If you are in a hurry and just want to find out what the best proteolytic enzymes supplements for post-workout muscle recovery, then I’d recommend MassZymes Digestive Enzyme Supplement as the best one.
While post-workout soreness can be incredibly gratifying, in that it lets you know that you did some real work at the gym, it does not feel as good the following day when every movement that you make is painful.
If you’re looking for a way to speed up your post-workout muscle recovery, I’m going to tell you more in this article about proteolytic enzymes, which no one seems to be talking about, and how they can reduce that muscle soreness and get you back in the gym quicker.
Here are the top proteolytic enzymes supplements we’ll be reviewing:
- MassZymes Digestive Enzyme Supplement
- NOW Supplements, Super Enzymes
- Dr. Tobias Liver 21 Day Cleanse Proteolytic Enzymes Supplement
- Source Naturals Bromelain 500mg Proteolytic Enzyme Supplement
- Doctor’s Best Proteolytic Enzymes
What are Proteolytic Enzymes?
Enzymes are biological molecules that catalyze, or speed up, chemical reactions.
For any process to occur in the body, a chemical reaction has to take place.
Without enzymes, processes such as digestion, healing, and energy production (metabolism) would take forever to occur.
A good example of low enzymatic activity is in the elderly.
On average, most seniors have low muscle mass, low bone density, and are overweight.
Additionally, they are prone to illnesses and injuries. This is because enzyme production reduces as one gets older, leading to a slower rate of healing and recovery.
Additionally, since you need enzymes for cell reproduction, bones and organs get weaker as the rate of cell regeneration is slower than that of cell death.
A slower metabolism due to reduced enzymatic action is what causes the weight gain.
Proteolytic enzymes are a type of enzyme whose primary function is to aid in the breakdown of proteins in the digestive tract.
Additionally, they also play crucial roles in processes such as hormone production, blood clotting, immune function, fighting inflammation, and more.
Proteolytic enzymes supplements, therefore, boost the levels of these enzymes in your body to facilitate their functioning.
How do Proteolytic Enzymes Supplements Help with Post-Workout Recovery?
The pain or soreness that you feel in your muscles after a hard workout is known as delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), and can last anywhere between 24 and 72 hours.
Scientists believe that this pain results from inflammation in the muscle tissue.
As such, one of the best ways of dealing with post-workout soreness is by using an anti-inflammatory compound.
When it comes to treating inflammation, people typically use either NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) or anti-inflammatory corticosteroids.
These are the most commonly prescribed medications for inflammation.
Can They Help in Muscle Recovery?
Since NSAIDs and anti-inflammatory corticosteroids help reduce inflammation, they should offer you some relief.
The problem, however, is that they are not the most effective solution.
Additionally, these drugs predispose you to a variety of health risks.
For example, NSAIDs have been found to have adverse effects on gastrointestinal and renal functions.
Corticosteroids, on the other hand, can have undesirable side effects such as weight gain, bone loss, glaucoma, mood swings, and more.
Proteolytic enzymes (PEs) are natural anti-inflammatory agents.
In fact, before the advent of NSAIDs and corticosteroids, doctors commonly prescribed PEs for combating inflammation, as well as autoimmune diseases, viral infections, and osteoarthritis.
This was back in the 60s.
However, NSAIDs and Corticosteroids took over as the main anti-inflammatory medication because they were cheaper to manufacture and distribute.
Proteolytic enzymes, however, are better than NSAIDs and corticosteroids at fighting inflammation and reducing muscle recovery time for two primary reasons:
- Proteolytic enzymes, in their very nature, are catalysts; meaning they speed up processes, including recovery time from muscle inflammation
- They do not cause any side effects
Therefore, by using proteolytic enzymes supplements, you will be boosting your body’s natural reserves of proteolytic enzymes, thus allowing it to recover faster from injuries and inflammation.
Factors to Consider When Buying a Proteolytic Enzymes Supplement
There are various brands of Proteolytic Enzymes (PE) supplements on the market today, with each having a unique composition.
