What are Enzymes? Enzymes are substances that function as organic catalysts, in other words, they either start chemical reactions or make them run faster. They accomplish this while remaining unchanged themselves. Enzymes are composed of two parts, a protein portion called the apoenzyme and a nonprotein portion, either a coenzyme (organic) or cofactor (inorganic). Enzymes are present in every cell in both plants and animals; and are responsible for regulating the biochemical reactions necessary to sustain life.

Enzymes are highly specific, both in the substrate they affect, and in the reactions they catalyze. They can exist both in active and in inactive forms, and many enzymes occur naturally in both active and inactive forms in cells. They can, however, be permanently inactivated by altering their environmental conditions, such as pH or temperature.

There are six main groups of enzymes - hydrolases, isomerases, ligases, lyases, oxidoreductases, and transferases. The enzymes involved in food decomposition and in the digestive process are hydrolases. They break down proteins (proteases), carbohydrates (carbohydrases or amylases), and fats (lipases). Plants also contain enzymes to break down fiber (cellulases).

The enzymes most often utilized in dietary supplements function in the same way as the enzymes found naturally in food and as digestive enzymes in the human body. There are supplemental enzymes available that are capable of breaking down almost any food. For example, there are several different carbohydrate hydrolyzing enzymes, such as amylase (for polysaccharides), lactase (for milk sugar), invertase (for sucrose), and cellulase (for plant fibers).

When considering an enzyme supplement, it is important to purchase one with known efficacy. Since there is no correlation between an enzymeÕs weight and its activity, selecting a supplement in which the activity levels are listed is preferable. There are many assays used to detect enzyme activity. However, two independent scientific organizations have attempted to standardize ingredients used in foods (and dietary supplements) and pharmaceuticals. The Food Chemicals Codex (FCC) focuses on food grade ingredients used in foods, food packaging or as food processing aids. The United States Pharmacopeia and National Formulary (USP/NF or USP) is directed toward ingredients used in pharmaceuticals. The FCC methods are the most widely recognized assays for microbial and plant based enzymes used in dietary supplements. Animal derived enzymes are more commonly assayed by the USP methodology.

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Because enzymes have so many applications, scientists have found it helpful to classify them based on what they do, what substances they act upon (substrates), and the reaction they start or accelerate. There are six main groups of enzymes, each having fundamentally different activities.

For the purpose of this discussion, enzymes can be divided into three groups.

When raw food is ingested, enzymes present within the food are released, thereby assisting the body's digestive processes in breaking down the food into its simplest components for utilization within the body. However cooking and processing destroys those enzymes, forcing the body to supply the additional enzymes needed to adequately digest the food.

There are several categories of food enzymes:

To provide enough enzymes to relieve the burden on the body, the choices are to eat more raw food or the take a supplemental enzyme-based product.

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Pancreatic enzymes:

• derived from animal tissues

• activity limited to a narrow pH range

• very specific in action

• activated by body’s enzymes

• easily destroyed by acidity of the stomach

• delayed effect

• does not break down fibers/certain carbohydrates

• no sucrase, maltase, or lactase activity

Plant enzymes:

• derived from certain plants such as pineapple or papaya

• effective within a broad pH range

• predominantly proteolytic activity

Microbial (fungal) enzymes:

• derived from selected microorganisms by the process of fermentation

• broad pH range (approximately 3.0 - 9.0)

• activated in upper stomach

• begin working immediately

• broad action on a variety of foods

Supplemental pancreatic, plant, and microbial enzymes are all designed to enhance digestion. However, plant and microbial enzymes use a "proactive" approach and begin working on foods sooner after ingestion. Pancreatic enzymes usually begin working approximately 30 minutes after food reaches the stomach. Because of their stability in the acidic environment of the upper stomach, plant and microbial enzymes can begin their digestive action immediately after the food reaches this region. With the increased exposure to digestive enzyme activity, food has a better chance of being broken down into small, more readily absorbed particles.

Choosing a quality enzyme supplement is more difficult then just looking for a plant or fungal-based product. Enzyme potency and activity level is not evaluated by weight, because weight does not necessarily correlate with digestive capability. The activity level of a digestive enzyme is measured by assaying the quantity of digestion (hydrolysis) that occurs under specific conditions. This activity depends upon concentration, quantity, pH, temperature, and substrate.

