Infinity2 Nutrition

A Discussion on Enzymes

There are three types of enzymes: metabolic enzymes, digestive enzymes and food enzymes. Metabolic enzymes speed up the chemical reactions within the cells for detoxification and energy production. Digestive enzymes help break down food into nutrients and waste. Human digestive enzymes include ptyalin, pepsin, trypsin, lipase, protease and amylase. Food enzymes are introduced to the body through the raw foods we eat and through supplemental enzymes. Supplemental enzymes can be from plant or animal sources. The source and type of supplemental enzymes determines how they function and where they function in the digestive tract.

In order to better understand the role various types of digestive enzyme supplements play in digestion, it is important to first understand how digestion occurs. Digestion takes place as the result of the interaction of enzymes with the complex molecules that make up food. In general, enzymes make digestion possible. The ideal digestive process happens in stages.

The first stage actually begins with the chewing of food. Under the best circumstances (as with eating raw food), the chewing pulverizes the cellular material of the food and releases the enzymes contained in the food. The enzymes immediately begin the process of digestion of the nutrients contained within the food. In addition, as chewing begins, the food is bathed in saliva, which also contains enzymes. Saliva is especially rich in the enzymes that break down starch or carbohydrate, called amylase.

The importance of this feature of digestion is most often overlooked. Yet, it is the primary reason behind the traditional wisdom of chewing your food thoroughly before swallowing. It is important to realize that both food and the body's own secretions within the digestive tract contain enzymes. However, the enzymes from food and the enzymes from the body have some important differences from one another. In food, the enzymes are much more versatile. In particular, they are able to act over a much wider range of pH (the measure of acid-alkaline balance).

Typically, enzymes in food, especially plants, are able to be highly active over a pH range as wide as 2.0 to 12.0, which more than covers the acid-alkaline circumstances that occur in the digestive tract. Because of this, naturally-occurring enzymes are actually able to perform a major amount of digestion of the food before the secretions of the body are even required to be active. That is, if the enzymes are actually present in the food. However, if the food has been cooked or processed, the body must assume the full burden of digestion.

As soon as the food is chewed, digestion continues as it travels to the stomach where the second stage of digestion begins. In the stomach, the food is exposed to stomach juices including hydrochloric acid (HCL). This acid slowly causes the pH to become very acidic and is a vital function in the digestive process. The stomach may require as long as one hour to reach its most acidic condition. During this time, the enzymes continue to digest food. As the stomach reaches its low pH level, the enzymes from food and saliva become inactive, and another acid-active enzyme called pepsin is secreted. Pepsin performs a critical role in the digestion of protein.

It should be realized that digestion, especially digestion of proteins and carbohydrates, takes place in several stages. The large molecules are first partially broken up into polypeptides and polysaccharides, then are further broken-down until, after several different reactions, the food finally consists primarily of amino acids, sugars and fatty acids. If any of these steps are omitted, digestion will be incomplete. Food and salivary enzymes can digest 60 percent of starch (carbohydrate), 30 percent of protein and 10 percent of fat in stage 1 and the beginning of stage 2, even before the body's other secretions become active. To whatever extent enzymes are missing, however, that stage of digestion will be incomplete.

Consequently, the digestive process in the subsequent steps will be slowed down significantly or never take place at all. If this happens, undigested food will be exposed to the small intestine and may not be absorbed; resulting in lower energy levels, less nutrient availability and food allergies.

Continuing on with the digestive process, after the food has been substantially digested, it moves into the small intestine. This is considered the third stage of digestion and begins in the duodenum. Here, juices from the liver and gall bladder secrete an emulsifying agent called bile. It is the bile and bile acids, as they enter the duodenum, along with secretions from the pancreas, that continue the breakdown of nutrients. These secretions also contain alkalizing chemicals, known as bicarbonates, which help neutralize acids left over from the stomach and bring food into a slightly more alkaline range. This process is extremely important because pancreatic enzymes are only active when in the slightly alkaline medium that occurs during this stage.

It has been observed in numerous studies that when previous stages of digestion are incomplete, the body will react by secreting larger amounts of enzymes from the pancreas. Over time, this will cause an enlargement of the pancreas, which some authorities believe contributes to pancreatic dysfunction and disease. Animal studies have shown that when an enzyme-rich diet is restored, this condition can be reversed.

After the digestive process in the duodenum has done its job and the food is in its simplest form, the digestive process proceeds to the next portion of the small intestine, called the jejunum, where the final step occurs. The jejunum is almost exclusively devoted to the function of nutrient absorption. If digestion has been efficiently performed up to and through this final stage, the only remaining residue should be fibrous material and non-nutritive portions of food.