Therefore, it is important that you understand what you are looking for from a proteolytic enzyme supplement before you buy it.
Some of the things to consider include.
Plant or Animal-Based
The enzymes in a Proteolytic Enzymes supplement can be either plant-based or animal-based, with some supplements utilizing both.
As such, this is something that you should consider if it affects your dietary preferences.
Plant-based proteolytic enzymes include bromelain and papain, with bromelain being derived from pineapples and papain from papayas.
The most commonly utilized animal-based Proteolytic Enzymes are trypsin and chymotrypsin, which are derived from pigs and cows.
Third-Party Testing
You want to be sure that any product that you use has been tested for purity and efficacy.
However, you cannot always take a manufacturer’s word for it.
To put your doubts at ease, some manufacturers take their products to independent labs for testing.
This is what third-party testing means. Such manufacturers should readily provide you with the lab reports upon request.
The Best Proteolytic Enzymes Supplements for Post-Workout Muscle Recovery
After comparing numerous proteolytic enzyme supplement brands, we found the following PE products to be the best on the market today.
MassZymes Digestive Enzyme Supplement
BiOptimizers is one of the most reputable supplement manufacturers today, and have been in business for over 15 years.
The MassZymes – Digestive Enzyme Supplement is another great product from this company.
MassZymes utilizes bromelain, lipase, amylase, and Astrazyme to achieve its efficacy as a digestive aid.
Bromelain is the main proteolytic enzyme in this supplement.
While it is typically used as a digestive aid (breakdown of proteins in the stomach for easier absorption), it has also been found to be helpful in the treatment of cardiovascular disease, asthma, chronic sinusitis, colitis, burns, and cancer.
It also helps in alleviating muscle soreness.
Lipase is a digestive enzyme that helps your body to break down fats.
As such, it helps keep your triglyceride levels in check, thereby reducing your risk for heart disease.
A decrease in your lipase enzyme levels can predispose you to conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome, cystic fibrosis, celiac disease, and gallbladder malfunctions.
Thanks to its ability to break down fat, lipase is a great aid when it comes to weight loss.
Amylase is the primary enzyme that the body uses to facilitate the breakdown of carbohydrates into simple sugars (glucose).
Also known as the starch-digesting enzyme, this compound ensures that your body always has fuel (glucose) for its needs.
Research also shows that amylase is an anti-diabetic, in addition to aiding in cancer treatment.
Astrazyme is included in this supplement to amplify the potency of the other ingredients, thus enhancing their efficacy.
Consequently, using MassZymes can be highly beneficial in training, as it approaches muscle recovery from various angles.
The presence of bromelain helps reduce inflammation, thus improving your recovery time.
Moreover, bromelain, amylase, and lipase enhance the digestion of proteins, carbs, and fats to ensure that your muscles always have the nutrients they need to repair and grow.
This means that your muscle growth rate will also be accelerated.
This product is also vegan-friendly. Nonetheless, it is one of the higher-priced Proteolytic Enzymes supplements on the market.
Pros
- Approaches muscle recovery from various angles
- Promotes digestion of all vital nutrients
- Boosts energy
- Vegan friendly
- Contains AstraZyme to enhance the efficacy of other ingredients
Cons
- Pricey
NOW Supplements, Super Enzymes
NOW Foods is another respected brand in the supplement industry.
With over 50 years of experience in the game, you can expect them to know a thing or two about making good products.
NOW Supplements, Super Enzymes contains bromelain, papain, ox bile, and pancreatin.
Bromelain aids in the breakdown and absorption of protein molecules in the body. Additionally, it works to alleviate muscle soreness.
Papain is also a proteolytic enzyme, meaning that it also works to promote protein digestion, and relieves muscle soreness.
This Proteolytic Enzymes has also been found to be helpful at promoting recovery from wounds, in addition to relieving the symptoms of shingles.
Ox bile is a bile extract. Our livers produce bile to aid in the digestion and absorption of fats, thereby reducing the levels of cholesterol in the body.
