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

Soreness, aches, and pains

Aches, pains, and soreness are part and parcel to training and exercise. Much of this is caused by bad technique, extending ourselves beyond what we can handle, as well as insufficient rest and recovery. Diet can be a tremendous factor in soreness as well as how long you deal with many of pains of training. Certain foods such as processed foods, high protein diets, high amounts of omega 6’s (soybean, cottonseed and corn oils), and sugary foods promote inflammation which in turn promotes pain in the body, while other foods are anti-inflammatory and can ease much of the discomfort often experienced during and after exercise. Some of the best foods to combat inflammation in the body include grapes, berries, pineapple, cherries, kiwi, celery, garlic, salmon, curry, turmeric (contains the popular healer curcumin), and ginger. Also high amounts of foods rich in vitamin C and E such as nuts, seeds, peppers, and broccoli are beneficial.

A few of these foods have been studied and shown to reduce muscle pain, swelling, and damage. Cherry juice has been studied by the British Journal of Sports Medicine to reduce muscle pain and damage, and ginger has been shown to reduce muscle soreness when taken after a workout by the University of GA. A note on the ginger, please do not think this means to down handfuls of the candied ginger, because that is not ok, this means fresh ginger added to smoothies, teas, or dressings.

Researching this topic I came across a few home remedies which I thought were interesting; one was to make a mixture of 1C ACV (apple cider vinegar) 1C honey and 8 cloves in the blender and then mix 2T of that mixture into 8oz of water or fresh juice. This was shown by the University of Edinburgh to reduce pain in those suffering from arthritis by 90%. Have not tried this one, but since I like all things honey, I will be shortly. Another interesting remedy I came across was to take a shower with intervals of 30 seconds of cold followed by 2 min of warm to open and close the capillaries in an effort to flush lactic acid from the body. Not sure about this one, especially since its starting to cool down out here in CO, but it does seem easy enough to give a shot, just may have to wait till April for me.

Last thing on soreness and injury I want to mention, is proper refueling after exercise. It is important to refuel the glycogen stores (the body’s fuel) immediately after exercise. This is best done with fruit or other simple carbs within a 30-60 minute window after training. If this is not done it can take up to 48 hours to replenish glycogen which could lead to reduced performance and injury in subsequent days. One of my go to post work out drinks is a smoothie with banana and celery for the great sources of potassium and sodium in those foods, since it is important to get electrolytes back in the system for recovery.

Have a great week

Tip of the week- Fall is great time of year everywhere...