Rohit Medhekar06.01.07
Digestive enzyme supplements have been used safely for well over a century. Until the late 1800s, crude animal pancreatin was the only choice for supplemental digestive enzymes. In 1891, Dr. Jokichi Takamine filed patent applications for "Taka kiji" from Aspergillus oryzae, a fungus rich in enzymatic activity. Dr. Takamine's fermentation process formed the basis for the industrial production of a fungal amylase. The method of fermentation proposed by Dr. Takamine is still used in the production of certain enzymes today. In 1894, Dr. Takamine moved to the U.S. where he allowed Parke, Davis & Company to produce his fungal amylase, takadiastase, on a retail scale. This enzyme is still commercially produced today as a digestive aid.
Dr. James Sumner purified an enzyme for the first time in 1924, opening the door for the development of enzymes exhibiting different characteristics and enzymatic activity. During this period additional research was being performed utilizing enzymes from animal sources, and by 1930 enzymes were being isolated and crystallized from animal, plant and microbial sources. It was not long before applications for these enzymes ranged from their use as food additives and processing aids in the production of cheeses, wine and breads, to their use in the treatment of specific disease conditions in which a deficiency of an enzyme was implicated.
Also during the 1920s, Dr. Edward Howell began to work with chronically ill patients at the Lindlahr Sanitarium. A portion of Dr. Howell's treatment included a raw food and juice regimen, which proved to be extremely successful in improving the health of his patients. In seeking to determine what it was about a raw food diet that was responsible for the improvement, Dr. Howell began his dedicated study of enzymes. In response to requests from his peers and additional patients, in 1932 Dr. Howell formed an enzyme company and began commercial distribution of a basic digestive enzyme formulation.
Research continued throughout the 20th century, expanding the potential uses of enzymes beyond improving digestion. Dr. John Beard began the dedicated study of enzymes for possible cancer treatment between 1910 and 1920. Dr. Francis Pottenger conducted his famous study of cats in the 1930s. And in the 1950s, Drs. Max Wolf, Helen Benitez and Karl Ransberger began their famous research, which ultimately led to the development of Wobenzym.
Research on the attributes of enzymes and the possible uses for enzyme supplements continues today. The biggest category for supplemental enzymes is still human digestion, an area that has become increasingly more important for maintaining optimum health. Supplementation of single enzymes, such as lactose to treat lactose intolerance, is probably the most familiar area of enzyme use. However, general supplementation with a broad range of digestive enzymes is becoming increasingly more common.
Life in the 21st Century has proven to be fast-paced and stressful, and digestion has obviously suffered. Under ideal circumstances, the digestive system is remarkably efficient at digesting and absorbing food. Digestive problems arise when the quantity of food ingested is beyond the capabilities of the gastrointestinal system or when outside pressures and stresses disrupt the quality of the digestive process. Even though the human digestive system is very resilient and can adapt to many types of food and digestive conditions, a large portion of the Western population suffers from some kind of digestive disorder. Gas, bloating, heartburn, constipation have become increasingly common and many individuals suffer from at least one of these maladies on a regular if not daily basis.
Stress, medication, eating habits and the quantity and quality of the food people eat have combined to overwhelm the digestive system's ability to adapt. The typical American diet consists of cooked and highly processed foods heavy in macronutrients and light in micronutrients, such as vitamins, minerals, fiber and the enzymes naturally present in raw food. These foods are then consumed in large quantities over a relatively short period of time, and often in circumstances (between meetings, in the car, or while literally running from one task to another) that inhibit the hormonal and feedback mechanisms that regulate the ideal digestive process. As if that weren't enough, many people also regularly consume medications that impede the digestive process. Antacids, which are taken to "help" digestion, are often the cause of the decreased ability to digest protein completely and can even be responsible for an overproduction of gastric acid, the very thing antacids are taken to control. Antibiotics destroy both the bad bacteria and good bacteria that inhabit the digestive tract, destroying the mechanisms through which some important digestive and immune functions occur. As a result, people are eating increasingly more food and consuming more calories, but actually absorbing fewer micronutrients.
Another factor reinforcing the benefits of enzyme supplementation is the growing aging population. There are several digestive factors that become increasingly less efficient with age. The production of gastric acid begins to diminish, lowering the effective amount of gastric protease (pepsin) available and decreasing the amount of intrinsic factor, necessary for the absorption of vitamin B12.
