Enzymes – Importance in Digestion and Enzyme deficiency

Enzymes are true all-rounders and absolutely capable of multitasking. They ensure that our metabolic processes in the body work and that digestion, respiration and the entire organism can do their jobs. We reveal how you supply your body with enough enzymes.

What do we need enzymes for?

Enzymes are complex protein molecules that help the body digest and absorb nutrients from the food we eat. They break down the large molecules into smaller food molecules, making them easier for the cells to absorb. But enzymes also play their part in cell regeneration and in supporting the immune system. Enzymes are typically divided into three groups:

1. Digestive Enzymes:

They are produced in the stomach, salivary glands, small intestine and pancreas. The digestive enzyme has the function of breaking down the ingested food into simple molecules. The second type of protein molecule – the food enzyme – has the same task.

2. Food and plant enzymes

This protein is not produced by the body itself, but must be ingested by us through food. However, you should definitely note that enzymes, as protein molecules, are very sensitive to heat and should therefore be ingested primarily through raw food. These enzymes are particularly found in raw and fresh foods such as fruits, vegetables and salads. Provided in sufficient quantities, the food and plant enzymes break down our food into simple molecules and are therefore particularly important for our digestive processes.

3. Metabolic enzymes

These enzymes are produced in the body and are important for maintaining the function of our organs – which is why they are required in larger quantities.

Free Radicals: Enzymes are essential for a healthy body

If you want to keep your body healthy and fit, you should definitely make sure to keep the enzyme balance balanced. They ensure that the metabolism and biochemical reactions in the body function even in the face of great stress, such as stress, medication, environmental pollution and the like. The so-called oxidative stress can also be counteracted with an increased supply of enzymes. Oxidative stress is caused by free radicals in the human body. Free radicals deprive cells of the electrons they need, causing damage to your body. This damage can vary in size and is caused, among other things, by high blood pressure, varicose veins and tired skinrecognizable. An inactivation of enzymes triggered by the free radicals may be responsible. Anyone who counteracts this with an appropriate supply of enzymes makes an important contribution to their own health.

Why are enzymes so important for digestion?

Enzymes are essential for a well-functioning digestion. They break down our food into individual parts and make them usable for our body. With the help of water, long-chain molecules such as fats or carbohydrates are converted into simple sugars, fatty acids, amino acids and other low-molecular compounds. The digestion process begins in the stomach. The more enzymes are already used here, the easier it will be for the enzymes later in the intestine. However, if too few enzymes are taken in through food, produced by the body, or if they become inactive due to external influences such as free radicals, the digestive tract is put under strain. The body must invest all of its energy into producing additional digestive enzymes. After all, your body lacks this energy for other processes, such as cell regeneration. A lack of enzymes in connection with bad, unhealthy food thus causes exhaustion, a drop in performance and accelerated aging in the long term.

Enzyme deficiency in our food

Our digestion has changed a lot in the last few centuries. While generations before us consumed a lot of unprocessed foods, today’s diet consists largely of processed foods from the supermarket. Most of them have come a long way, were heated up during production and chemical additives were added to make them more durable, among other things. However, enzymes are sensitive to heat and become ineffective at temperatures of more than 42 degrees. In addition, various substances, such as heavy metals, can cause a reversible inhibition of the enzymes – their effect is thus blocked.

These are typical signs of an insufficient supply of enzymes

Digestive problems: If you feed your body unhealthy food over a longer period of time, it is quickly overwhelmed with the production of sufficient digestive enzymes and reacts with poor utilization of the food. Digestive problems arise.

Migraines: If you suffer from frequent headaches, this can indicate that your body does not have enough of the enzyme diamine oxidase available. Among other things, it has the task of breaking down histamine. If this doesn’t happen or if it happens too slowly, it accumulates in your body and becomes noticeable as a headache.

Poor wound healing: Age spots, warts and poor wound healing can occur, especially in old age, when the body’s own enzyme production decreases. A higher susceptibility to viral diseases in old age can also indicate an enzyme deficiency.

A first important step: Back to a healthy and natural diet

The first and at the same time most important step towards an adequate supply of enzymes is to switch to a natural, varied diet with a large proportion of raw vegetables. Vegetables are particularly good for raw consumption. Medium or rare fried steaks also provide many important enzymes. A healthy body can be adequately supplied with enzymes with a healthy and as natural as possible diet with a high proportion of raw food. It is different with illnesses. There is a much higher need for enzymes here, which can usually no longer be covered by a healthy diet alone. A supply via appropriate food supplements and medicines can make sense here.

Enzyme preparations and enzyme therapy

Anyone who suffers from diseases of the respiratory tract and blood vessels or has problems with the musculoskeletal system can bring about a significant improvement in symptoms with the appropriate addition of enzymes. Patients with cancer, rheumatism or multiple sclerosis are therefore very often advised to take enzyme therapy as an accompaniment. It aims to strengthen the immune system in general and thus make the body more resistant to diseases . In the context of enzyme therapy, patients are administered high-dose preparations. Various enzymes of animal and plant origin are used in order to supply as many problem areas in the body as possible with the right and sufficiently high dose of these enzymes.

Papain in autoimmune diseases: This enzyme has an antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effect and thus accelerates wound healing.

Bromelain in Cancer: Bromelain is of great importance for cancer patients and is therefore often used as a supportive therapy. This enzyme has an anti-inflammatory effect and inhibits the formation of metastases.

Trypsin and Chymotrypsin: These two digestive enzymes are particularly recommended to support diseases of the digestive tract. Not only do they have an anti-inflammatory effect, they also have pain-relieving properties.

Crystal Waston MD

Crystal Waston has a degree in Cross Media Production and Publishing. At vital.de she gives everyday tips and deals with topics related to women's health, sport, and nutrition.

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