| Digestive enzymes are proteins that break | | | | stimulate the secretion of enzymes from the |
| down food into a form that can be used by the | | | | pancreas and also activate certain enzymes |
| body. Enzymes are the body's catalysts that | | | | such as pepsin. It also sterilizes the |
| make it possible for biochemical reactions to | | | | stomach by killing off many parasites and |
| take place. Digestion of food is no more than | | | | bacteria, and is the highly acidic substance |
| a series of chemical reactions taking place | | | | that causes heartburn and the painful effects |
| using enzymes and the chemicals that make up | | | | of acid reflux. Digestive supplements that |
| our foods. Another such enzyme is the | | | | contain hydrochloric acid can supplement poor |
| metabolic enzymes, which help every other | | | | acidity in the stomach, but can also make |
| reaction to occur, such as cell repair, | | | | indigestion and heartburn worse. Glutamic |
| correct brain function and those needed by | | | | acid is important in metabolizing fats and |
| the immune system. There is a third type of | | | | sugars, and also acts as a neurotransmitter. |
| enzyme claimed, that is called the food | | | | It uses up ammonia molecules when forming |
| enzyme. This is not natural to humans, but | | | | glutamine, and is the only way that the brain |
| contained in the foods we eat when raw, and | | | | can remove ammonia. Glutamic acid also helps |
| that are destroyed by cooking. Originally, | | | | to feed the brain with much needed potassium |
| the human body would use the natural food | | | | from the blood. If there are insufficient |
| enzymes to help break down the foods it | | | | enzymes in the food we eat, normally through |
| ingests, but along came cooking and along | | | | overcooking and destroying what enzymes are |
| with more stresses were put on our digestive | | | | present by excessive heat, the pancreas gets |
| enzymes, specifically the pancreas, to make | | | | overworked trying to produce all the enzymes |
| up for those missing in a cooked diet. Some | | | | needed to break down our protein intake. |
| digestive enzymes are created by the | | | | Eventually too much is asked of it, and it |
| pancreas, and their function is to break down | | | | can no longer meet demand of the proteolytic |
| food into smaller molecules than can be | | | | enzymes. Undigested protein then enters the |
| absorbed into the blood and used in human | | | | bloodstream and can trigger off an immune |
| biochemistry and physiology. When digestive | | | | response of pro-inflammatory cytokines that |
| enzymes are in short supply, the pancreas | | | | then cause inflammation. Inflammation can |
| will spend more time producing them, at the | | | | occur in the joints, muscles and intestines, |
| expense of production of metabolic enzymes, | | | | and cause significant pain and stiffness. A |
| and we could become ill or suffer some | | | | blend of proteolytic enzymes, taken as a |
| malfunction to a lack of chemicals and | | | | supplement, can reduce inflammation by |
| enzymes elsewhere in the body. If digestive | | | | reducing the immune response and by helping |
| enzymes were provided as a supplement, then | | | | to digest proteins that caused the immune |
| the pancreas could spend more time producing | | | | response initially. However, proteolytic |
| the metabolic enzymes needed for everyday | | | | enzymes can also destroy lipases that digest |
| life. Up to 80% of the body's energy and | | | | fats, so you may want to refer to your doctor |
| enzyme production is spent on digestion and | | | | if you have a general enzyme deficiency. |
| some of this could be alleviated more would | | | | Inflammation is not the only problem that can |
| be spent on the metabolism. People would feel | | | | occur if food is not digested properly. Large |
| more energetic and less drowsy immediately | | | | undigested protein molecules in the blood can |
| after a meal. Also to be considered is the | | | | act as allergens by attracting the attentions |
| proven fact that as we age, our digestion | | | | of the immune system. Basically they |
| degenerates, and digestive enzyme supplements | | | | shouldn't be there, and the end result could |
| have been shown to remedy that failure and | | | | be the release of histamine by the body to |
| allow older people to make better use of the | | | | fight against them. Undigested food leaking |
| food they eat. There are several enzymes and | | | | into the bloodstream can also cause chronic |
| other chemicals included in digestive enzyme | | | | tiredness and other undesirable symptoms. |
| supplements, each having a specific role to | | | | One way to avoid this is to break down meals |
| play in the digestive processes in our | | | | into specific food types, and eat mainly |
| bodies. Pancreatin is a commercial mixture of | | | | protein at one meal, and mainly carbohydrates |
| various enzymes produced by the pancreas, and | | | | at another. In that way, the enzyme demand |
| contains amylase, protease and lipase. | | | | on the pancreas is reduced. Alternatively |
| Amylase is responsible for breaking down | | | | take an enzyme supplement that is relevant to |
| carbohydrates such as starches into simple | | | | the food you are eating. A proteolytic |
| sugars, and also breaks down more complex | | | | enzyme mixture is of little benefit if you |
| sugars. Protease, as the name suggests, is | | | | are on a high carbohydrate diet. The most |
| needed to break down complex protein into | | | | important factor to keep in mind when |
| single amino acids, while lipase breaks down | | | | considering supplementing your digestive |
| fats and oils into fatty acids and glycerol. | | | | enzyme intake is that they are active |
| All of these smaller molecules are essential | | | | chemicals, not living things. They take part |
| to the biochemistry that carries out the | | | | in the chemical reactions of the body, and |
| chemical reactions to sustain life. The | | | | each enzyme has a specific function in your |
| digestion of fat is improved by ox bile, | | | | body's biochemistry. Always know what you |
| which also stimulates the flow of bile from | | | | are doing, and follow instructions when |
| the liver that helps to digest fats. Another | | | | taking enzyme supplements of any type, and if |
| enzyme, papain, also helps to break down | | | | you have any doubts, take the advice of a |
| proteins. There are many different types of | | | | physician. Enzymes can do harm as well as |
| protein, and more than one enzyme is needed | | | | good. |
| to process them. Another is pepsin, though | | | | |
| the effectiveness of pepsin depends on the | | | | More information can be found at where a |
| hydrochloric availability in the system, and | | | | large selection of digestive enzymes can be |
| yet another is bromelain. Hydrochloric acid | | | | found that is specific to your needs. |
| is the acid used by the digestive system to | | | | |