Further, intestinal wall integrity begins to break down in many people, leading to the absorption of larger molecules that might be detrimental within systemic circulation. The enzymes normally produced within the brush border of the intestinal wall can also become less productive, further slowing down the digestive process. Even pancreatic enzyme production becomes less efficient, partially because the feedback mechanisms from the gastrointestinal tract are disrupted or because the pancreas itself has become less competent at digestive enzyme production and secretion. The onset of type 2 diabetes can stress the pancreas even more and affect its ability to produce and secrete enzymes. The regular use of a digestive enzyme supplement containing several different types of enzymes can help compensate for those enzymes unavailable due to the aging process.
With the increase in the popularity of foods geared toward specific uses, supplemental enzymes can help to make the nutrients in these foods more bioaccessible. Proteases are currently being used extensively to help deliver amino acids from powdered protein drinks. These drinks are used by body builders to provide extra protein for building muscles. If these proteins are not digested properly, the amino acids and small peptides will not be released for absorption, and the partially digested protein will pass into the large intestine where bacterial flora can metabolize the protein. Unlike resistant starch, which becomes a beneficial food source for intestinal bacteria, the products from bacterial fermentation of protein can produce toxins such as urea, phenolics and branch chained fatty acids. Select proteases can be added to protein drinks or ingested with the drinks to ensure that the proteins are completely broken down in the small intestine.
Supplemental enzymes can also be used to enhance the effect of herbs and botanicals. The active component of herbs and other botanicals can remain trapped within the cell wall matrix or may be in a form that is not easily broken down and absorbed. Select enzymes are added to these products to break open certain bonds to free the bioactive compounds.
The use of enzymes for systemic applications is an area of tremendous growth. Research has already established that certain enzymes-mainly proteases-when taken orally, are capable of mediating some inflammatory responses. By intervening in the inflammation cascade, proteases are capable of affecting numerous conditions that elicit a pain response. This type of enzyme supplementation has become particularly useful within the sports nutrition category since these enzyme supplements can aid in muscle recovery from injury or athletic stress. In particular, many athletes or even the occasional sportsman can suffer from a painful condition called Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS). DOMS typically begins within 24 to 72 hours after a new or unusually rigorous activity.This activity could be playing a new sport, starting an exercise regimen or spending that long Spring weekend doing yard work after a winter of relative inactivity. DOMS typically occurs when muscles are overworked or are used in non-typical ways. An oral dose of high activity proteases can help speed recovery from DOMS.
Specific protease supplements are also currently being marketed to support healthy cardiovascular functions. These proteases are efficient in breaking down fibrin, which can contribute to the formation of blood clots. Enzymes derived from microbial, plant and animal sources are all used for these purposes. However, microbial enzymes have an advantage in that they are quite robust and resistant to degradation by the acid in the stomach and therefore do not usually need to be enteric coated.
The use of supplemental enzymes for applications that involve serious conditions of the gastrointestinal tract is also an area of growing interest. It has been observed that digestive enzymes may help those who suffer from the symptoms of IBS/IBD (irritable bowel syndrome/irritable bowel disease). Further, autism research has shown that certain enzymes can help alleviate some of the gastrointestinal symptoms characteristic of autism spectrum disorders.
Research is continuously being conducted to find new applications for enzymes that are already being utilized as supplements, as well as to find novel enzymes with applications in health and wellness. One type of novel enzyme can convert a portion of ingested starch into non-digestible sugars. These enzymes prevent the absorption of a certain portion of the glucose produced from the breakdown of starch. The non-digestible sugars (oligosaccharides) produced from this enzymatic action pass through the small intestine into the colon where they act as prebiotics by providing a food source for the body's beneficial microflora. Supplemental enzymes within this category can be useful additions to a weight management program.
In today's marketplace, the consumer is beginning to grasp the importance of digestion. The heavy marketing of probiotics by Dannon has helped put a spotlight on feeling good through intestinal health. But enzyme supplementation is still in its infancy. According to SPINS, Schaumburg, IL, enzymes and other digestive formulas are on a three-year upward trend. There was 7% growth in this category in 2006 and in Natural Supermarkets, full-spectrum digestive enzymes addressing the breakdown of dairy, protein, carbohydrates and fats are the top sellers. (SPINSscan Conventional & Natural 52 weeks Ending Dec. 30, 2006; Total U.S.)
The potential for growth is huge, not only in the digestive arena, but also in the area of systemic use, including inflammation support, arthritis, cardiovascular support, and wound healing. As the population continues to age, control of these conditions will become more important.
