Glucoamylase

Why You Need It

• Starch Conversion: It breaks down stubborn starches (like those in potatoes and rice) that your other enzymes miss.
• Blood Sugar Balance: By converting starches to glucose slowly, it helps prevent massive sugar spikes after meals.
• Reduced Bloating: Undigested starch ferments in the gut, causing gas; glucoamylase clears it out efficiently.

Deep Dive

Glucoamylase works at the very end of the carbohydrate digestion chain. While amylase attacks the middle of starch chains, glucoamylase snips off the very last sugar molecules, ensuring nothing goes to waste.

The Bio-Hack: Biohackers use this specifically to lower their Glycemic Load (GL). If you struggle with post-meal fatigue (the 'food coma'), glucoamylase helps convert that energy release into a steady stream rather than a crash-and-burn explosion.

Natural vs. Supplemental: While you produce it in your pancreas and small intestine, exposure to high heat (cooking) can degrade natural enzyme activity. Supplemental glucoamylase (often derived from the fungus Aspergillus niger) is highly stable and specifically targets high-starch meals.

Natural Food Sources

Unlike vitamins, enzymes are not 'stored' in foods; they are active proteins. However, raw foods contain natural enzymes that assist digestion. Note: Cooking destroys glucoamylase.

Supplementation

Since natural food sources are limited or destroyed by heat, supplementation is the primary way to utilize glucoamylase therapeutically.

• Dosage: Look for 100mg to 200mg per capsule (often listed as 10,000 to 20,000 ALU).
• Timing: Take it immediately before a meal containing rice, pasta, bread, or potatoes.
• Who needs it: Individuals with Insulin Resistance, PCOS, or those who experience significant bloating after eating carbohydrates.