Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I have used another Pure Encapsulations product in the past (Phyto-ADR, an adrenal support formula), so when I developed Chronic Pancreatitis and realized I would need to start taking Digestive Enzymes on a regular basis, I was relieved to discover Pure Encapsulations makes several varieties. I trust this brand immensely. I compared this particular product with two others that Pure makes, Pancreatic Enzymes and Pancreatic VegEnzymes, the former being pig-derived and the latter being plant based. I did a lot of reading about how enzymes work, and animal-based vs. plant-based performance. I decided a plant-based formula was better for my needs because from what I've read, they are able to stay stable and start working while in the stomach, then continue to work in the small intestine, versus animal-based enzymes which only start working in the small intestine. The head start in the stomach seemed important, considering my pancreas is still healing and I'd like to save it as much work as possible. Now, back to this product, which is also plant based. I chose this product over the Pancreatic VegEnzyme formula because it actually contains a higher enzyme content as well as a larger variety of enzymes. The pancreatic formula only contains the primary protease, lipase and amylase enzymes (which work on protein, fat and carbs respectively), whereas this Digestive Enzyme Ultra formula contains those mentioned plus additional enzymes such as lactase (dairy), cellulase, invertase and more. I figure I'll need help with digesting everything I eat, so this seemed to be a more complete option. I was very surprised at how tiny these capsules are! I've had digestive enzymes in the past and they've always been larger, these are very small. That's nice though, they're super easy to swallow even without water if needed or in a bite of food, and because they're so small they fit into a smaller bottle which is convenient to toss into almost any purse to take along with me. Because a damaged pancreas often doesn't produce enough enzymes to break down food fully, the result is identifiable food in the stool that wasn't properly digested. There has been no sign of this since taking this formula, which is some comforting proof that it's working. I'll definitely stick with this brand that I have come to trust and would recommend these to anyone. One general word of caution about enzymes: compare brand labels carefully, digestive enzymes have become more popular lately and as a result brands are popping up from nowhere and I've run into a lot of junk websites/products in the process. Make sure the enzymes are labeled in their own units (HUT, SAPU, FIP, etc) and not in generic milligrams, which tell you only the weight and not the actual quantity of each enzyme. You don't need to understand these units, simply compare HUT to HUT and SAPU's to SAPU's for example, to see which brand offers the highest quantities overall. You can look at the complete label for this formula and Pure's other formulas on their website pureencapsulations.com. Update 01/17/14: I just thought I'd add a quick note now that I've been taking these regularly for several months. I have noticed a huge difference since taking these and wouldn't trade these for the world. On the occasions when I've skipped them I usually feel some discomfort and it's a reminder of how well they are working. I started taking these for my pancreatic problems, but I've noticed massively improved digestion/elimination benefits as well. Just thought I'd offer that update.