adding more of those three is unlikely to change much — you are supplementing something you already have.
Where enzymes earn their place:
- Specific foods that reliably cause you problems — dairy, beans, cruciferous vegetables. Lactase, alpha-galactosidase and cellulase target exactly those
- Very large or unusually rich meals, where the load is beyond normal
- Very high protein intakes, which put genuine demand on protein digestion
- Enzyme production declines with age, so older adults have a stronger case
Where they will not help: if you have persistent digestive symptoms with no obvious food trigger, that is worth investigating with a doctor rather than managing with a supplement. Ongoing digestive problems can have causes an enzyme will not touch, and we would rather say that than sell you a bottle.
Specs
| Enzyme blend | 500mg |
| Serving | 2 capsules, 3–4 times daily as needed |
| Key enzymes | Protease I & II, bromelain, papain, amylase, lipase, lactase, cellulase, alpha-galactosidase |
| Capsule | Vegan |
| Gluten / dairy | Free |
How to take it
- Two capsules immediately before a meal, with 12 to 16 ounces of water. Timing is the whole thing — enzymes need to be present when the food arrives. Taken after, you have missed the window.
- Use them selectively. Most people do not need enzymes at every meal. Take them before the meals that reliably cause problems — the big one, the dairy one, the bean-heavy one.
- Up to three or four times daily if needed.
- Never on an empty stomach. There is nothing for them to act on.
Who this is for
- Anyone who reacts badly to beans, lentils or cruciferous vegetables — alpha-galactosidase targets exactly that
- People who are lactose sensitive but still eat dairy
- Anyone eating very high protein, where digestion is under real load
- People eating a large volume of vegetables and fibre, which is where cellulase helps
- Older adults, where natural enzyme production has declined
- Anyone facing an unusually large meal
Who this is not for
If your digestion is generally fine, you probably do not need this. A healthy pancreas produces these enzymes in quantity, and supplementing more of what you already have adequate amounts of does little.
If you have persistent digestive symptoms, see a doctor. Ongoing problems deserve a diagnosis rather than a supplement, and there are causes an enzyme will not address.
If you already take a greens powder with enzymes included — Opti-Greens 50 and Jocko Greens both contain them — check whether you are duplicating.
Not for anyone under 18, pregnant or nursing.
If you take prescription medication, speak to your doctor. Bromelain in particular can affect bleeding time.
Stack it with: a probiotic if gut support is the broader goal. Enzymes break food down; probiotics address bacterial balance. Different jobs — see 1st Phorm Probiotic.
Frequently asked questions
When should I take digestive enzymes?
Immediately before a meal with plenty of water. Enzymes need to be present as the food arrives, so taking them afterwards misses the window.
Do I need them at every meal?
Most people do not. Use them before the meals that reliably cause problems — large ones, dairy-heavy ones, or bean and vegetable-heavy ones.
Why does it contain cellulase?
Humans do not produce it. Cellulose is the structural fibre in plant cell walls and passes through undigested, fermenting in the colon and producing gas. Cellulase breaks some of it down higher up.
What is alpha-galactosidase?
The enzyme that breaks down galacto-oligosaccharides — the carbohydrates in beans, lentils and cruciferous vegetables that humans cannot digest and which ferment in the colon. It is the active ingredient in well-known anti-gas products.
Will it help with lactose intolerance?
Lactase is included, which is the enzyme lactose-intolerant people lack. Taken before dairy it can help.
Does everyone need digestive enzymes?
No. A healthy pancreas produces protease, amylase and lipase in quantity. Enzymes earn their place for specific problem foods, very large meals, very high protein intake, or as production declines with age.
Should I take them if I have ongoing digestive problems?
See a doctor first. Persistent symptoms deserve a diagnosis, and some causes will not respond to an enzyme.
Can I take them with a greens powder?
Check for duplication — several greens powders already include enzyme blends.