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Whenever possible enzymes are measured according to the Food Chemicals Codex (FCC). The FCC is published by the National Academy Press which is FDA funded through the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Research Council. The FCC is similar in function to the US Pharmacopoeia (the USP sets specifications for pancreatic enzymes) in that it establishes specifications for foods and food substances, and activity levels and procedures for determining fungal and bacterial enzyme activity. It is the only national standard for the evaluation of fungal enzymes. Weight measurements are not appropriate since there is not necessarily a direct relationship between weight and units of activity.

The activity of enzymes are expressed in the following units:
Protease HUT (Hemoglobin Unit Tryosine base)
Amylase DU (Alpha-amylase Dextrinzing Unit)
Lipase LU (Lipase Unit)
Cellulase CU (Cellulase Unit)
Invertase IAU (Sumner Units)
Lactase LacU (Lactase Unit)
Pectinase AJDU (Apple Juice Depectinizing Unit)
Glucoamylase AG (Amyloglucosidase Unit)

The benefits will vary depending upon the individual, diet, and general health. For the most part, people notice less fullness after meals, faster emptying of stomach contents, decreased gas, less stool being passed, and more regular bowel habits. Long-term benefits have yet to be clinically demonstrated, but is an area of active research.

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The pancreas will adapt to whatever food is taken into the body, and react accordingly. Dr. Howell wrote about the Law of Adaptive Secretion of Digestive Enzymes (page 5 in Enzyme Nutrition) which basically states that if you take supplemental enzymes, then some of the burden of producing enzymes will be relieved. In general, the body will adapt (within 3-7 days) to the composition of the diet. If you eat a high carbohydrate diet, the body will eventually begin secreting more amylase. Studies in rats show that a high protein diet will increase the secretion of the proteolytic enzyme, trypsin. If you supplement enzymes, the need for the body to produce "extra" enzymes is decreased.

The Thermic Effect of Food
This phenomenon, which is referred to as the specific dynamic effect of food, refers to the stimulation in metabolism that occurs from 1 to 3 hours after a meal. This is a direct result of the presence of food in the stomach and intestine. The body will respond to eating food, and then secrete enzymes to aid in digestion and absorption.

Supplemental enzymes are support tools to aid the body in assimilating foods. The body could adapt to having supplemental enzymes present, and begin to produce less endogenous enzymes. However, the mere presence of food in the stomach will always stimulate the pancreas to secrete enzymes. Even as we grow older and the body begins to produce considerably fewer enzymes due to the aging process, food will initiate a "digestive enzyme" response when it enters the body.

References:

Guthrie, Helen. Introductory Nutrition. Seventh Edition. Times Mirror/Mosby College Publishing,
1989. ISBN 0-8016-2201-8.

Grossman, et al. On the Mechanism of the Adaptation of Pancreatic Enzymes to Dietary Consumption. The American Journal of Physiology 141: 38-41; 1944.

Grossman, et al. The Effect of Dietary Composition on the Pancreatic Enzymes. The American Jounal of Physiology. 140:676-682; 1943.

Howell, Edward. Enzyme Nutrition The Food Enzyme Concept. Avery Pblishing Group Inc., 1985.

Prochaska and Piekutowski. On the Synergistic Effects of Enzymes in Food with Enzymes in the Human Body. A Literature Survey and Analytical Report. Medical Hypotheses 42 (June): 335-362: 1993.

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Enzymes are an integral part of the digestive process. From the time food enters the mouth, enzymes are at work breaking the food down into smaller and smaller units until it can be absorbed through the intestinal wall. These enzymes come from two sources, those found in the food itself, and those produced in the body.

All raw food naturally contains the proper types and proportions of enzymes necessary to assist in the process of decomposition. In addition, when raw food is eaten, chewing ruptures the cell membranes and releases these indigenous food enzymes, many of which survive and contribute to the digestive process. These enzymes include protease, which breaks long protein chains (polypeptides) into smaller amino acid chains and eventually into single amino acids, amylase that reduces large carbohydrates (starches and other polysaccharides) to disaccharides including sucrose, lactose, and maltose, lipase that digests fats (triglycerides) into free fatty acids and glycerol, and cellulase. Cellulase, which is not found in the human system, breaks the bonds found in fiber.

Ideally, the human body is capable of producing these same enzymes, with the exception of cellulase, necessary to digest food and allow for the absorption of nutrients. However, with estimates of as many as twenty million Americans suffering from various digestive disorders, optimal conditions are not the case.

