Metabolic & Digestive Enzymes: All enzymes are biologically active proteins found in every living cell. Metabolic enzymes catalyze and regulate every biochemical reaction that occurs within the human body, making them essential for cellular function and overall health. Digestive enzymes have a different job, turning the food we eat into energy to be utilized by the body for various biological processes. Our bodies naturally produce both digestive and metabolic enzymes, as they are needed—but sometimes may not produce enough for what we need.
Making Chemical Reactions Happen: Enzymes are protein chemicals, which carry vital energy needed to enable each chemical action and reaction occuring in our body. There are approximately 1,300 different enzymes found in the human cell. These enzymes can combine with coenzymes to form nearly 100,000 various chemicals enabling us to see, hear, feel, move, digest food and think. Every organ, every tissue and all the 100 trillion cells in our body depend upon the reactions of metabolic enzymes and their energy factor. Nutrition would be impossible to explain without describing the part that enzymes play.
Nearly one in three people in the U.S. experience some kind of digestive problem.1,2 Though many suffer, few have to. The typical benefits of enzyme supplementation include reduced digestive distress, increased energy and improved regularity.*
Soothe Digestive Distress:* When undigested foods travel through the intestines, they can irritate and potentially damage the sensitive intestinal wall. Over time, this irritation may reduce our digestive capacity and negatively influence the vital absorption process.
Increase Energy: According to Yuri Elkaim, author of Eating for Energy, in most cases, up to 80% of our body’s vital energy is spent on digestion.3 By aiding the breakdown and absorption of foods, you can free up enormous amounts of energy, increasing physical vitality and enhancing energy levels.*
Promote Regularity: Promoting proper digestion may encourage a healthy intestinal environment and help relieve occasional constipation and irregularity.*
References:
1. “Common GI Problems: Volume 1.” The American College of Gastroenterology. The American College of Gastroenterology, n.d. Web. 30 Jul. 2010 <http://www.acg.gi.org/patients/cgp/cgpvol1.asp>
2. U.S. Census Bureau (2010). Data Finders: Population Clocks. Retrieved October 28, 2010. www.census.gov ,<http://www.census.gov/>
3. Elkaim, Yuri. “Health Benefits of Fasting.” Eating for Energy Blog. Yuri Elkaim, 22 Oct 2009. Web. 2 Aug 2010. <http://eatingforenergy.ca/blog/177/health-benefits-of-fasting/>
Metabolic Enzymes: These are an essential component for optimal cellular function and health—they speed up chemical reactions within cells for detoxification and energy production enabling us to see, hear, feel, move and think. Each organ, every tissue and all 100 trillion cells in our body depend upon the reaction of metabolic enzymes and the energy factor they contribute. Without these metabolic enzymes, cellular life would cease to exist.
Digestive Enzymes: These are secreted along the digestive tract to break food down into nutrients and waste. Most digestive enzymes are produced by the pancreas. The liver, gallbladder, small intestine, stomach and colon also play pivotal roles in the production of these enzymes. Digestive enzymes allow the nutrients found in the foods we consume to be absorbed into the blood stream and waste to be discarded. Some human digestive enzymes include lipase, protease, amylase, ptyalin, pepsin and trypsin.
Food Enzymes: These are introduced to the body through the raw foods we eat and through consumption of supplemental enzyme products. Raw foods naturally contain enzymes, providing a source of digestive enzymes when ingested. However, raw food manifests only enough enzymes to digest that particular food. Cooking and processing of food destroys its enzymes, meaning our bodies have to pick up the slack. Since most of the foods we eat are cooked or processed in some way and because the raw foods we do eat contain only enough enzymes to process that particular food, our bodies must produce the majority of the digestive enzymes we require, unless we use supplemental enzymes to aid in the digestive process. A variety of supplemental enzymes are available through different sources. It is important to understand the differences between the enzyme types and make sure you are using an enzyme product most beneficial for your particular needs.
As much as we try to get all the enzymes we need without supplementation, there are a lot of things working against us:
Of all enzyme sources—plant, glandular and vegetarian—vegetarian is the most active, or potent. This means they contain more active units and can break down more fat, protein and carbohydrates across a broader range than any other source. This is why vegetarian enzymes make up 80% of the enzyme supplements sold in health food stores today.
Our bodies produce two kinds of enzymes: digestive and metabolic. Digestive enzymes help us to digest food, and metabolic enzymes allow the necessary actions for life to occur in our cells. By allowing our bodies to produce less digestive enzymes, it frees the body up to produce more metabolic ones, helping us to live healthier lives.
The most common enzymes found in natural food supplements are protease, lipase, amylase and cellulase. All four of these vegetarian enzymes, the most potent form of enzymes, are found in Enzymedica’s complete digestive supplements such as Digest Gold.
Each of our enzyme supplements is designed to meet a specific need. To find out what product would be best for you, take our digestive quiz.
CoQ10, vitamins and minerals are all coenzymes, which means they need energy and another enzyme to work. Blue green algae and green barley are helpful, but since they are not enzymes, they cannot help us absorb nutrients from everything we eat. Hydrochloric acid can help digestion but is not an enzyme nor does it act as an enzyme.
Raw food provides only enough enzymes to digest that particular food. There are no extra enzymes in raw food to digest the other cooked or processed food we eat. Although a totally raw diet may appear to be the best solution, it is generally not practical, and in most cases, not medically advisable. Due to the risk of bacterial contamination, many foods should not be eaten raw, including meats, poultry, eggs and beans. Many people also find the fiber content in large quantities of raw food difficult to digest.
Since enzymes are the catalysts that turn food into energy, they're necessary to make muscles move and grow. If muscle tissue enzymes were not working in the muscle tissue, there would be no muscular growth, not even the basic muscular activity to create growth. So, enzyme supplementation can ensure you're getting the maximum benefit out of the food you're consuming—better supporting body performance.*
No. GlutenEase was designed for individuals with gluten intolerance and was never intended to “cure” celiac or any other known disease. Some people suffering with Celiac disease find GlutenEase helpful as a safety precaution when eating outside of one's own home.
Enzymedica takes great pride in producing safe and effective high-quality supplemental enzyme products. Our enzymes come from sources that have not come into contact with any pesticides or preservatives, however, they are not considered “certified organic.”
First off, always avoid fillers such as magnesium stearate, apple pectin and rice starch. When looking at the label of a high-quality enzyme product, you will find measurement units you may not recognize. With most supplements, we are used to comparing products based on weight. However, with enzymes, we are interested in the activity and potency available, which is measured in these specific units. It is important to recognize that there is no direct relationship between weight and enzyme activity.
When comparing enzyme products make sure enzyme activities are measured using units such as these: