Digestive enzymes and protein absorption

What 2 graded rows on digestive enzymes agree on for protein absorption, and where they differ. Counted side by side, never averaged.

Consensus finder Rows from the Digestive enzymes page, reviewed Oct 21, 2026 How it decides

What the rows agree on

Each block and row is one graded row from the Digestive enzymes page, with its PubMed record.

Supplement

Digestive enzymes Choose another

2 rows · 48 people

Split. 1 row found an improvement and 1 had mixed results.

Mixed

Improved

Each block is one evidence row, sized by how many people it enrolled, with its grade inside. Outlined: mixed results.

From the rows

The best-graded row, grade D, is a crossover trial of 24 people (2025) and reported mixed results.

The rows run from 24 people, published from 2024 to 2025: 2 single studies.

1 improved · 1 mixed

Grade DBlood amino acids after a pea protein drink · Improved
Crossover RCT · n 24 · 2024 · Healthy adults (12 women, 12 men; mean age 27)
One dose with the protein drink (protease amount not given in the abstract) · Single test sessions (5 hours of blood sampling)
Total plasma amino acids were higher over 0–5 hours with the protease (P = 0.010), and early (0–2 hour) exposure to leucine, branched-chain, essential and total amino acids was higher; leucine and branched-chain amino acids over the full 5 hours did not differ. Glucose was higher with the protease; insulin did not differ.
Row on the Digestive enzymes page · PubMed 38467279 (opens PubMed)
Grade DBlood amino acids and fullness after a whey protein drink · Mixed
Crossover RCT · n 24 · 2025 · Healthy young adults (12 men, 12 women; mean age 25)
One serving with the whey drink (the abstract reports 50,000 HUT protease activity per 31.9 g serving in its lab test) · Single test sessions (240 minutes)
The 60-minute area under the curve was 14% higher for essential and 15% higher for branched-chain amino acids; total amino acids and leucine did not differ. Ghrelin was 12% lower and fullness higher; glucose, insulin and energy intake at a later meal did not differ.
Row on the Digestive enzymes page · PubMed 40675336 (opens PubMed)