As companies commit more dollars to researching new concepts, the potential for new types of products will grow. It will be important for ingredient companies and manufacturers to educate the retailers and the consumers about what enzymes can do. The supplier has the research and information needed to tell the complete story of the product's effectiveness.
Dr. James Sumner purified an enzyme for the first time in 1924, opening the door for the development of enzymes exhibiting different characteristics and enzymatic activity. During this period additional research was being performed utilizing enzymes from animal sources, and by 1930 enzymes were being isolated and crystallized from animal, plant and microbial sources. It was not long before applications for these enzymes ranged from their use as food additives and processing aids in the production of cheeses, wine and breads, to their use in the treatment of specific disease conditions in which a deficiency of an enzyme was implicated.
Also during the 1920s, Dr. Edward Howell began to work with chronically ill patients at the Lindlahr Sanitarium. A portion of Dr. Howell's treatment included a raw food and juice regimen, which proved to be extremely successful in improving the health of his patients. In seeking to determine what it was about a raw food diet that was responsible for the improvement, Dr. Howell began his dedicated study of enzymes. In response to requests from his peers and additional patients, in 1932 Dr. Howell formed an enzyme company and began commercial distribution of a basic digestive enzyme formulation.
Research continued throughout the 20th century, expanding the potential uses of enzymes beyond improving digestion. Dr. John Beard began the dedicated study of enzymes for possible cancer treatment between 1910 and 1920. Dr. Francis Pottenger conducted his famous study of cats in the 1930s. And in the 1950s, Drs. Max Wolf, Helen Benitez and Karl Ransberger began their famous research, which ultimately led to the development of Wobenzym.
Digestive Enzymes: Still an Urgent Consumer Need
Research on the attributes of enzymes and the possible uses for enzyme supplements continues today. The biggest category for supplemental enzymes is still human digestion, an area that has become increasingly more important for maintaining optimum health. Supplementation of single enzymes, such as lactose to treat lactose intolerance, is probably the most familiar area of enzyme use. However, general supplementation with a broad range of digestive enzymes is becoming increasingly more common.
Life in the 21st Century has proven to be fast-paced and stressful, and digestion has obviously suffered. Under ideal circumstances, the digestive system is remarkably efficient at digesting and absorbing food. Digestive problems arise when the quantity of food ingested is beyond the capabilities of the gastrointestinal system or when outside pressures and stresses disrupt the quality of the digestive process. Even though the human digestive system is very resilient and can adapt to many types of food and digestive conditions, a large portion of the Western population suffers from some kind of digestive disorder. Gas, bloating, heartburn, constipation have become increasingly common and many individuals suffer from at least one of these maladies on a regular if not daily basis.
Stress, medication, eating habits and the quantity and quality of the food people eat have combined to overwhelm the digestive system's ability to adapt. The typical American diet consists of cooked and highly processed foods heavy in macronutrients and light in micronutrients, such as vitamins, minerals, fiber and the enzymes naturally present in raw food. These foods are then consumed in large quantities over a relatively short period of time, and often in circumstances (between meetings, in the car, or while literally running from one task to another) that inhibit the hormonal and feedback mechanisms that regulate the ideal digestive process. As if that weren't enough, many people also regularly consume medications that impede the digestive process. Antacids, which are taken to "help" digestion, are often the cause of the decreased ability to digest protein completely and can even be responsible for an overproduction of gastric acid, the very thing antacids are taken to control. Antibiotics destroy both the bad bacteria and good bacteria that inhabit the digestive tract, destroying the mechanisms through which some important digestive and immune functions occur. As a result, people are eating increasingly more food and consuming more calories, but actually absorbing fewer micronutrients.
Market Segments and Applications
Another factor reinforcing the benefits of enzyme supplementation is the growing aging population. There are several digestive factors that become increasingly less efficient with age. The production of gastric acid begins to diminish, lowering the effective amount of gastric protease (pepsin) available and decreasing the amount of intrinsic factor, necessary for the absorption of vitamin B12.
Further, intestinal wall integrity begins to break down in many people, leading to the absorption of larger molecules that might be detrimental within systemic circulation. The enzymes normally produced within the brush border of the intestinal wall can also become less productive, further slowing down the digestive process. Even pancreatic enzyme production becomes less efficient, partially because the feedback mechanisms from the gastrointestinal tract are disrupted or because the pancreas itself has become less competent at digestive enzyme production and secretion. The onset of type 2 diabetes can stress the pancreas even more and affect its ability to produce and secrete enzymes. The regular use of a digestive enzyme supplement containing several different types of enzymes can help compensate for those enzymes unavailable due to the aging process.
