High-Potency Multi-Enzyme Formula with Pancreatin 4X, Bile Salts, Betaine HCl, and Soothing Carminative Herbs
Medical & Nutritional Summary: Solaray Super Digestaway is an advanced, full-spectrum digestive enzyme supplement engineered to support the breakdown of tough proteins, complex fats, and carbohydrates. By combining pancreatic enzymes, porcine bile, stomach-acidifying betaine HCl, and plant-based proteases with gut-calming botanicals, it relieves occasional post-meal fullness, gas, and bloating.
Key Benefits at a Glance
✓Comprehensive Macro Breakdown: Supplies protease, amylase, and lipase to thoroughly digest proteins, carbohydrates, and fats.
✓Enhanced Fat Emulsification: Includes 100 mg of porcine bile powder to help break down rich, fatty meals—especially beneficial for those with sluggish gallbladders.
✓Dual-Action Gastric Priming: Betaine HCl and Pepsin work together in the stomach to create an optimal acidic environment for protein digestion.
✓Soothes Stomach Discomfort: Blended with real peppermint leaf, ginger root, papaya leaf, and concentrated aloe vera gel to reduce gut tension and cramping.
✓Lab-Verified Purity: Solaray tests each batch in their state-of-the-art laboratory for identity, potency, heavy metals, and microbial purity.
Why Do We Struggle to Digest Food as We Age?
Have you ever eaten a standard meal only to feel uncomfortably full, bloated, or fatigued for hours afterward? You are not alone. Digestion is an energy-intensive process that relies on a chain reaction of stomach acid, digestive juices, and bile.
As we age, or during periods of chronic stress, our bodies naturally produce fewer digestive enzymes and less hydrochloric acid (a condition known as hypochlorhydria). When your stomach acid is low or your pancreas releases fewer enzymes, food sits in your digestive tract longer than it should. Undigested proteins begin to putrefy, unabsorbed fats cause heaviness and nausea, and lingering carbohydrates ferment—producing uncomfortable gas and visible abdominal bloating.
Solaray Super Digestaway steps in as targeted digestive support. Think of it as a team of microscopic helpers that breaks down your food into easily absorbable nutrients, easing the workload on your stomach and pancreas so you feel light, energized, and comfortable after eating.
How Solaray Super Digestaway Works: The 2-Stage Digestive System
Unlike basic plant-only enzyme supplements that work only in one part of your gut, Super Digestaway mimics your body's natural two-step digestive process:
Stage 1: The Gastric (Stomach) Breakdown Phase
When food arrives in your stomach, it requires strong acid to unravel tough protein strands. Super Digestaway provides Betaine HCl to temporarily lower stomach pH, creating the exact acidic trigger needed to awaken Pepsin (the stomach's master protein enzyme). Concurrently, fruit enzymes like Papain (from papaya) and Bromelain (from pineapple) begin breaking down peptide bonds immediately across a wide pH range.
Stage 2: The Intestinal Absorption & Emulsification Phase
Once food passes into the small intestine, it encounters Pancreatin 4X, supplying concentrated protease, amylase, and lipase. Here, dietary fats are typically the hardest to digest because fat and water do not mix. The inclusion of Porcine Bile Powder acts like a biological dish soap: it emulsifies large fat globules into tiny droplets (micelles), allowing lipase enzymes to break them down cleanly so your body can absorb fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K) without distress.
The Science Behind the Ingredients: Clinical Insights
We believe in complete transparency. Every component in Solaray Super Digestaway is grounded in established nutritional biochemistry and clinical gastroenterology:
1. Pancreatin 4X (Equivalent to 700 mg Standard Pancreatin)
Pancreatin is a concentrated extract of pancreatic enzymes containing three primary drivers of human digestion: amylase (starches), protease (proteins), and lipase (fats). A "4X" concentration means it has four times the enzymatic potency of the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) standard. Clinical trials have repeatedly demonstrated that multi-enzyme supplementation significantly reduces the sensation of postprandial fullness, upper abdominal pressure, and gas production in individuals experiencing everyday functional indigestion (Majeed et al., 2018; Ianiro et al., 2016).
2. Porcine Bile Powder (100 mg)
Bile acids are synthesized by the liver and stored in the gallbladder. Without adequate bile flow, fats enter the small intestine intact, leading to oily stools, gas, and poor absorption of fat-soluble nutrients (Boyer, 2013). Supplementing with porcine bile provides an exogenous pool of bile salts closely matching human bile chemistry. This is especially advantageous for individuals who experience sluggish gallbladder function or who have undergone a cholecystectomy (gallbladder removal).
3. Betaine HCl (25 mg) & Pepsin 1:10,000 (40 mg)
Hydrochloric acid is critical for sterilizing swallowed food and activating pepsinogen into active pepsin. Controlled human trials published in Molecular Pharmaceutics revealed that supplemental betaine HCl safely and rapidly lowers gastric pH within minutes (Yago et al., 2013). This temporary re-acidification enables pepsin to cleave complex proteins into smaller, easily manageable peptide fragments.
4. Papain & Bromelain (Fruit Proteases)
Extracted from green papaya (Carica papaya) and pineapple stems (Ananas comosus), these plant-derived proteolytic enzymes remain active in wider pH environments than human stomach enzymes (Roxas, 2008). They provide secondary protein digestive support while helping maintain a calm, healthy intestinal lining (Rathnavelu et al., 2016).
