Assessing the Prevalence of Age-related Enzyme Deficiency in Indian Population and the Efficacy of Supplementing with a Combination of Alpha- Amylase and Papain Enzyme in this Population

Abstract

Background: Enzymes are crucial for proper bodily functions, but as individuals age or experience medical conditions,
their levels decrease, leading to several health issues most common being the gastrointestinal (GI) problems like dyspepsia,
constipation and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The study assessed age-related enzyme deficiency in the Indian population
and investigated the effectiveness of a combined supplementation of alpha-amylase and papain enzymes. Methods: The study
was a retrospective study in July 2023 used a questionnaire-based survey to assess the prevalence of age-related enzyme
deficiency in Indian population and the efficacy of supplementing with a combination of alpha-amylase and papain enzyme in
this population. The study used a validated questionnaire with 18 questions, and data was entered into a software database.
Complete cases were analyzed, and missing data was excluded due to low occurrence. The final report was prepared after
cleaning the data. Result: The study included 134 doctors from various medical specializations. Results showed that the
majority of doctors were GI specialists, with the highest frequency of patients with age-related enzyme deficits in the 40 to 60 years age groups (55.2%). The combination of alpha-amylase and papain was found to relieve proton pump inhibitor (PPI) overuse adverse effects. The safety profile was neutral (64.9%), with 30.6% stating it as safe and 2.2% as very safe. The combination was found to be neutral (48.5%), effective (45.5%) and very effective (3.7%), with age-related considerations being the main factor. Most doctors rated the combination as neutral (64.9%), with 29.1% giving a good rating and 5.2% giving a very good rating. Conclusion: In conclusion, this study sheds light on the prevalence of age-related enzyme deficiency in the Indian population and provides evidence for the potential efficacy of a combined alpha-amylase and papain enzyme supplement in addressing these deficiencies.