What It Is
Gastrogest is a broad-spectrum digestive formula combining betaine HCl, plant and pancreatic enzymes, bile, and traditional botanicals in a single capsule. Each capsule supplies a 520 mg proprietary blend covering eleven ingredients.
Key Benefits
- Supplies betaine hydrochloride, a source of hydrochloric acid
- Provides enzymes standardized to activity — papain, lactase, lipase, pepsin, and pancreatin
- Includes ox bile extract, a source of bile salts
- Supplies the three fruits of the traditional Ayurvedic formulation Triphala — amalaki, bibhitaki, and haritaki
- Provides gentian root, a botanical with a long history of traditional use as a bitter
- Delivers the full serving in one capsule, with 90 servings per bottle
How It Works
The enzymes in this formula are standardized to activity rather than weight alone: papain at 3000 GDU per gram, lactase at 1000 ALU per gram, pepsin at 10000 FCC units per gram, and both pancreatin and lipase at 8X. Activity units describe how much enzymatic work a given quantity performs, which a milligram figure does not convey on its own.
Betaine is supplied here as betaine hydrochloride. This is a different ingredient from betaine anhydrous, also called trimethylglycine, which appears in methylation formulas — the hydrochloride form is used for its acid component.
Calcium and phosphorus both appear on the panel because both come from the same ingredient, dicalcium phosphate. The label declares each mineral separately since each carries its own Daily Value.
Featured Ingredients
- Betaine HCl — betaine hydrochloride
- Amalaki fruit (Emblica officinalis), bibhitaki fruit (Terminalia bellirica), and haritaki fruit (Terminalia chebula) — the three fruits of Triphala
- Papain (3000 GDU/gm) — a proteolytic enzyme from papaya
- Lactase enzyme (1000 ALU/g)
- Pancreatin 8X
- Pepsin (10000 FCC U/g)
- Lipase (8X)
- Gentian root (Gentiana lutea)
- Ox bile extract (bovine source)
Supplement Facts
Serving Size: 1 Capsule
Servings Per Container: 90
| Amount Per Serving | % Daily Value |
|---|---|
| Calcium (as dicalcium phosphate) | 11.5 mg, 1% |
| Phosphorus (as dicalcium phosphate) | 9 mg, 1% |
| Proprietary Blend | 520 mg, * |
| Betaine HCl | |
| Amalki Fruit (Emblica officinalis) | |
| Bibhitaki Fruit (Terminalia bellirica) | |
| Haritaki Fruit (Terminalia chebula) | |
| Papain (3000 GDU/gm) | |
| Lactase Enzyme (1000 ALU/g) | |
| Pancreatin 8X | |
| Pepsin 10000 FCC U/g | |
| Lipase (8X) | |
| Gentian root (Gentiana lutea) | |
| Ox Bile Extract (Bovine source) | |
* Daily Value not established.
Other Ingredients: Hypromellose and water (vegetarian capsule).
Sourcing & Quality
Enzymes in this formula are standardized to activity units rather than weight alone. The capsule shell is hypromellose, a plant-derived vegetarian capsule, and the formula is gluten-free.
This formula is not vegetarian. It contains ox bile extract from a bovine source, and pancreatin, which is an animal-derived enzyme preparation. The vegetarian capsule shell refers to the shell only, not the contents.
Warnings
- Contains ox bile extract from a bovine source and pancreatin, an animal-derived enzyme preparation. Not suitable for vegetarians or vegans.
- Keep out of reach of children.
- Consult your healthcare professional before use if pregnant, nursing, taking medications, or under medical supervision.
- Store in a cool, dry place.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is in Gastrogest?
Each capsule supplies 11.5 mg of calcium and 9 mg of phosphorus, both from dicalcium phosphate, plus a 520 mg proprietary blend. The blend contains betaine HCl, amalaki fruit, bibhitaki fruit, haritaki fruit, papain, lactase enzyme, pancreatin 8X, pepsin, lipase, gentian root, and ox bile extract. The full panel is listed in the Supplement Facts above.
Is Gastrogest vegetarian?
No. The capsule shell is hypromellose, which is plant-derived, but the formula contains ox bile extract from a bovine source and pancreatin, an animal-derived enzyme preparation. A vegetarian capsule shell describes the shell only, not the contents. The formula is gluten-free.
What form does it come in, and how many servings are in a bottle?
Gastrogest is supplied in capsules with a hypromellose shell. A bottle contains 90 capsules and the serving size is 1 capsule, so a bottle is 90 servings.
What are amalaki, bibhitaki, and haritaki?
They are the three fruits that make up Triphala, a formulation used in traditional Ayurvedic practice for centuries. Amalaki is Emblica officinalis, also called amla; bibhitaki is Terminalia bellirica; and haritaki is Terminalia chebula. All three appear in this blend.
What do the enzyme activity units mean?
Enzymes are measured by activity rather than weight, because two products with the same milligram amount can differ in how much enzymatic work they perform. Different enzymes use different scales: GDU for papain, ALU for lactase, FCC units for pepsin, and an X-fold notation for pancreatin and lipase. In this formula papain is standardized to 3000 GDU per gram, lactase to 1000 ALU per gram, pepsin to 10000 FCC units per gram, and pancreatin and lipase to 8X.
Is betaine HCl the same as the betaine in methylation formulas?
No. Betaine HCl is betaine hydrochloride, used here for its acid component. Betaine anhydrous, also called TMG or trimethylglycine, is a different ingredient found in methylation formulas. The betaine portion is the same molecule, but the two forms are used for different purposes and are not interchangeable.
Why are calcium and phosphorus both listed?
Both come from a single ingredient, dicalcium phosphate. Because calcium and phosphorus each carry their own established Daily Value, the label declares each one separately in the upper section of the panel. They are not two separate additions to the formula.
