The science behind Debloat

Every ingredient in Debloat was chosen for a reason. This page sets out the research behind those choices, in plain language, with links to the original studies.

These aren't all the studies. The research on digestion, bloating, and the specific ingredients in Debloat is extensive, and a full literature review would run to hundreds of papers. 

Instead, we've included below some of the most relevant, credible, and recent sources for each of the ingredients in the formula.

Where the evidence is strong, we'll say so. Where it's more mixed or based on traditional use, we'll say that too.

It's worth noting that the supplement research is inherently imperfect. Individual response varies, and no study proves that a product will work for every person. 

The enzymes

Digestive enzymes help break down food as it moves through the stomach and small intestine.

Your body produces its own, but production can be reduced by age, stress, certain health conditions and more.

Supplementing enzymes before a meal can help the body handle foods that would otherwise cause discomfort.

The evidence base for digestive enzyme supplementation is strongest for specific enzymes targeting specific foods.

We've included seven enzymes in Debloat. 

Alpha-galactosidase

Alpha-galactosidase breaks down galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS), the complex carbohydrates found in beans, lentils, cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cabbage, and other plant foods. Your body doesn't produce alpha-galactosidase, which is why these foods are so commonly associated with bloating and gas.

A 2018 randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial by the Monash University team, published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology, tested 300 GALU of alpha-galactosidase (the same dose used in Debloat) against a half-dose and placebo in IBS patients sensitive to GOS-containing foods. The full 300 GALU dose produced a clinically significant reduction in overall symptoms and bloating. The half-dose showed no effect, suggesting that the full dose is needed for tolerance.

Tuck CJ, Taylor KM, Gibson PR, Barrett JS, Muir JG. Increasing Symptoms in Irritable Bowel Symptoms With Ingestion of Galacto-Oligosaccharides Are Mitigated by α-Galactosidase Treatment. American Journal of Gastroenterology, 2018. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28809383/

An earlier 2007 study in Digestive Diseases and Sciences also tested alpha-galactosidase in healthy volunteers after a bean-based meal, and found reductions in gas production and flatulence symptoms compared to placebo.

Di Stefano M, Miceli E, Gotti S, Missanelli A, Mazzocchi S, Corazza GR. The effect of oral alpha-galactosidase on intestinal gas production and gas-related symptoms. Digestive Diseases and Sciences, 2007. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17151807/

Lactase

Lactase breaks down lactose, the sugar found in dairy. Around two-thirds of adults worldwide have some degree of reduced lactase production, which can cause bloating, gas, and discomfort after dairy.

Lactase supplementation is one of the most clinically established enzyme interventions. A 2010 review by the US National Institutes of Health concluded that lactase supplements effectively improve lactose digestion and reduce symptoms in people with lactose malabsorption.

Suchy FJ, Brannon PM, Carpenter TO, et al. NIH Consensus Development Conference Statement: Lactose Intolerance and Health. Annals of Internal Medicine, 2010. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20404261/

Bromelain

Bromelain is a protein-digesting enzyme originally extracted from pineapple. It's been studied for a range of digestive and anti-inflammatory applications, and is commonly included in digestive formulas for its role in protein breakdown.

A 2012 review in Biomedical Reports summarised the clinical and pre-clinical evidence for bromelain's digestive and therapeutic applications, including its role in aiding protein digestion.

Pavan R, Jain S, Shraddha, Kumar A. Properties and therapeutic application of bromelain: a review. Biotechnology Research International, 2012. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23304525/

The supporting enzymes

Debloat also contains amylase (for starches), protease (for proteins), lipase (for fats), and cellulase (for fibrous plant material).

These are well-established digestive enzymes that work alongside the three above to support breakdown of a full meal.

The clinical evidence for enzyme supplementation in general is reviewed in the Ianiro et al. 2016 paper below.

Ianiro G, Pecere S, Giorgio V, Gasbarrini A, Cammarota G. Digestive Enzyme Supplementation in Gastrointestinal Diseases. Current Drug Metabolism, 2016. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26806042/

The herbs

Herbs have a long history of use around meals across cultures. Some of them, like peppermint and ginger, have strong modern clinical evidence. Others are supported primarily by traditional use with modest clinical backing. We've been honest about which is which.

Peppermint oil

Peppermint oil is one of the most clinically studied herbal ingredients for digestive comfort.

The enteric-coated form, which is what we use in Debloat, is specifically important. Enteric coating means the capsule bypasses the stomach and releases in the small intestine, where the oil acts on the digestive tract directly, rather than being broken down in the stomach first. This is the form used in nearly all the successful clinical trials.

A 2019 meta-analysis of 12 randomised controlled trials, involving 835 patients, found that enteric-coated peppermint oil was significantly more effective than placebo for the relief of abdominal pain and global digestive symptoms in adults with IBS. The risk ratio was 2.39 for global symptom improvement, with a number-needed-to-treat of 3.

