DIGESTIVE ENZYMES: WHAT ARE THEY?
Digestive enzymes are needed to convert food into nutrients. They are found in many places in the body. What is the role of each of them? What are the health consequences of insufficient production of digestive enzymes? Here's everything you need to know about these essential proteins.
What is a digestive enzyme?
A digestive enzyme is a protein that helps break down food . There are several types and they are essential for the transformation of food into nutrients, food substances that can be directly assimilated by the body's cells. Each of them has a specific action.
What is the role of digestive enzymes?
Digestive enzymes are involved in the digestion process by transforming complex molecules into simple molecules that are easily assimilated by the body. To simplify, they cut food into small units that can be absorbed by cells, called nutrients. This biochemical reaction is called hydrolysis.
There are three main categories of digestive enzymes:
- Proteolytic enzymes (proteases) that convert proteins into amino acids and peptides.
- Glycolytic enzymes (amylase, maltase, sucrase and lactase) which convert carbohydrates into glucose.
- Lipolytic enzymes (lipase) which convert lipids into fatty acids.
Where are digestive enzymes found?
Digestive enzymes are produced by different organs of the digestive system. The largest producer of digestive enzymes is the pancreas since it synthesizes proteases, amylase and lipase on its own. But digestion begins in the mouth with the presence of amylase in the salivary glands which hydrolyzes the starch in food. The stomach secretes pepsin, which breaks down proteins into peptides. The intestine produces lactase which splits lactose into glucose and galactose, two simple sugars used directly by the body as a source of energy.
Digestive enzymes can also be provided through food . This is the case of cellulase, the enzyme that hydrolyzes cellulose, a carbohydrate found in plants (cotton, hemp, flax, wood) and which promotes intestinal transit . Cellulase is not produced by the body.
Insufficient production of digestive enzymes: what consequences?
To digest well, our body needs to have a high enzymatic activity . But in some people, the production of certain digestive enzymes is insufficient, making digestion difficult. For example, the lack of lactase makes it impossible to digest lactose (sugar contained in dairy products), which can cause abdominal cramps, diarrhea and bloating. This is lactose intolerance, a problem faced by 80% of the world's population. In France only 20% of the population is concerned, milk being traditionally consumed there.
Insufficient production of digestive enzymes can lead to other health problems such as allergies, chronic diseases (diabetes, osteoporosis), skin diseases...
There are many causes of a digestive enzyme deficiency:
- Age . _ The secretion of digestive enzymes decreases with age.
- A diet too rich in bad fats (saturated fatty acids and trans fatty acids).
- Dysfunction of the digestive organs , especially the pancreas.
- Taking certain medications that disrupt the activity of digestive enzymes. This is the case with proton pump inhibitors (PPIs).
- Insufficient chewing of food which makes it difficult for the starch to be broken down by the amylase contained in the saliva.
- A disease of the pancreas , a major producer of digestive enzymes.
What natural solutions for efficient digestive enzymes?
- Several studies 1-4 have shown that taking dietary supplements containing substitute digestive enzymes can reduce digestive disorders in people with digestive enzyme deficiency.
- The food supplement BROMELAIN from Laboratoire Lescuyer, based on pineapple extract rich in bromelain and calcium, promotes digestion. Bromelain extracted from the fresh stem of pineapple is a complex of natural proteolytic enzymes that break down proteins into amino acids and peptides.
- In addition, it resists gastric acidity, thus remaining active after passing through the stomach. Calcium contributes to the normal functioning of digestive enzymes. Another advantage of pineapple extract concentrated in bromelain compared to other digestive enzymes, it has a high bioavailability.
- In other words, it is well absorbed by the intestines, which makes its digestive action all the more effective.
How do enzymes work?
Enzymes perform the critical task of lowering a reaction's activation energy—that is, the amount of energy that must be put in for the reaction to begin. Enzymes work by binding to reactant molecules and holding them in such a way that the chemical bond-breaking and bond-forming processes take place more readily.
What are the 7 types of enzymes?
Enzymes can be classified into 7 categories according to the type of reaction they catalyse. These categories are oxidoreductases, transferases, hydrolases, lyases, isomerases, ligases, and translocases.
Which fruit has the most digestive enzymes?
Bananas. Best known as a go-to potassium source, bananas are also a source of enzymes like amylase and maltase, says Mussatto. Amylase helps to break down complex carbs, like those found in bread and cereals, while maltase helps to break down the malt sugar found in carbohydrate foods, like starchy grains and veggies.
Why do we need enzymes?
Enzymes help facilitate biochemical reactions in our bodies. They aid in everything from breathing to digestion. Having too little or too much of a certain enzyme can lead to health problems. Some people with chronic conditions may need to take enzyme supplements to help their bodies work as they should.
Should I take digestive enzymes with every meal?
When the production of these enzymes is disrupted, though, you may experience some negative digestive symptoms. Digestive enzyme supplements can help address these symptoms. It's important to take these supplements consistently and in conjunction with your mealtimes.
How can I increase my digestive enzymes?
Fruits, vegetables, and other foods have natural digestive enzymes. Eating them can improve your digestion. Honey, especially the raw kind, has amylase and protease. Mangoes and bananas have amylase, which also helps the fruit to ripen.
Who should not take digestive enzymes?
Digestive Enzymes Drug Interactions
If you have a history of liver or gallbladder disease, or stomach ulcers, then you definitely want to consult a physician before taking digestive enzyme supplements. Digestive enzymes generally don't pose the risk for severe interactions with other drugs.
Should a healthy person take digestive enzymes?
“Overall, a healthy person really doesn't need to take digestive enzyme supplements,” Denhard explains. “The best digestive enzymes are the ones our bodies make naturally, and they work best when you eat a whole food diet.”
What happens if I take digestive enzymes?
Replacement digestive enzymes take the place of natural enzymes, helping to break down carbohydrates, fats, and proteins from the foods you eat. Then the nutrients are absorbed into your body through the wall of the small intestine and distributed through the bloodstream.
What causes low digestive enzymes?
One of the main reasons for reduced output of digestive enzymes is poor exocrine pancreatic function. The causes of Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency (EPI) are very diverse ranging from: Problems with the endocrine part of the pancreas such as insulin dysregulation from diet high in refined carbohydrates and diabetes.
How do I know if I need digestive enzymes?
Symptoms of enzyme deficiency tend to first show up in the gut. That's why you typically see digestive issues with insufficient enzyme levels like bloating, gas, diarrhea, constipation, and undigested food in stools. If your body doesn't have enough digestive enzymes, it's unable to break down foods properly.
What are digestive enzymes good for?
Digestive enzymes are important because they break down the food we eat into smaller components that can be absorbed into the blood. Once in the blood, these smaller components — or nutrients — serve as vital building blocks for all structures and processes that keep us alive.
What are the 3 main digestive enzymes?
Amylase breaks down starches and carbohydrates into sugars. Protease breaks down proteins into amino acids. Lipase breaks down lipids, which are fats and oils, into glycerol and fatty acids.
What are the 4 main digestive enzymes?
This allows the nutrients from these foods to be easily absorbed into your blood and carried through your body. There are several digestive enzymes, including amylase, maltase, lactase, lipase, sucrase, and proteases.