Enzymes play a key role in assisting with digestion in the human body, but the digestive system is not the only place the benefits of enzymes can be seen. Enzymes also play a role in assisting numerous other functions of the body, including the immune and circulatory systems.

Because of the vast role of enzymes in our physiology, an individual may wish to consider enzyme supplements beyond those meant for digestive support. Even more importantly, children, who are faced with various challenges to their body, may also consider supplementing their diets with therapeutic enzymes.

At the beginning of spring, children are often the first to feel the detrimental effects of seasonal issues. Beyond stuffy noses and swollen eyes, the symptoms caused by seasonal issues can prove challenging for maintaining academic work and participating in athletics. Allerase™ can sometimes be helpful in supporting the body’s attempts to combat these symptoms.*

For many of us, the cold and flu season takes place during the winter months. In a school, however, it can often be a year-round occasion. Because students spend much of their time in close proximity to each other, and often share the same desks and other equipment, illness can often be easily spread. A product like Virastop™ can help to support immune health in these environments.*

Student athletes commonly put their bodies through rigorous training sessions to prepare for sporting events. In the process of this exercise, several aspects of the body’s health can become strained from overexertion. Enzymedica’s Repair™ and Repair Gold™ have been formulated to provide support for muscle, tissue and joint function.*

Parents wishing to incorporate enzymes into their child’s schedule may need to work with school officials to establish a procedure for bringing supplements to school. For further advice on this topic, we encourage you to read our previous blog entry, which expands upon some of the challenges faced by children bringing enzymes or other supplements to school.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease.

Proteases, or proteolytic enzymes are specific for protein digestion. Simply put, protease enzymes break down proteins, be they undigested proteins in the digestive system, cellular debris or toxins in the blood.  Some proteolytic enzymes work specifically in the bloodstream to support metabolic reactions like healthy cellular repair and immunity, sparking the chemical reactions required to sustain life. The body employs protease enzymes to break down foreign invaders such as bacteria, yeasts, and viruses.

Oral Proteases

Research has shown that oral proteases, taken as a dietary supplement on an empty stomach may aid our immune system in ways other supplements can’t. These supplemental enzymes are absorbed and carried into the blood stream where they are bound to plasma proteins. The oral proteases bind to these plasma proteins and then are able to break down protein-based pathogens in the blood. An interesting attribute of protease enzymes is that while they are able to dissolve almost all proteins, this only applies to proteins that are not components of living cells. For protease to digest a protein it must be damaged, attached to a dead organism, or be a protein that does not belong in the body. This instinctively intelligent process explains why proteases will digest proteins found in steak, however leave the protein lining of our stomach unharmed.

Not all proteases, however, can break down all proteins. For instance, one protease in particular has been shown to have a profound effect on mucus. Mucolase is a special enzyme that is classified as proteolytic and mucolytic. Mucolytic enzymes break down excess mucus in the body, including the lungs and sinuses. Other proteolytic enzymes useful for the immune system are nattokinase, catalase and serratiopeptidase (serrapeptase).

When enzymes are used to achieve a therapeutic effect, they are taken on an empty stomach (a half hour before or two hours after a meal). They are not intended to help digest food. Instead they are absorbed into the blood and benefit different systems of the body, such as the immune system, by providing it with essential enzymes to manufacture healthy white blood cells.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration

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