Alammar N, Wang L, Saberi B, Nanavati J, Holtmann G, Shinohara RT, Mullin GE. The impact of peppermint oil on the irritable bowel syndrome: a meta-analysis of the pooled clinical data. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2019. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6337770/

A more recent 2022 systematic review and meta-analysis of 10 trials with 1,030 patients also concluded that peppermint oil was more effective than placebo for global IBS symptoms and abdominal pain.

Ingrosso MR, Ianiro G, Nee J, Lembo AJ, Moayyedi P, Black CJ, Ford AC. Systematic review and meta-analysis: efficacy of peppermint oil in irritable bowel syndrome. Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 2022. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35942669/

Ginger

Ginger has been used as a digestive aid across cultures for thousands of years, and modern research supports several of those traditional uses.

Studies have shown ginger supports gastric motility (the speed at which food moves through the stomach), which is directly relevant to post-meal comfort.

A 2008 randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial found that ginger accelerated gastric emptying and stimulated antral contractions in healthy volunteers.

Wu KL, Rayner CK, Chuah SK, Changchien CS, Lu SN, Chiu YC, Chiu KW, Lee CM. Effects of ginger on gastric emptying and motility in healthy humans. European Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, 2008. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18403946/

Fennel, lemon balm, and chamomile

These three herbs are supported primarily by long traditional use and modest modern clinical research. Each has been studied in small trials, often in combination with other herbs, for digestive comfort and gut spasms. The evidence is more limited than for peppermint and ginger, and we want to be honest about that.

Fennel has been reviewed in the context of colic and digestive discomfort. A 2014 review in Arabian Journal of Chemistry summarised the traditional and clinical applications of fennel across digestive indications.

Rather R, Shikari AB. Foeniculum vulgare: A comprehensive review of its traditional use, phytochemistry, pharmacology, and safety. Arabian Journal of Chemistry, 2014. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1878535212000792

Chamomile and lemon balm are most often cited for their calming and mild antispasmodic properties, with supporting evidence in herbal medicine reviews.

Srivastava JK, Shankar E, Gupta S. Chamomile: A herbal medicine of the past with a bright future. Molecular Medicine Reports, 2010. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21132119/

The probiotics

Probiotic research is complex. Effects are strain-specific, dose-dependent, and individual response varies considerably.

Not every probiotic works for every person, and benefits typically build cumulatively over weeks of consistent use rather than appearing immediately.

Debloat contains six probiotic strains at a combined 10 billion CFU. The dose is deliberate.

Many probiotic supplements push 50 or 100 billion CFU as a marketing number, but higher doses can cause more discomfort than they solve in the first weeks of use, as the gut adjusts.

On the strains

The strains in Debloat (Lactobacillus plantarum, L. acidophilus, L. fermentum, Bifidobacterium animalis, B. bifidum, and Streptococcus thermophilus) are among the most extensively researched probiotic species. Each has a substantial body of clinical literature behind it, particularly for digestive health.

A 2014 meta-analysis of 43 randomised controlled trials concluded that probiotics as a category have beneficial effects on global IBS symptoms, with certain Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium species showing particular benefit.

Ford AC, Quigley EM, Lacy BE, Lembo AJ, Saito YA, Schiller LR, Soffer EE, Spiegel BM, Moayyedi P. Efficacy of prebiotics, probiotics, and synbiotics in irritable bowel syndrome and chronic idiopathic constipation: systematic review and meta-analysis. American Journal of Gastroenterology, 2014. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25070054/

On the dose

Research suggests probiotic benefits do not scale linearly with dose. At higher doses, side effects including bloating and gas become more common, particularly in the first weeks of supplementation.

Cleveland Clinic, one of the most respected medical institutions in the US, notes that when probiotic populations increase suddenly, some people experience temporary bloating and gas as the gut adjusts, with symptoms typically resolving within a few days.

Cleveland Clinic. Probiotics: Uses, Benefits and Side Effects. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/14598-probiotics

On the timeframe

Probiotic benefits build over time. Unlike enzymes, which work on the meal in front of you, probiotics support the gut cumulatively through daily use. Most clinical trials showing probiotic benefits for digestive symptoms use treatment periods of 4 to 8 weeks.

A 2018 review of probiotic effects in functional gastrointestinal disorders concluded that consistent daily use over several weeks is typically required to see meaningful changes in symptoms.

Dimidi E, Christodoulides S, Scott SM, Whelan K. Mechanisms of Action of Probiotics and the Gastrointestinal Microbiota on Gut Motility and Constipation. Advances in Nutrition, 2017. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28298269/

Our approach

Debloat was built on the principle that every ingredient should earn its place, at a dose that reflects the research.

The enzymes are dosed in real activity units.

The peppermint oil is enteric-coated.

The probiotic dose is deliberately modest for daily use.

These choices are grounded in the studies above.

No supplement works for everyone. Bloating has many causes, and Debloat addresses three of the most common ones.

If it helps, great. If it doesn't, it's probably not the right match for your system.

We hope this gave you a deeper understanding of what's in the formula and why.

The product page is here.

If you have any questions about the research, the formula, or anything else, we're always happy to answer them.