The Health Benefits of Digestive Enzymes: Enzyme Supplements Aid Digestion and Food Allergies

Our bodies contain naturally derived enzymes made from protein. Without enzymes, human health would be impossible; every metabolic function in the body requires them. Every time a morsel of food enters the mouth, digestive enzymes are on the job. Inadequate production of digestive enzymes, due to illness or genetic factors, negatively affects the breakdown of foods into the nutrients the body requires. Enzymes are catalysts; they cause reactions to occur. In the case of digestive enzymes, their role is to catalyse or cause long chained substances such as carbohydrate, protein and fat to break into smaller fragments. Enzymes work on a lock and key mechanism: the key (enzyme) must fit the lock (product) to release a new product.

Specific Enzymes Produced by the Body to Aid Digestion

Our bodies produce numerous digestive enzymes. The following are enzymes and their actions:

Digestive Enzyme Supplements

Digestive enzymes are sourced commercially from animal or plants/fungi. The fermentation of various fungi produces the enzymes amylase, protease, peptidase, lipase, lactase, and cellulase. During production of digestive enzymes, microbial filtration ensures there is no fungal residue. Chymotrypsin, trypsin, and pancreatin are pancreatic enzymes, which are from animal products.

Plant based supplements are more stable and able to survive a greater pH than animal based or pancreatic enzymes. Gastric acid tends to destroy animal derived enzymes more easily than plant based enzymes. Some manufacturers, with the use of enteric-coated enzyme supplements, have overcome this problem. Enteric coating is a coating which inhibits the product from dissolving in the stomach. It dissolves in the intestine where there is less stomach acid. This may affect the clinical use of the product; however, as the enzyme supplement will not be effective for the stomach or upper small intestine. Additionally, plant-based digestive enzymes have a broader range of digestive enzyme activity.

Digestive Enzymes Health Benefits: Aid Digestion and Reduce Food Allergies

The main health benefit of general digestive enzyme supplements is in the support of the digestive process. A human and animal study found both fungal and pancreatic enzymes improved malabsorption and malnutrition, while producing a healthier stool weight and fat excretion. Theoretically, digestive enzymes can also work by breaking down dietary proteins that enter the bloodstream due to inflammatory conditions or a breakdown in the gut mucosa barrier. When these proteins travel from the gut to the bloodstream inappropriately, they can cause an immune reaction such as food allergies. Digestive enzymes may reduce this allergic reaction by breaking down these proteins and reducing an immune response.

Fungal digestive enzymes may also help with lactose intolerance, vascular disease, and celiac disease.

Dr Michael Murray states proteolytic enzymes may be beneficial for the following conditions:

References:

Rachman B. (1997) Unique Features and Application of Non-Animal Derived Enzymes. Clinical Nutrition Insights. Vol 5 No 10.

Pizzorno, J. E., & Murray, M. T. (Eds.). (2005). Textbook of Natural Medicine, 3rd ed. Churchill Livingstone.

Dec 17, 2008 5:26 AM

Guest :

I would be very interested to see research that supports the statement that "Fungal digestive enzymes may also help with lactose intolerance, vascular disease, and celiac disease." I have not seen any studies about celiac disease and enzymes.
Michael Thorn, RN
www.suffolkcountyceliacs.org

Dec 17, 2008 2:39 PM

Melissa Peterson :

Thanks Michael for your question. This information is from: Pizzorno, J. E., & Murray, M. T. (Eds.). (2005). Textbook of Natural Medicine, 3rd ed: Churchill Livingstone.
This text states the following: "Carbohydrase enzymes from microbial sources are effective in vitro in the treatment of celiac disease, because they enzymatically cleave the toxic carbohydrate portion of gliadin. Fungal carbohydrase preparations render grains like wheat and rye virtually harmless to individuals with gluten enteropathy." The references for the above statement are:
Phelan, J. J., Stevens, F. M., McNicholl, B., Fottrell, P. F., & McCarthy, C. F. (1977). Coeliac disease: the abolition of gliadin toxicity by enzymes from Aspergillus niger. Clin Sci Mol Med, 53(1), 35-43.
McCarthy, C. F. (1976). Nutritional defects in patients with malabsorption. Proc Nutr Soc, 35(1), 37-40.

Note: Aspergillus is commonly used in the production of amylase, lactase and protease. Hope this helps. Thanks Melissa Peterson

Mar 1, 2009 3:43 PM

Guest :

This is very interesting. I have long thought that many of my health issues are due to inadequate digestion and the more research I do on enzymes, the more convinced I am of that.

Although the structure of wheat et al has changed over the last few centuries giving it a higher concentration of gluten and which has undoubtedly contributed to our current epidemic of gluten intolerance, the fact that many cannot digest it properly has to come down to an inability of the digestion to be able to break it down properly - and that surely has to be linked to a lack of specific enzymes.

Interestingly scientists are investigating the link between enzymes and gluten with the distinct possibility of a successful enzyme treatment - but then, why stop there? It seems that even supplementing with basic digestive enzymes can radically improve or even remove many health issues. Enzymes are the 'workers' - a comment was made that it's like having the materials to build a house but no workers to use the materials, so even if we do eat a relatively good diet and 'pop' vitamin pills - without enzymes they can't get through.

It's a chicken and egg thing - Is it the lack of enzymes that causes the gut damage and resulting maldigestion, or is it the high quantity of 'dead' food consumed that leads to gut damage and a resulting lack of enzymes? Personally I favour the latter. Most of our 'Western' food source is devoid of any real nutritional quality and if the gut cannot acquire enough enzymes from the food then eventually it will start to break down leading to damage and loss of the guts' ability to provide certain enzymes within the villi. Vicious cycle.

People in general consume very little raw food as opposed to cooked or processed - even dairy has vital enzymes 'cooked' out of it during pasteurisation, and we consume a huge amount of that in various forms - and for some the nearest they ever come to a vegetable is a can of processed baked beans! No wonder we are all so sick.

The more we overload our bodies with toxic burdens the more run down we become and the bigger the drain on the enzyme 'bank'. If we don't keep our enzyme bank topped up, eventually it will run out completely, and for some sadly, that can happen sooner rather than later.