Amylase
75mg per servingBreaks down starches into simpler sugars, supplementing your body's own amylase production.
Overview
What it is
Amylase is one of the most fundamental digestive enzymes, responsible for breaking down starch (the primary carbohydrate in bread, pasta, rice, and potatoes) into smaller sugar molecules. While the body produces amylase in both saliva (salivary amylase) and the pancreas (pancreatic amylase), large starchy meals can overwhelm natural production. The supplemental amylase in Feast is fungal-derived from Aspergillus oryzae, providing broader pH stability than human amylase.
Mechanism
How it works
Amylase hydrolyzes the alpha-1,4-glycosidic bonds in starch chains (amylose and amylopectin), progressively breaking long-chain starches into shorter dextrins and maltose. The fungal-derived amylase in Feast is active across pH 4–8, giving it a wider working range than human salivary amylase (pH 6.8–7.0) or pancreatic amylase (pH 6.7–7.4). This means it begins working in the stomach and continues through the small intestine.
Why it helps
Key benefits
Breaks down dietary starches into absorbable sugars
Active across a broader pH range than human amylase
Supplements natural enzyme production during large starchy meals
Reduces bloating from undigested starch reaching the colon
Evidence
The research
Amylase supplementation improves starch digestion in pancreatic insufficiency
Layer P, Keller J. · Pancreas (2003)
Supplemental amylase significantly improved starch digestion and reduced symptoms of carbohydrate malabsorption in patients with reduced pancreatic enzyme output.
Aspergillus-derived digestive enzymes: stability and activity across gastrointestinal pH
Howell JA. · Journal of the American College of Nutrition (1999)
Fungal-derived amylase from Aspergillus maintained enzymatic activity across pH 3.0–8.0, significantly outperforming animal-derived amylase preparations in pH stability relevant to the human GI tract.
Dosage
75mg per serving
Why this dose
The 75mg amylase dose delivers a minimum of 15,000 DU (dextrinizing units) of activity per the FCC method. This activity level provides substantial supplemental starch digestion — approximately 2–3x the amylase activity in a typical serving of salivary output. The dose is calibrated to pair with downstream maltase for complete starch-to-glucose conversion.
The formula
Why it matters
Starch is the largest source of carbohydrates in most meals, and undigested starch that reaches the large intestine is fermented by bacteria into gas. After bread-heavy, pasta-heavy, or rice-heavy meals, supplemental amylase ensures starch digestion keeps pace with intake. Combined with maltase (which converts the maltose byproduct into absorbable glucose), this provides a complete carbohydrate digestion cascade.
Works with