It also helps in the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, such as vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, and vitamin K.
Ox bile ensures that your bile levels are always at an optimum to ensure that those processes run smoothly.
Pancreatin is a blend of amylase, protease, and lipase. This extract is helpful for people whose pancreas is not functioning properly, which compromises its ability to create digestive enzymes.
This product is also gluten-free, soy-free, and keto-friendly. However, pancreatin is derived from animal sources, meaning that the supplement is not completely plant-based.
Pros
- Quality assured
- Boosts digestive enzyme levels
- Enhances muscle recovery
- Gluten and soy-free
Cons
- Might not be vegan-friendly
- Has been known to cause acid reflux
Dr. Tobias Liver 21 Day Cleanse Proteolytic Enzymes Supplement
Dr Tobias Liver 21 Day Cleanse works to promote liver health, thus boosting overall health.
Nonetheless, it also contains proteolytic enzymes that will help with your muscle soreness.
The ingredients in this supplement include solarplast, artichoke leaf, dandelion leaf, milk thistle seed, protease, and lipase.
Protease is the other name given to proteolytic enzymes. However, the manufacturer does not explicitly mention the specific Proteolytic Enzymes used in this supplement.
Nonetheless, the 30,000 HUT indicated activity levels for these enzymes suggests that they are quite potent.
All the other ingredients in this supplement are geared towards boosting the health of your liver.
This indirectly works to your advantage (when looking to enhance post-workout recovery) since one of the main functions of the liver is to activate enzymes.
Therefore, while this product might not target post-workout recovery directly, its holistic effects are undeniable.
Pros
- Detoxifies the liver
- Promotes holistic health
- Third-party certified
Cons
- Contains soy and wheat
Source Naturals Bromelain 500mg Proteolytic Enzyme Supplement
With close to 40 years in the supplement industry, Source Naturals must be doing something right; otherwise, they would not have survived that long.
Unlike the other products on this list, Source Naturals Bromelain 500mg Proteolytic Enzyme Supplement consists of only one ingredient; bromelain.
As mentioned, bromelain is an incredibly efficient proteolytic enzyme, with its effects going beyond simply helping you with recovery.
The fact that bromelain is the only ingredient in this supplement means that it targets your needs very specifically.
Pros
- Sweet-smelling
- Addresses your muscle recovery needs specifically
- Aids digestion
Cons
- Limits you to the benefits of only one ingredient
Doctor’s Best Proteolytic Enzymes
Doctor’s Best is a supplement manufacturer that is renowned for quality products. This Proteolytic Enzymes supplement is proof of that.
Doctor’s Best Proteolytic Enzymes consists of bromelain, papain, serratiopeptidase, and fungal protease.
This means that it does not contain any animal-derived proteolytic enzymes.
What you will appreciate about this supplement is the potency of its ingredients. That high potency ensures that the ingredients are highly efficient at their job.
The only drawback to this supplement is that the pills no longer have an enteric coating.
The enteric coat protects the ingredients inside a capsule from being degraded by stomach juices before they are absorbed into the bloodstream.
The lack of an enteric coat, therefore, reduces the efficacy of the product.
Pros
- High potency
- Vegan friendly
- Great for pain and inflammation
Cons
- Recent tablets do not have an enteric coating
Final Thoughts
Proteolytic enzymes supplements are definitely a worthy addition in your supplement stack.
This is because the anti-inflammatory nature of Proteolytic Enzymes allows them to combat muscle soreness directly, as it is believed to result from inflammation in the muscle tissue.
Moreover, by their very nature, enzymes speed up the rate of the processes they are involved in, such as promoting recovery.
However, some Proteolytic Enzymes supplements simply give you a better bang for your buck, and the Bioptimizers MassZymes Digestive Enzyme Supplement is one such product.
We have it as our top pick since it not only approaches muscle recovery from a variety of angles, it also promotes overall health as well.
Therefore, if you are looking for an effective proteolytic enzyme supplement, MassZymes would be an excellent choice.
