Digestive Enzymes 101

Enzymes needed for digestion will cause problems when deficient.

Most of us have experienced the occasional upset stomach gas and bloating, but what if this were a daily problem. If you struggle with poor digestive health; symptoms like gas, bloating, fatigue, constipation, and other digestive system problems, you may be deficient in enzymes needed for digestion.

Holistic digestion and the enzymes needed for digestion

Holistic digestion requires a coordination of enzyme secretion, muscle contraction, and nutrient absorption. Without the proper enzymes or enough enzymes to breakdown your food, you will have less than optimal digestion resulting in:
* Fatigue
* Constipation
* Gas and bloating
* Acid reflux
Enzyme activity starts in your mouth as you chew your food and it mixes with your saliva. The saliva has enzymes in it and begins to breakdown the food.
So what do you think happens when you don't chew your food properly...?
That's right, it leaves more work to the mechanics and enzymes of the stomach. As the food passes into your stomach the cells in the stomach secrete hydrocloric acid or HCL. This acidic substance is important because it activates enzymes needed for digestion of proteins. In the absence of HCL these enzymes sit inactive. Pepsin and other proteases are the main enzymes used in the stomach to breakdown proteins into their smaller counterparts amino acids and peptides.

The enzyme activity in the stomach do a primitive job of breaking down big food particles into smaller ones and this is needed in order for the small intestine to perform its job. Once these smaller food particles enter the small intestine, new enzymes are activated and focus further on breaking down smaller and smaller particles. Lipases breakdown fats, more proteases for proteins, and other specific enzymes to breakdown starches and lignans.

Ever feel like the food you eat is sitting there and not moving?

Based on the above what do you think could be going on with your digestion to cause this?


You guessed it.... Inadequate enzyme activity. This is the most common reason to have the above mentioned symptoms but there are natural health solutions to resolve these symptoms. One key component is identifying the enzymes needed for digestion that are inadequate and supplementing them. To much and you can make the issue worse, too little and they won't be effective.

Source:  PsycheTruth, discoverholistichealth.org