Digestive herbs do not just help break down food—they comfort the gut wall. Clinical reviews show that peppermint leaf exhibits antispasmodic properties that relax the smooth muscles of the GI tract, preventing painful trapped gas bubbles (Khanna et al., 2014). Ginger root contains gingerols and shogaols, which stimulate gastric emptying (prokinetic activity) to stop heavy meals from sitting like a rock in the stomach (Nikkhah Bodagh et al., 2019). Concentrated Aloe Vera 200X provides soothing mucilaginous compounds to protect delicate stomach tissue.
Complete Supplement Facts & Ingredients
Serving Size: 1 VegCap | Servings Per Container: 90
Active Ingredient
Amount Per Serving
% Daily Value
Pancreatin 4X (Equivalent to 700 mg Pancreatin)
175 mg
*
Porcine Bile Powder
100 mg
*
Papain (from Papaya fruit)
50 mg
*
Peppermint (Mentha x piperita) (leaf)
45 mg
*
Ginger (Zingiber officinale) (root)
40 mg
*
Papaya (Carica papaya) (leaf)
40 mg
*
Pepsin (1:10,000 potency)
40 mg
*
Betaine HCl
25 mg
*
Bromelain (from Pineapple stem, 150 GDU/g)
20 mg
*
Aloe Vera Gel 200X (Equivalent to 1 g leaf)
5 mg
*
* Daily Value not established.
Other Ingredients: Vegetable Cellulose Capsule, Cellulose, Maltodextrin (from Non-GMO Corn), Lactose, Magnesium Stearate, and Silica.
How to Take Solaray Super Digestaway
Suggested Usage: Take 1 VegCap at the very beginning of each meal with a glass of water, or as directed by your healthcare professional. Store bottle tightly closed in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight.
Pro Tip for Best Results: Always consume your capsule with the first few bites of food. Digestive enzymes need to physically mix with the food mass (bolus) inside your stomach to break down nutrients effectively. Taking them hours after a meal will significantly reduce their effectiveness.
Important Safety Information & Contraindications
• Pregnancy Warning: Do not use this product if you are pregnant or nursing.
• Stomach Ulcers / Gastritis: Because this formula contains hydrochloric acid (Betaine HCl) and proteolytic pepsin, do not use if you suffer from active peptic ulcers, gastric lesions, or severe gastritis.
• Dietary Notice: Contains animal-derived enzymes (porcine pancreatin, porcine bile, pepsin) and lactose. Not suitable for strict vegetarians, vegans, or individuals with severe dairy or pork allergies.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What makes Solaray Super Digestaway different from basic vegetarian enzyme supplements?
Most standard digestive formulas contain only fungal or plant-derived enzymes. While helpful for simple starches, they lack the raw power needed for heavy animal proteins and high-fat meals. Solaray Super Digestaway combines Pancreatin 4X (animal-derived enzymes that mirror the human pancreas), Porcine Bile Powder to emulsify difficult fats, and Betaine HCl to kickstart stomach acid. This dual-phase action treats the stomach and small intestine together.
Can I take Solaray Super Digestaway if I had my gallbladder removed (cholecystectomy)?
Yes. In fact, individuals without a gallbladder are among the most frequent users of Super Digestaway. Without a gallbladder, your liver drips bile continuously into your intestines rather than releasing a concentrated surge when you consume fats. The 100 mg of Porcine Bile Powder in Super Digestaway supplies supplemental bile salts directly at mealtime, making it significantly easier to break down fats without heaviness or loose stools.
When is the exact best time to take each capsule?
Take 1 capsule right as you sit down to eat or during your first few bites. Taking it on an empty stomach may cause mild stomach warmth or irritation due to the Betaine HCl, and taking it well after a meal misses the critical window when digestive enzymes need to mingle with the food.
Will taking digestive enzymes cause my body to stop making its own?
No. Unlike synthetic hormones, oral digestive enzymes do not trigger negative endocrine feedback loops. Pancreatic enzyme secretion is stimulated mechanically and chemically by the actual presence of food and digestive hormones like secretin and cholecystokinin (CCK). Supplemental enzymes assist the food breakdown process without turning off your internal production.
Is Solaray Super Digestaway gluten-free and allergen-tested?
Solaray formulates Super Digestaway without gluten and conducts rigorous laboratory assays to verify ingredient purity. However, it does contain lactose and pork-derived components (pancreatin, pepsin, and bile), so it is not vegan, kosher, or halal, and is not recommended for those with severe pork or dairy sensitivities.
Scientific References & Clinical Sources
Majeed, M., et al. (2018). Evaluation of the Safety and Efficacy of a Multienzyme Complex in Patients with Functional Dyspepsia: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study. Journal of Medicinal Food, 21(11), 1120–1128. PMID: 30141999.
Yago, M. R., Frymoyer, A. R., Smelick, G. S., et al. (2013). Gastric Reacidification with Betaine HCl in Healthy Volunteers with Rabeprazole-Induced Hypochlorhydria. Molecular Pharmaceutics, 10(11), 4032–4037. PMID: 23980906.
Ianiro, G., Pecere, S., Giorgio, V., Gasbarrini, A., & Cammarota, G. (2016). Digestive Enzyme Supplementation in Gastrointestinal Diseases. Current Drug Metabolism, 17(2), 187–193. PMID: 26806042.
Boyer, J. L. (2013). Bile Formation and Secretion. Comprehensive Physiology, 3(3), 1035–1074. PMID: 23897680.
Khanna, R., MacDonald, J. K., & Levesque, B. G. (2014). Peppermint Oil for the Treatment of Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology, 48(6), 505–512. PMID: 24100754.
Nikkhah Bodagh, M., Maleki, I., & Hekmatdoost, A. (2019). Ginger in Gastrointestinal Disorders: A Systematic Review of Clinical Trials. Food Science & Nutrition, 7(1), 96–108. PMID: 30680163.