With the increase in the popularity of foods geared toward specific uses, supplemental enzymes can help to make the nutrients in these foods more bioaccessible. Proteases are currently being used extensively to help deliver amino acids from powdered protein drinks. These drinks are used by body builders to provide extra protein for building muscles. If these proteins are not digested properly, the amino acids and small peptides will not be released for absorption, and the partially digested protein will pass into the large intestine where bacterial flora can metabolize the protein. Unlike resistant starch, which becomes a beneficial food source for intestinal bacteria, the products from bacterial fermentation of protein can produce toxins such as urea, phenolics and branch chained fatty acids. Select proteases can be added to protein drinks or ingested with the drinks to ensure that the proteins are completely broken down in the small intestine.
Supplemental enzymes can also be used to enhance the effect of herbs and botanicals. The active component of herbs and other botanicals can remain trapped within the cell wall matrix or may be in a form that is not easily broken down and absorbed. Select enzymes are added to these products to break open certain bonds to free the bioactive compounds.
The use of enzymes for systemic applications is an area of tremendous growth. Research has already established that certain enzymes-mainly proteases-when taken orally, are capable of mediating some inflammatory responses. By intervening in the inflammation cascade, proteases are capable of affecting numerous conditions that elicit a pain response. This type of enzyme supplementation has become particularly useful within the sports nutrition category since these enzyme supplements can aid in muscle recovery from injury or athletic stress. In particular, many athletes or even the occasional sportsman can suffer from a painful condition called Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS). DOMS typically begins within 24 to 72 hours after a new or unusually rigorous activity.This activity could be playing a new sport, starting an exercise regimen or spending that long Spring weekend doing yard work after a winter of relative inactivity. DOMS typically occurs when muscles are overworked or are used in non-typical ways. An oral dose of high activity proteases can help speed recovery from DOMS.
Specific protease supplements are also currently being marketed to support healthy cardiovascular functions. These proteases are efficient in breaking down fibrin, which can contribute to the formation of blood clots. Enzymes derived from microbial, plant and animal sources are all used for these purposes. However, microbial enzymes have an advantage in that they are quite robust and resistant to degradation by the acid in the stomach and therefore do not usually need to be enteric coated.
The use of supplemental enzymes for applications that involve serious conditions of the gastrointestinal tract is also an area of growing interest. It has been observed that digestive enzymes may help those who suffer from the symptoms of IBS/IBD (irritable bowel syndrome/irritable bowel disease). Further, autism research has shown that certain enzymes can help alleviate some of the gastrointestinal symptoms characteristic of autism spectrum disorders.
Research is continuously being conducted to find new applications for enzymes that are already being utilized as supplements, as well as to find novel enzymes with applications in health and wellness. One type of novel enzyme can convert a portion of ingested starch into non-digestible sugars. These enzymes prevent the absorption of a certain portion of the glucose produced from the breakdown of starch. The non-digestible sugars (oligosaccharides) produced from this enzymatic action pass through the small intestine into the colon where they act as prebiotics by providing a food source for the body's beneficial microflora. Supplemental enzymes within this category can be useful additions to a weight management program.
For the Future…
In today's marketplace, the consumer is beginning to grasp the importance of digestion. The heavy marketing of probiotics by Dannon has helped put a spotlight on feeling good through intestinal health. But enzyme supplementation is still in its infancy. According to SPINS, Schaumburg, IL, enzymes and other digestive formulas are on a three-year upward trend. There was 7% growth in this category in 2006 and in Natural Supermarkets, full-spectrum digestive enzymes addressing the breakdown of dairy, protein, carbohydrates and fats are the top sellers. (SPINSscan Conventional & Natural 52 weeks Ending Dec. 30, 2006; Total U.S.)
The potential for growth is huge, not only in the digestive arena, but also in the area of systemic use, including inflammation support, arthritis, cardiovascular support, and wound healing. As the population continues to age, control of these conditions will become more important.
As companies commit more dollars to researching new concepts, the potential for new types of products will grow. It will be important for ingredient companies and manufacturers to educate the retailers and the consumers about what enzymes can do. The supplier has the research and information needed to tell the complete story of the product's effectiveness.
