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Enzyme Therapy: How Proteolytic Enzymes Can Help You Lose Weight
Weight loss is a topic that sends most of us reeling into a web of gym subscriptions, meal plans, and dietary supplements. Many of us see no relevant results after spending considerable time adhering to a particular diet. Most diets are not bio-individual, and fat storage is based on many other factors, like hormones, stress, sleep, digestion, and even toxins.
Breaking this cycle of unwittingly committing to a diet that is not beneficial will start with your very own awareness. Listen to your body. Understand what it needs. An effective diet plan is bio-individual, not a cookie-cutter formula.
As mentioned above, the ability to properly digest is an essential step in fat loss. In this piece, we discuss enzyme therapy and how it can help digestion and weight loss.
What are enzymes?
Before treading into deeper waters, here's a little brush up on biology. Enzymes are highly functional molecules found inside each cell of the body. These tiny particles carry out a variety of tasks concerning chemical reactions relative to life support. Such tasks include building and strengthening muscles, getting rid of toxins, and breaking down food during digestion, which creates the energy used by the body. Enzymes are essential for the body to thrive and survive, notably contributing to the digestive functions. Simply put, these are like little engines that churn the gasoline fueling you to life.
What is enzyme therapy?
Enzymes control all metabolic processes in the human body, from simple digestion of food to highly complex immune response. Physiological reactions occurring in healthy individuals are disturbed when enzymes are deficient. Since enzymes are primarily helpful in digestion, enzyme therapy is developed and introduced to speed up the digestion process and sustain the body's capability to a balanced metabolic state. This therapy involves a dietary plan of plant and animal enzyme supplements geared for digestive objectives.
There are three types of enzymes: amylase, protease, and lipase.
Each type of protein specializes in the catalysis of various substances found in the chemical makeup of food. Amylase is responsible for breaking down starches and carbohydrates into sugars, protease for transforming proteins into amino acids, and lipase for turning fats and oils known as lipids into glycerol and fatty acids.
More on proteolytic enzymes
Protease, or proteolytic enzymes, are mostly responsible for converting protein to amino acids or "building blocks" that enable your body to maintain its normal functions. The pancreas and stomach produce these enzymes that further aid in digestion, as well as assist in other vital jobs like cell division, blood clotting, and immunity.
Proteolytic enzymes have become increasingly popular recently due to its working wonders.
What are these working wonders?
Proteolytic enzymes are known for enhancing the digestion process. A specific therapy centered on enzyme replacement can be utilized to alleviate pancreatic, colorectal, and stomach disorders.
Proteolytic enzyme supplements help digestive symptoms such as; heartburn, abdominal pains, gas, bloat, decreased appetite, excessive belching.
Proteolytic enzymes also help with conditions associated with inflammation, such as pain and swelling.
In a recent study, systemic enzyme therapy before and after exhaustive eccentric exercise resulted in higher maximal strength in the less strength-trained subjects (stage I) and significantly favorable effects on inflammatory, metabolic, and immune health in all subjects.
Although it's not a panacea, proteolytic enzymes can significantly promote weight loss. Regular intake of proteolytic enzymes can reduce food consumption and promote fat loss. However, the focal objective of these enzymes is to sustain healthy digestion and keep a balanced state of metabolism. Once you have a well-maintained and healthy digestion process, everything else will follow, and weight loss may be an indirect result.
Where can I get proteolytic enzymes?
Your body produces enzymes in the pancreas and stomach, and enzymes are in some foods. The most common food sources are pineapple and papaya, but foods such as kiwi fruit, ginger, asparagus, yogurt, kimchi, and sauerkraut.
Because of its acclaimed health benefits to the human body, enzymes also come in the form of dietary supplements that help in digestion and provide other health benefits, such as decreased inflammation and improved immune response.
TruZymes
TruZymes™ is comprised of a proprietary blend of digestive enzymes along with betaine HCl to support the optimal digestion of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. This product contains the special protease DPP IV (dipeptidyl peptidase IV), which aids in the breakdown of the peptides gluteomorphin (from gluten) and casomorphin (from casein). Digestzymes™ also includes the enzyme lactase, which helps break down the dairy sugar lactose. The use of Digestzymes™ before meals may be helpful for patients who experience gas and bloating after eating, occasional constipation, or a feeling of fullness after eating only a small quantity of food.
References:
Roberts IM. Enzyme therapy for malabsorption in exocrine pancreatic insufficiency. Pancreas. 1989 ;4(4):496-503. DOI: 10.1097/00006676-198908000-00016.
UmaMaheswari T, Hemalatha T, Sankaranarayanan P, Puvanakrishnan R. Enzyme Therapy: Current Perspectives. Indian J Exp Biol. 2016;54(1):7-16.
Marzin T, Lorkowski G, Reule C, et al. Effects of a systemic enzyme therapy in healthy active adults after exhaustive eccentric exercise: a randomised, two-stage, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial. BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med. 2017;2(1):e000191. Published 2017 Mar 12. doi:10.1136/bmjsem-2016-000191