Maltase
20mg per servingCompletes carbohydrate digestion by converting maltose into absorbable glucose.
Overview
What it is
Maltase (also known as alpha-glucosidase) is a brush border enzyme that converts maltose — a disaccharide produced when amylase breaks down starch — into two glucose molecules that can be absorbed through the intestinal wall. While the body produces maltase in the small intestine, supplemental maltase ensures this conversion step keeps pace with the increased maltose production from supplemental amylase.
Mechanism
How it works
When amylase breaks down starch, the end product is maltose — a sugar that cannot be absorbed directly. Maltase hydrolyzes the alpha-1,4-glycosidic bond in maltose, yielding two glucose molecules that are transported across the intestinal epithelium via SGLT1 transporters. Without adequate maltase, maltose accumulates in the small intestine, drawing water osmotically and potentially causing bloating and discomfort. Supplemental maltase prevents this bottleneck.
Why it helps
Key benefits
Converts maltose into absorbable glucose molecules
Prevents maltose accumulation that causes osmotic bloating
Completes the starch digestion process started by amylase
Supports efficient carbohydrate absorption after starchy meals
Evidence
The research
Brush border enzyme deficiency and carbohydrate malabsorption
Nichols BL, Avery S, Sen P, et al. · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2003)
Inadequate maltase-glucoamylase activity leads to maltose accumulation in the small intestine, causing osmotic symptoms including bloating, gas, and diarrhea — confirming the importance of complete carbohydrate digestion.
Starch digestion and the role of mucosal carbohydrases
Quezada-Calvillo R, Robayo-Torres CC, Nichols BL. · Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition (2007)
Complete starch digestion requires both luminal amylase and mucosal maltase-glucoamylase activity, with deficiency in either enzyme resulting in incomplete carbohydrate digestion and GI symptoms.
Dosage
20mg per serving
Why this dose
The 20mg maltase dose delivers a minimum of 200 DP (degrees of diastatic power) of activity. This is calibrated to match the maltose output from the 75mg amylase in the formula — ensuring the downstream enzyme keeps pace with the upstream one. A higher dose would be unnecessary without proportionally more amylase activity.
The formula
Why it matters
Enzyme supplementation works best when the entire digestive cascade is supported, not just individual steps. Amylase breaks starch into maltose, but if maltase cannot convert that maltose into glucose fast enough, the benefit of amylase supplementation is reduced. Maltase closes this gap, ensuring carbohydrate digestion is complete from starch to absorbable glucose.
Works with
Amylase
Amylase breaks starch into maltose, then maltase converts maltose into absorbable glucose — a sequential enzyme cascade for complete carbohydrate digestion.
Invertase
Maltase handles maltose from starch digestion while invertase handles sucrose — together they cover the two most common dietary disaccharides.