Digestive enzyme complex
Amylase
Amylase is a digestive enzyme that breaks down starch and other polysaccharides into smaller sugar units.
Also known as: α-amylase, alpha-amylase, diastase, amylolytic enzyme
What it is
Amylases — also called diastases or amylolytic enzymes — are hydrolases whose job is to break down starch and other polysaccharides. There are three types, α, β and γ. Alpha-amylase works by splitting the α-(1,4) glycosidic bonds that link the sugar units in starch.[1]
Where it’s found
- In the body: the pancreas and the salivary glands hold amylase concentrations several orders of magnitude higher than any other tissue.
- In plants: amylases are made in many fruits as they ripen and in cereal grains as they germinate — barley β-amylase is one commercially available example.
- In micro-organisms: α-amylases from moulds and bacteria such as Aspergillus oryzae and Bacillus licheniformis are produced commercially.
Source [1]
In dogs, the exocrine pancreas produces amylase as part of the pancreatic juice, alongside lipase and protease.[1]
Why it’s used in dog supplements
Amylase is the enzyme family that deals with starch, which is why it appears in digestive enzyme blends. Dogs are an interesting case: dog domestication was accompanied by duplications of Amy2B, the gene coding for pancreatic amylase. Modern dogs carry roughly 4–34 copies, compared with 2–8 in wolves, and higher copy numbers are associated with higher amylase activity. Researchers read this as an adaptation to a diet richer in starch than the wolf’s.[1],[2]
A 2016 study of ancient dog DNA found the increase in Amy2B copies as early as the 7th millennium before present in south-eastern Europe, linking it to dogs living alongside early farming communities.[2]
On the DIGEST+ label
The label lists six enzymes in the Digestive Enzyme Complex, 150 mg in total, derived from natural plant sources. The label states that total for the complex as a whole; it does not give a separate amount for each enzyme, so we don’t either. Amylase is listed first in the complex on the DIGEST+ label.
- Amylase
- Bromelain
- Protease
- Lipase
- Cellulase
- Lactase
Questions people ask
Do dogs make their own amylase?
Yes. A dog’s pancreas produces amylase as part of the pancreatic juice, together with lipase and protease, for digesting carbohydrates, fats and proteins.
Can dogs digest starch?
Dogs carry more copies of the pancreatic amylase gene Amy2B than wolves, and more copies are associated with higher amylase activity. Researchers interpret this as an adaptation to a more starch-rich diet during domestication. Copy numbers vary widely between breeds and individual dogs.
How much amylase is in DIGEST+?
The label gives 150 mg in total for the six-enzyme Digestive Enzyme Complex. It does not state a separate amount of amylase.
Work out your exact supply
The calculator on the product page takes your dog’s weight band and how many dogs you have, then shows the daily dose, how long a bottle lasts and a sensible refill rhythm.
Sources
- A review: Pancreatic enzymes in the treatment of chronic pancreatic insufficiency in companion animals — Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine. Checked 2026-10-15.
- Amy2B copy number variation reveals starch diet adaptations in ancient European dogs — Royal Society Open Science. Checked 2026-10-15.
Updated