FODZYME Research
As a unique and novel product, FODZYME has quite a specific approach to providing the best results possible for your gut health. Indeed, you can easily enjoy the foods you love with a sprinkle of this powerful enzyme blend, but there are a few guidelines to follow to maximize the benefit of embedding FODZYME into your life.
Common mistakes to avoid when trying FODZYME
We've put together this troubleshooting guide for effectively using FODZYME® as a digestive enzyme. FODZYME® effectively breaks down FODMAPs in foods, but only when used correctly.
Our general recommendation is to sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon of FODZYME® powder on problem foods or chew with the first bite. Take a second dose if continuing to eat after 30 minutes.
Here are some common mistakes we’ve found out from our own self-experiments and talking with customers.
Need some guidance?
Taking FODZYME® too late after a meal
FODZYME® must be mixed with/sprinkled onto your food prior to eating or chewed with the first bite. If you wait to take FODZYME® until after the meal, the digestive enzymes won’t have the proper conditions to homogenize with the food. The window of opportunity for FODZYME® to make a significant digestive impact is within the timeframe of a meal. If you forget to take FODZYME® with problematic trigger foods, take it as soon as you remember if you are still eating.
Mixing FODZYME® with water
When FODZYME® is mixed with water and swallowed on its own, the enzymes are not given a proper opportunity to mix with the high FODMAP foods. When used correctly, FODZYME® will embed itself into the food due to proper mixing.
With homogenization of FODZYME and your meal, FODMAP carbohydrates are able to be effectively broken-down in the stomach. This required level of mixing will also be blocked if FODZYME® is added to a liquid solution, then applied to food. To avoid this common mistake, you can just remember not to water-down your FODZYME® at all. It must be applied directly to your meal, or taken with your first bite, as this will ensure proper homogenization (mixing) of the enzymes with the high-FODMAP foods.
If you do not want to mix FODZYME® with food, please chew the powder with a bite of food instead of a sip of water. That way, the “mixing” will occur directly in your mouth and stomach. If you become thirsty while eating your meal, don’t hesitate to sip a beverage. As long as FODZYME® gets mixed with your meal, as outlined above, it’s totally fine to drink water while eating!
FODZYME Home Kit
FODZYME® Enzyme Supplement breaks down FODMAPs fructan, lactose, and GOS, helping you enjoy your favorite meals with confidence and giving your body the nutrients it deserves.
Not quite figuring out the right dose for your trigger foods
We recommend starting small: in both trigger food serving size and the dose of FODZYME®. 1/4th of a teaspoon of FODZYME® mixed with a small serving of a trigger food is a great place to start. For many, this dose is sufficient and the serving size of the food can increase. For some, however, more powder may need to be mixed with the trigger foods for adequate FODMAP breakdown and symptom reduction. Our content writer, Max, who has suffered from IBS for 8 years mixes a little bit more than 1/4 of a teaspoon of FODZYME® onto large quantities of beans and onions. It took some trial and error to find the right amount of FODZYME® for the ideal meal size. We are always available via email, phone, or web chat to help you troubleshoot the process of finding how FODZYME® can work for you. Find out how to ramp up FODZYME when you start.
Your symptoms might be triggered by sources other than FODMAPs
Additives like guar gum, carrageen, xanthan gum, trans fats, and artificial sweeteners are common culprits in processed foods that trigger GI symptoms without any FODMAPs. The digestive enzymes in FODZYME® will not address these processed additives, so please ensure that you experiment with FODZYME® dosing and application on foods with minimal additives. For example, a customer reached out for advice as to why FODZYME® might not be working for her. It turns out she was only trying it on Halo Top ice cream, which was full of other gut-triggering additives. We guided her towards a cleaner FODZYME® experiment that involved only whole foods like a small serving of chopped onions mixed sufficiently with a dose of FODZYME®.
Additionally, stress is a major trigger of GI symptoms. The heavily-restrictive FODMAP diet can unfortunately throw off a healthy relationship with food trials. Food can become scary to many people on the FODMAP diet due to past experiences with extremely painful symptoms. If your heart is racing and you are not relaxed when doing a trial with FODZYME® and a high FODMAP food, stress may be to blame for your reaction and difficult digestion. One of our team members had to work with a cognitive behavioral therapist (CBT) in order to get their relationship with food trials back on track.
Eating high-FODMAP meals for longer than thirty minutes without re-applying FODZYME®
As previously mentioned, FODZYME® has a window of opportunity to break down FODMAPs in foods before the offending carbohydrates begin passing through your digestive system. Beyond this window, FODZYME® itself is broken down by protease enzymes and stomach acid. This has led to the realization that if you are still eating a high FODMAP meal after 30 minutes, another serving of FODZYME® should be added directly to the food, or swallowed with the next bite. So, remember, it is one dose of FODZYME® for every 30-minutes that you are eating.
Adding FODZYME® to your food while cooking or still extremely hot
FODZYME® works to breakdown FODMAPs within a specific range of temperatures and acidity. Enzymes are proteins with a very specific structure, which gives the enzyme its function. At cooking temperatures, these proteins will be denatured and rendered ineffective. This isn’t dangerous, but it will prevent FODZYME® from breaking down FODMAPs. Adding FODZYME® to a meal that is warm, but not scalding hot, is ideal for these FODMAP digestive enzymes to work.
FODZYME® also works exceptionally well with room temperature and chilled foods. FODZYME® will begin to denature at temperatures exceeding 140°F (60°C), so please don't apply the powder until the meal is at a comfortable temperature. A simple rule you can remember: If the food is too hot to comfortably eat, it's still too hot for FODZYME. Once the meal is at a comfortable eating temperature, you can add the magic powder.
Using FODZYME® on polyols (sugar alcohols; "P" in "FODMAP")
Currently, FODZYME® does not break down the "P" group in FODMAPS, so any foods containing mannitol or sorbitol could still be problematic if your symptoms are triggered by polyols. We are working on adding polyol-targeting enzymes to FODZYME® in order to break down polyols (this is under development and patent pending).
Above all, we encourage you to always reach out to our team for support, troubleshooting, or advice. If you have any questions regarding FODZYME®, its use, and its ability to help you digest foods painlessly, don't hesitate to drop us a line.
We really are here to help you through the process of being able to eat your favorite high FODMAP foods again. Two of our team members have been on the FODMAP diet for years to deal with their IBS. We are available to chat via phone +1 (857) 425 3616, email hello@fodzyme.com, or directly through our website’s chat feature on the lower right of any page on FODZYME.com.