Most food enzymes are essentially destroyed under the conditions used to cook and process food, leaving foods devoid of enzyme activity. Placing the full digestive burden on the body, the body's digestive process can become over-stressed. Digestive problems can result, causing improper digestion and malabsorption of nutrients that can have far reaching effects. Consequences of malabsorption can include impaired immunity, allergic reaction, poor wound healing, skin problems and mood swings. Supplemental enzymes can improve the level of digestion and help assure that the maximum level of nutrient absorption is attained.

Supplemental enzymes of microbial and plant origin work at the pH found in the upper stomach. Food sits in the upper portion of the stomach for as long as an hour before gastric secretions begin their action. Several studies have shown that the enzymes in saliva continue their digestive activity in the upper stomach and can digest up to 30% of the ingested protein, 60% of ingested starch and 10% of ingested fat during the 30 to 60 minutes after consumption. Although salivary enzymes accomplish a significant amount of digestion, their activity is limited to a pH level above 5.0. Supplemental microbial enzymes, and some plant enzymes, are active in the pH range of 3.0 to 9.0 and can facilitate the hydrolysis of a much larger amount of protein, carbohydrates and fat before Hydrochloric Acid is secreted in sufficient amounts to neutralize their activity. Obviously, these enzymes can contribute significantly in improving food nutrient utilization.

References:

Murray M, Pizzorno J. Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine, (Prima Publishing, Rocklin, CA. 522-23, 1991).

Prochaska LJ and Piekutowski WV "On the synergistic effects of enzymes in food with enzymes in the human body. A literature survey and analytical report." Medical Hypotheses 42: 355-62 (1994).

Schwimmer S. Source Book of Food Enzymology. (Westport, CT: The AVI Publishing Company, Inc., 1981).

Whitney EN, Cataldo CB, and Rolfes SR. Understanding Normal and Clinical Nutrition. (St. Paul, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco: West Publishing Company, 1991).

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Research in the 1930's clearly demonstrated that enzymes in both bananas and carrots are reactivated in the secretions of the intestine. More recently, a study in the 1980's demonstrated that enteric-coated pancreatic enzyme preparations were no more effective than non-coated forms, indicating survival of the enzymes through the low pH of the stomach.

Enzymes are catalysts. They initiate or speed up a reaction. When food is ingested, enzymes are released in the mouth (ptyalin) that aid in breaking open carbohydrate cell walls. As the food progresses through the digestive tract, other enzymes are released. The ultimate breakdown of food occurs in the small intestine assisted by the release of pancreatic enzymes. Raw food contains its own enzymes which help to facilitate this process. However, if food is cooked or processed, these "food" enzymes are inactivated, and therefore the burden of digestion is left to the body's own enzymes, mostly those produced by the pancreas. Often incompletely digested food is passed into the colon taking vital nutrients with it, and possibly causing intestinal upset.

Supplemental enzymes take the place of enzymes lost in food, enabling digestion to begin further up in the gastro region and resulting in a more complete digestion and release of nutrients, while also easing the burden on the pancreas.

Supplement manufacturers initially used enzymes, and more specifically proteases, as aids to digestion of food. Other, non-digestive, uses have been proposed. Attempts have been made to market enzyme products for oral administration using certain metabolic enzymes.

Digestive enzymes, especially those derived from fungal sources, are relatively more stable compared to metabolic enzymes, and as such are ideal for oral supplementation to aid digestion. The primary benefit is in shifting a portion of the digestive burden from pancreatic enzymes in the intestine to fungal enzymes in the stomach. Continued supplementation over a period of days activates a feedback system to the pancreas, signaling it to decrease production of its enzymes. This allows the pancreas, primarily an endocrine organ, to conserve its cellular machinery for production of insulin and glucagon; which are important in blood glucose maintenance.

Building upon research begun in the '60s, some manufacturers are marketing proteolytic enzymes as natural anti-inflammatory and analgesic agents. Research indicates that some portion of orally administered enzymes is absorbed in the intestine as a whole and functional protein, and may perform in a manner similar to that of the body's own enzyme system in accelerating wound and bruise healing. Caution is advised in extrapolating from these studies. Some companies have implied benefits in treating various cancers with enzyme therapy; however, until confirmed through rigorous clinical trials and a mechanism of how proteases produce these benefits on the cellular level is proposed, these claims must lie on the altar of anectdotal evidence.

