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

Enzymes and Stomach Acid

The next two weeks we are going to get into the world of enzymes and learn their function and importance to our health. First I will explain and enzymes and then next week discuss enzymes’ role in athletics. Enzymes are functional proteins that act as catalysts to perform important functions in digestion, metabolism, and detoxification. There are thousands of enzymes, but they all fall into one of three groups; 1) digestive, to help break down food. The major digestive enzymes are protease, lipase, and amylase, used to digest protein, fats, and carbs. 2) Metabolic, necessary for body function, and, 3) plant based enzymes from raw food, to prepare and aid food in digestion. Without enzymes no reactions can take place in our body; vitamins, minerals, and hormones cannot function without enzymes.

There are thousands of enzymes in the body and each one of them can only perform one chemical reaction, but, enzymes can be used over and over again to perform that function. As previously stated, those major functions include digestion and the chemical reactions in our body such as detoxification, cell regeneration, immune support, metabolism for energy production, and synthesis of hormones and vitamins.

Digestive enzymes can be lost through sweat, waste, and ageing, so it is important to supplement enzymes as well as eat lots of raw foods if you can. Some of the major benefits to enzyme supplementation include:
• Improved digestion
• Strengthen our immune system
• Give our bodies more antioxidants
• Reduce injury and inflammation
• Aids in reproduction problems

Before running off to get digestive enzymes it is important to understand the role of hydrochloric acid in the stomach, and ensure you are producing adequate amounts in your stomach. If there is not enough stomach acid then proteins cannot be digested, digestive enzymes cannot be stimulated, and bile release will be inhibited causing problems for the gall bladder which stores bile. That’s right, if you do not have adequate stomach acid, you cannot use enzymes, and will not properly digest food. Symptoms of low stomach acid (hypochlorhydria) include constipation, halitosis, undigested food in stools, and acid reflux, so, ensure proper stomach acid prior to beginning enzyme supplementation.

Have a great Thanksgiving, and have some enzymes for your appetizer.