As you can see by the various stages of the digestive process, different enzymes can perform different functions. Enzymes that can be active in a wider pH range can participate in digestion throughout the digestive process, whereas enzymes that are specific to a particular pH range may only be active in a small part of the digestive process. Enzymes can also be temperature sensitive. Enzymes that are active within normal body temperatures will be more effective than those that can only perform a function in laboratory induced settings. The types of enzymes used in a particular digestive enzyme formula will determine how that product functions. Some of the enzymes you may see in a supplement include:

Pancreatin: Pancreatin is a substance from the pancreas (usually a hog or ox) containing enzymes. Pancreatin contains proteolytic enzymes, amylase and lipase. However, it is only active in an alkaline setting of 8.0 to 9.0 pH. This occurs within the small intestine after the majority of carbohydrate and protein digestion has already taken place. Infinity2 does not use pancreatin in any of its formulations because it is from animal sources that are not typically found in the human diet and it is only active in one stage of digestion.
Pepsin: Pepsin is usually prepared from the stomach of pigs. It is a proteolytic enzyme that is the principle digestive component of stomach (gastric) juices. Pepsin is typically only active at temperatures that are higher than normal human body temperatures. Infinity2 does not use pepsin in any of its formulations because it is from animal sources that are not typically found in the human diet and it is not very effective at normal body temperatures.
Trypsin: Trypsin can be taken from the intestine or pancreas of an animal. It is also a proteolytic enzyme, but only works in an alkaline setting, like that of the small intestine. Trypsin is not used in any Infinity2 formulations for the same reasons that pepsin and pancreatin are not used.
Bromelain: Bromelain is derived from pineapple. It is a group of proteolytic enzymes that have been found to possess anti-inflammatory properties. It appears to be most active in the neutral pH found in human blood. It is typically used in formulas that are taken on an empty stomach to allow the enzymes to be absorbed into the blood stream and act systemically rather than as a digestive aid. For this reason, Infinity2 does not use bromelain in its digestive enzyme formulas, but uses bromelain in its formulas where its unique anti-inflammatory properties can be used systemically.
Papain: Papain is derived from papaya. It is a group of proteolytic enzymes that, like bromelain, possesses anti-inflammatory properties and typically becomes active in a pH range of 6.0 to 8.0. This pH range is found in the human blood stream, so formulators will often include it in anti-inflammatory formulas. Like bromelain, Infinity2 does not use papain in its digestive enzyme formulas, but uses papain in its formulas where its unique anti-inflammatory properties can be used systemically.
Lipase: Lipase can be obtained from plant or animal sources. It is an enzyme that breaks down fat (triglycerides) into fatty acids. Infinity2 uses lipase obtained from plant sources.
Amylase: Amylase can also be obtained from plant or animal sources. It is an enzyme that breaks down carbohydrate into poly and di-saccharides. Infinity2 uses amylase obtained from plant sources.
Protease: Protease is available from both plant and animal sources. It is an enzyme that breaks down protein into peptides. Some proteases are acid-stable and active in an acid environment and others are most active in an alkaline pH. Infinity2 uses only plant sources of protease. Our digestive formulas contain both acid-stable and other proteases to assist in the digestion of protein throughout all stages of digestion.
Peptidase: Peptidase is available from both plant and animal sources. It is an enzyme that breaks peptides into amino acids and smaller peptides that can be absorbed and used by the body. Protein digestion occurs in multiple stages and requires both protease and peptidase, so Infinity2 digestive formulations also contain peptidase from plant sources.
Sucrase, malt diastase, lactase, glucoamylase, and invertase: These enzymes are also available from both plant and animal sources. They are examples of carbohydrate digesting enzymes required for the later stages of carbohydrate digestion. Amylase begins carbohydrate digestion, but specific enzymes are required to break down various types of carbohydrates and sugars. For example, lactase is required to break down lactose (milk sugar) into glucose and galactose. Infinity2 uses a full-spectrum of plant enzymes for the complete digestion of carbohydrates in its digestive enzyme formulas.

As you can see, most enzymes are available from both plant and animal sources. Even when enzymes are derived from plant sources, it is important to make sure that the enzymes are designed for use with foods. Some enzyme supplements on the market may utilize enzymes that are intended for removing stains or some other industrial or processing use. Infinity2’s supplier produces enzymes specifically for use with foods.

A common question about enzymes is their ability to survive the digestive process, especially the acid environment of the stomach. Animal or pancreatic enzymes, such as pancreatin and trypsin, are generally only active in the small intestine. Because these enzymes are only active in the small intestine, many companies use special coating systems to try to protect them from destruction in the acidic environment of the stomach.

The special protective coating systems typically used with pancreatic enzymes are not necessary for Infinity2’s plant based enzymes. Our enzymes are designed to work well in the environment of the stomach, which eliminates the need for special coatings.

There are numerous studies demonstrating that enzymes even when not coated or protected, are absorbed intact into the blood stream when taken on an empty stomach. This would indicate that they are not destroyed by stomach acid. If they were destroyed in the stomach, their activity would not be present in the blood stream.

Plant-based enzymes have the ability to work in a wide pH range, typically between 3 and 9 pH. The plant-based enzymes used by Infinity2 are grown from plant protein foods in a laboratory setting. They are nonpathogenic pharmaceutical Aspergillus species and are free from mycelium contamination. Removal of all the aspergilli and fungi leave only the enzymes. Aspergillus enzymes have a strong record of safe use in the food industry. They are considered food by the FDA.

The plant enzymes in Infinity2 products are safe and effective and active in a wide pH range. Our formulas are blended to cover all pH ranges - neutral, acidic and alkaline. They assist in all stages of digestion and are especially important in assisting in stage one and stage two of digestion before food reaches the intestines. In addition, Infinity2 has carefully studied each enzyme to discover what it needs to be fully active and then has included those co-factors in each formulation to insure maximum enzyme activity. Infinity2’s exclusive formulations use the highest quality enzymes available.

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