| Digestive Enzymes |
 | |  |
 | |  | |  | |  |
| Topic Shorts www.tripple-d.com |
Digestive Enzymes.
Enzymes are biological catalysts: this means that they speed up the
chemical reactions in living things. Without enzymes, our guts would
take weeks and weeks to digest our food, our muscles, nerves and
bones would not work properly and so on - we would not be living!
There are three classes of digestive enzymes: proteolytic enzymes
needed to digest protein, lipases needed to digest fat, and amylases
needed to digest carbohydrates. In many cases health care
practitioners will prescribe digestive enzymes as supplements for
individuals suffering from conditions caused by malabsorption (i.e.
cystic fibrosis, pancreatic insufficiency, etc.). Additionally, pancreatic
enzymes have been prescribed for use by individual that are
experiencing indigestion that cannot be attributed to a specific cause.
All enzymes are made of protein; that is why they are sensitive to heat,
pH and heavy metal ions. Unlike ordinary catalysts, they are specific to
one chemical reaction. An ordinary catalyst may be used for several
different chemical reactions, but an enzyme only works for one specific
reaction.
Enzymes for digestion essentially come from two sources: internally
from our own digestive organs (digestive enzymes) and externally from
the food we eat (food enzymes). However, food enzymes are present
in raw food only. Cooking or processing food at temperatures greater
than 118°F. destroys all of its enzymes, placing the entire burden for
digestion on the body. The impact of this destruction of food enzymes
has been largely overlooked in allopathic medicine.
Enzymes are biological catalysts: this means that they speed up the
chemical reactions in living things. Without enzymes, our guts would
take weeks and weeks to digest our food, our muscles, nerves and
bones would not work properly and so on - we would not be living!
There are three classes of digestive enzymes: proteolytic enzymes
needed to digest protein, lipases needed to digest fat, and amylases
needed to digest carbohydrates. In many cases health care
practitioners will prescribe digestive enzymes as supplements for
individuals suffering from conditions caused by malabsorption (i.e.
cystic fibrosis, pancreatic insufficiency, etc.). Additionally, pancreatic
enzymes have been prescribed for use by individual that are
experiencing indigestion that cannot be attributed to a specific cause.
All enzymes are made of protein; that is why they are sensitive to heat,
pH and heavy metal ions. Unlike ordinary catalysts, they are specific to
one chemical reaction. An ordinary catalyst may be used for several
different chemical reactions, but an enzyme only works for one specific
reaction.
Enzymes for digestion essentially come from two sources: internally
from our own digestive organs (digestive enzymes) and externally from
the food we eat (food enzymes). However, food enzymes are present
in raw food only. Cooking or processing food at temperatures greater
than 118°F. destroys all of its enzymes, placing the entire burden for
digestion on the body. The impact of this destruction of food enzymes
has been largely overlooked in allopathic medicine.
Human saliva contains an enzyme called amylase. This enzyme helps to turn starch into a sugar called maltose. When you
swallow a mouthful of food, the amylase stops working because it is much too acid in the stomach pH 2. Amyalse works best in
neutral or slightly alkaline conditions, i.e. at about pH 7. When your food gets into the small intestine, more amylase is made
by the pancreas and this turns the remaining starch into maltose. Another enzyme (maltase) turns all this maltose into glucose.
Glucose is then absorbed into the blood.
Today, healthcare practitioners in many different disciplines are beginning to recommend enzyme supplements and are
immediately noticing improvements in the health of their patients and, subsequently, the profitability of their practices. In fact,
almost every patient could benefit from an enzyme supplement with each meal.
In addition to adding an enzyme supplement to assist with digestion, taking enzyme supplements between meals has proven
helpful in other areas including: reducing inflammation, boosting immune function, maintaining cardiovascular health,
maximizing endocrine effectiveness, detoxification, and promoting normal respiratory function.
While protease is present in digestive enzyme formulations and taken with meals, protease has also shown to have beneficial
effects on immune and inflammatory processes. and when taken one hour before or two hours after meals – on an empty
stomach
swallow a mouthful of food, the amylase stops working because it is much too acid in the stomach pH 2. Amyalse works best in
neutral or slightly alkaline conditions, i.e. at about pH 7. When your food gets into the small intestine, more amylase is made
by the pancreas and this turns the remaining starch into maltose. Another enzyme (maltase) turns all this maltose into glucose.
Glucose is then absorbed into the blood.
Today, healthcare practitioners in many different disciplines are beginning to recommend enzyme supplements and are
immediately noticing improvements in the health of their patients and, subsequently, the profitability of their practices. In fact,
almost every patient could benefit from an enzyme supplement with each meal.
In addition to adding an enzyme supplement to assist with digestion, taking enzyme supplements between meals has proven
helpful in other areas including: reducing inflammation, boosting immune function, maintaining cardiovascular health,
maximizing endocrine effectiveness, detoxification, and promoting normal respiratory function.
While protease is present in digestive enzyme formulations and taken with meals, protease has also shown to have beneficial
effects on immune and inflammatory processes. and when taken one hour before or two hours after meals – on an empty
stomach