Thanks for that very relevant post. I think digestive enzymes play an under-appreciated role in medicine.

I have to admit to a lack of expertise in digestive enzymes. The only one that I have practical experience with is lactase. Not me personally, but my wife. For many years, she suffered from flatulence, which I observed to get worse after drinking milk, which is a regular part of our diet. I bought lactase tablets for her and they solved the problem entirely. Among Chinese, lactose intolerance is particularly prevalent. So, I am guilty of not having thought about that earlier.

My own experience is a little different. About 15 years ago I occasionally experienced very severe pain in the upper right gastric quadrant. Typically, this is a sign of gallbladder issues. I went to see several doctors and received an ultrasound and an MRI, but no one could tell me what it was. It was only abundantly clear that I had no gallstone problem and no blockage whatsoever. Murphy’s sign was always positive, and very painfully so. I tried to correlate the pain episodes with foods, but no pattern emerged. Then, by coincidence, my son once brought me a special bitter liqueur (we call it a “Schnaps” in German). It’s a specialty of the northern state in which he resides. And it was not at all meant for my pain; it was just a gift. That Schnaps is a special recipe that the producer has followed for 100 years. It is called “Bullenschluck” which translates loosely into “bull’s gulp”. Since I had tried everything to no avail, during my next episode I took a Bullenschluck, and to my amazement, the pain resolved within a very short time. Since then, I have used it whenever I feel the pain coming. Like, for example, right now. Aside from the 40% alcohol, I don’t know what the hell is in that concoction, but it really helps.

If I had not found Bullenschluck, today’s post would have almost certainly made me look around in the world of digestive enzymes.

I do hope that some of your readers will pursue that line of trial-and-error testing, that you mentioned. And I’m sure they’ll ultimately find the relief they deserve.

I'll stop writing now, because I need to take a Bullenschluck.