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The enzymes naturally present in food play an important role in digestion by helping to predigest the ingested food in the upper stomach before hydrochloric acid has even been secreted. This predigestion is hindered when food is cooked or processed because the enzymes are destroyed by the processing procedures. Placing the full digestive burden on the body, the bodyÕs digestive process can become over-stressed and incomplete. As a result, vital nutrients may not be released from the food for assimilation by the body, and gastrointestinal problems may result.

The primary purpose of enzymes in supplement form is to enhance the enzymes available in raw food, and replace those enzymes lost when food is cooked or processed. In addition, supplementation enables more digestion to begin in the gastric region, easing the burden on the digestive system as a whole. The earlier that digestion can begin, the greater the likelihood that no undigested food will enter the colon where bacteria can feed upon it, causing such problems as gas and bloating.

Nearly every person can benefit from supplementation with enzymes. Even healthy people may improve their absorption and utilization of nutrients through the use of digestive enzymes. Of course the benefits will vary, depending upon the individualÕs diet and general health. Individuals in good health can expect to notice less fullness after meals, increased energy, faster emptying of the stomach contents, decreased gas, and more regular bowel habits.

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Supplemental enzymes replace the enzymes once present in raw food. Most enzymes are lost in cooking and processing. Only raw or uncooked food contains enzymes. Nature put these enzymes in food to aid in digesting the food you eat so your body's enzymes would not have to handle all the work. By taking a supplemental enzyme you free up your body's enzymes. When enzymes are missing from your food, the full burden of digestion falls on your own digestive system. Food sits in your stomach for nearly an hour before your body's digestive enzymes are secreted. It is during this time that food enzymes do their best work breaking down complex food molecules. These supplemental enzymes are temporarily inactivated in the stomach, but not before they have already accomplished much of their mission of breaking down the food molecules. During the first 30 to 60 minutes after eating, enzymes are hard at work, predigesting food long before the stomach acids render some of them inactive. Enzymes not destroyed in the stomach are re-activated in the small intestine.

Today's typical diet of cooked, canned, and convenience foods make it very important to take supplemental enzymes to relieve some of your body's digestive stress. Since your body will put a higher priority on digestion than on maintaining health, it will steal enzymes from the immune system to finish digestion. Taking a supplemental enzyme can help take stress off not only your digestive organs, but also your immune system.

Start with small doses, one capsule prior to a large meal. Most people's systems work differently. Try different doses until the desired effect is achieved. Increase in bowel movements may occur. This is normal because these enzymes are very stable, and retain activity in the intestinal tract. After 2 or 3 days, the system will be cleaned out, and less stool is passed. This means that more food has been broken down and absorbed by the intestinal tract. After even large meals the heaviness and gas will decrease. This is mostly due to the presence of undigested food in the colon, and the bacteria present cause the food to ferment, which produces gas. In addition, less energy is expended by the body to break down food. Which often results in one feeling more alert and energized. Heartburn also is reduced or stops occurring altogether, since the enzymes digest the food very quickly, food is passed out into the intestine faster, and acid production, which is triggered by the presence of food in the stomach is then reduced.

• Is the enzyme selected appropriate to the purpose claimed?
• Declaration of enzymes potencies in standard activity units rather than weight measurements.
• The activity units should be from a compendial source such as the Food Chemical Codex.

Quality and efficacy issues run the entire length and breadth of the dietary supplement industry, including enzymes. Knowledge of handling, storing, and packaging of enzymes is essential to properly preserve an enzyme's activity. Quality control policies must be strictly followed as well as having knowledge of the suppliers of raw materials.

• What are Enzymes?
  
• What are the different types of enzymes?
• What is the difference between Pancreatic and Fungal enzymes?
• How are enzymes measured?
• How many are aware of the function of enzymes?

• What are some short and long term benefits?
• Will my body stop producing enzyme?

• How do enzymes function in digestion?
• Can the importance of pre-digestion be substantiated?
• What happens when food is not properly digested?
• Do enzymes Survive the acidity of the stomach?
• Why are food enzymes missing in cooked and processed foods?
• Are there physiological effects from consuming an enzyme-free diet?
• At the biochemical level, how do enzymes aid in digestion?
• Do enzymes survive digestion?
• How do supplement manufacturers use enzymes in their products?

• Is supplementation necessary?
• Why take a supplemental enzyme?
• What should the dosage be?

• What should retailers consider when choosing a supplement to carry?
• Are there quality and efficacy issues?

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