Proteolytic Enzymes

I trust everyone had a nice Thanksgiving and got some good food and football in; I had a great time with my family at our ranch in TX, and besides the Dallas and Miami games, I had a great Thanksgiving. Now, on to the good stuff, to follow up on the importance of enzymes and hydrochloric acid for digestion and health, I am discussing a specific group of enzymes important for athletes; systemic or more commonly known, proteolytic enzymes.

So what are proteolytic enzymes; they are protein eating enzymes. Now your probably saying “wait a second, I thought enzymes are proteins so check it Jay!", and your right, but these specific types of enzymes eat dead proteins from our bodies, which has significant health benefits for us, and most notably, athletes; primarily, reducing inflammation. This works because inflammation after an injury causes accumulation of proteins and fluid in the extracellular space which causes swelling and pain. Next, the blood begins to clot which blocks circulation. This is where the enzymes earn their stripes, they dissolve these blood clots to allow oxygen to reach damaged tissue to promote healing of damaged tissue and eliminate inflammatory debris from the injury. Regular training sessions can also have the effect of acute inflammation which can lead to similar clotting, so do not mistake this therapy for only serious injuries; it can be effective no matter how your body is feeling. As we also know, despite the numerous health benefits that come with exercise, high volume and intensity training present the body with a significant amount of stress that can weaken our immune system and function. These enzymes have shown to help maintain normal immune function and reduce inflammation despite high training demands, which can improve recovery.

Proteolytic enzymes improve blood circulation by eating excess fibrin (a blood clotting protein) that can cause our blood to thicken, trap red blood cells, and cause the liver problems when cleansing the blood. This gives us cleaner blood that is less prone to clotting, and stronger white blood cells to improve our ability to fight off infection. These types of enzymes are also useful for immune support as they are responsible for killing parasites, bacteria, viruses, and fungus which are all protein based invaders.

Supplementation of these enzymes can aid all kinds of ailments including infections, food allergies, post surgical healing, arthritis, cancer, lupes, MS, and Crohns. In order to receive the full healing benefits from proteolytic enzymes they MUST be taken on an empty stomach so no digestive effects interfere with the passing of the enzymes through the stomach lining into the circulatory system where they can go to work. When choosing a supplement it is important to find a product that lists the enzymes contained and not a “proprietary blend” of enzymes; the most important proteolytic enzymes include pancreatin, trypsin, papain, peptizyme, and bromelain, so look for these in choosing a supplement.

Tip of the week- “Make allowances for each other’s faults.”

-III

Some studies
http://www.doctormurray.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=137

http://healthlibrary.epnet.com/GetContent.aspx?token=e0498803-7f62-4563-8d47-5fe33da65dd4&chunkiid=21671#ref50