Enzymes: key role in digestion
To digest our food, our body needs enzymes. These enzymes are partly produced by the body itself and partly provided by our diet. Yet, it is not impossible that we might be deficient in enzymes. What can you do about that?
Various sources provide digestive enzymes. Our body produces a certain amount of enzymes itself – mainly secreted by the pancreas – and it also absorbs enzymes through food. Enzymes play an important role in a number of chemical processes that take place in our organism. Without these enzymes, our cells, organs, and muscles would not function as well. Yet, they are indispensable especially for digestion. They come in handy during various stages.
What role do enzymes play in digestion?
As soon as we start eating, the digestive process begins. But what exactly happens there? The food is broken down piece by piece so that the body can absorb the nutrients it contains, which we need.
First, enzymes in the saliva (such as ptyalin) begin to break down the food while chewing. Gradually, the food bolus is transported through the esophagus to the stomach.
There, other enzymes (such as pepsin, necessary for the digestion of proteins) and stomach acid take care of the rest of the digestion. At this point, three-quarters of the food has already been broken down.
What remains is called chyme. This stomach pulp is pushed further into the small intestine. Under the influence of a new mix of enzymes secreted by the pancreas (e.g., amylase and lipase), digestion reaches its end. And that is how digested carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids become nutrients. These nutrients are so microscopically small that they pass through the wall of the small intestine and enter the bloodstream, after which they are absorbed by the body. The remaining waste products are removed via the large intestine in the form of stool.
As soon as digestion is not working optimally, our food ‘sits’ on our stomach.
Disturbed digestion
Certain factors can disrupt the work of enzymes. The body produces only a limited number of enzymes and the reserves can become depleted over the years. Moreover, their functioning depends on the temperature of our food. Above 50 degrees, the enzymes in the food become inactive. In that case, digestion is disturbed from the very beginning: only the enzymes in the saliva are effective, but they are not very numerous. The result: subsequent stages of digestion take longer and can cause discomfort. Such a situation can also occur if we do not chew our food long enough, which means the enzymes do not have the chance to mix properly with our nutrients.
A lack of enzymes can cause health problems in the long run. If digestion is not working optimally, many complaints can arise, such as flatulence, abdominal cramps, fatigue after meals, food allergies, heartburn, and a vitamin B12 deficiency. We then have the feeling that our food is literally ‘sitting’ on our stomach. The culprits are often the enzymes that did not start the pre-digestion process. In older people, this can lead to malnutrition.
Dietary supplements offer benefits
We can stimulate digestion by, among other things, eating raw vegetables. However, few people keep that up. Therefore, dietary supplements based on digestive enzymes are a possible solution. These preparations, which you take during a meal, contain natural enzymes to promote digestion. Some sources also state that they can be useful for reducing inflammation and that they speed up recovery after surgery.
Product mentioned in this article
Digest-OK
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