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Probiotics and Enzymes - What are they?
DJAB • April 19, 2021
Benefits of Probiotics and Enzymes.
Benefits of Probiotics.
Probiotics are live microorganisms that can be consumed through fermented foods or supplements.
More and more studies show that the balance or imbalance of bacteria in your digestive system is linked to overall health and disease.
Probiotics promote a healthy balance of gut bacteria and have been linked to a wide range of health benefits.
These include benefits for weight loss, digestive health, immune function and more.
Probiotics Help Balance The Friendly Bacteria in Your Digestive System
- Probiotics include “good” bacteria. These are live microorganisms that can provide health benefits when consumed.
- These benefits are thought to result from the ability of probiotics to restore the natural balance of gut bacteria.
- An imbalance means there are too many bad bacteria and not enough good bacteria. It can happen due to illness, medication such as antibiotics, poor diet and more.
- Consequences can include digestive issues, allergies, mental health problems, obesity and more.
- Probiotics are usually found in fermented foods or taken as supplements. What’s more, they appear to be safe for most people.
- Probiotics are live microorganisms. When taken in sufficient amounts, they can help restore the natural balance of gut bacteria. As a result, health benefits may follow.
Probiotics Can Help Prevent and Treat Diarrhea
- Probiotics are widely known for their ability to prevent diarrhea or reduce its severity.
- Diarrhea is a common side effect of taking antibiotics. It occurs because antibiotics can negatively affect the balance of good and bad bacteria in the gut.
- Probiotics can also help with other forms of diarrhea not associated with antibiotics.
- Effectiveness varies, depending on the type and dose of the probiotic taken.
- Probiotics can reduce the risk and severity of diarrhea from a number of different causes.
Probiotic Supplements Improve Some Mental Health Conditions
- An increasing number of studies link gut health to mood and mental health.
- Taking probiotics may help improve symptoms of mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety, stress and memory, among others.
Certain Probiotic Strains Can Help Keep Your Heart Healthy
- Probiotics may help keep your heart healthy by lowering LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and blood pressure.
- Certain lactic acid-producing bacteria may reduce cholesterol by breaking down bile in the gut.
- Bile, a naturally occurring fluid mostly made of cholesterol, helps digestion.
- By breaking down bile, probiotics can prevent it from being reabsorbed in the gut, where it can enter the blood as cholesterol.
- Consuming probiotics may also lower blood pressure.
- Probiotics may help protect the heart by reducing “bad” LDL cholesterol levels and modestly lowering blood pressure.
Probiotics May Reduce the Severity of Certain Allergies and Eczema
- Certain probiotic strains may reduce the severity of eczema in children and infants
- Some probiotics may also reduce inflammatory responses in people with milk or dairy allergies. and
- Probiotics may reduce the risk and severity of certain allergies, such as eczema in infants.
Probiotics Can Help Reduce Symptoms of Certain Digestive Disorders
- Over one million people in the US suffer from inflammatory bowel disease, including ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease.
- Certain types of probiotics from the Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus strains have improved symptoms in people with mild ulcerative colitis.
- Probiotics may have benefits for other bowel disorders. They may help with symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
- They have also been shown to reduce the risk of severe necrotizing enterocolitis by 50%. This is a fatal bowel condition that occurs in premature infants.
- Probiotics may help reduce the symptoms of bowel disorders like ulcerative colitis, IBS and necrotizing enterocolitis.
Probiotics May Help Boost Your Immune System
- Probiotics may help give your immune system a boost and inhibit the growth of harmful gut bacteria.
- Also, some probiotics have been shown to promote the production of natural antibodies in the body. They may also boost immune cells like the IgA-producing cells, T lymphocytes and natural killer cells.
- The probiotic Lactobacillus crispatus has also been shown to reduce the risk of urinary tract infections (UTIs) in women by 50%.
- Probiotics may help boost your immune system and protect against infections.
Probiotics May Help You Lose Weight and Belly Fat
- Probiotics may help with weight loss through a number of different mechanisms.
- Some probiotics prevent the absorption of dietary fat in the intestine.
- The fat is then excreted through feces rather than stored in the body.
- Probiotics may also help you feel fuller for longer, burn more calories and store less fat. This is partly caused by increasing levels of certain hormones, such as GLP-1.
- They may also help with weight loss directly.
- However, it’s important to be aware that not all probiotics aid in weight loss.
- Certain probiotics may help you lose weight and belly fat. However, other strains have been linked to weight gain.
The Best Way to Benefit From Probiotics
- You can get probiotics from a variety of foods or supplements.
- Live probiotic cultures are often found in fermented dairy products such as yogurts and milk drinks. Fermented foods like pickled vegetables, tempeh, miso, kefir, kimchi, sauerkraut and soy products may also contain some lactic acid bacteria.
- You can also take probiotics as tablets, capsules and powders that contain the bacteria in dried form.
- However, be aware that some probiotics can be destroyed by stomach acid before they even reach the gut — meaning that you get none of the intended benefits.
- If you want to experience any of the health benefits discussed above, it’s important that you consume adequate amounts.
Why Are Enzymes Important?
An enzyme is a type of protein found within a cell. Enzymes create chemical reactions in the body. They actually speed up the rate of a chemical reaction to help support life.
The enzymes in your body help to perform very important tasks. These include building muscle, destroying toxins, and breaking down food particles during digestion.
An enzyme’s shape is tied to its function. Heat, disease, or harsh chemical conditions can damage enzymes and change their shape. When this happens, an enzyme doesn’t work anymore. This affects the body processes the enzyme helped support.
Enzymes are produced naturally in the body.
For example, enzymes are required for proper digestive system function. Digestive enzymes are mostly produced in the pancreas, stomach, and small intestine. But even your salivary glands produce digestive enzymes to start breaking down food molecules while you’re still chewing. You can also take enzymes in pill form if you’re having certain digestive problems.
Types of enzymes
There are three main types of digestive enzymes. They’re categorized based on the reactions they help catalyze:
- Amylase breaks down starches and carbohydrates into sugars.
- Protease breaks down proteins into amino acids.
- Lipase breaks down lipids, which are fats and oils, into glycerol and fatty acids.
Why are enzymes important for digestion?
Enzymes are essential for healthy digestion and a healthy body. They work with other chemicals in the body, such as stomach acid and bile, to help break down food into molecules for a wide range of bodily functions.
Carbohydrates, for instance, are needed for energy, while protein is necessary to build and repair muscle, among other functions. But they must be converted into forms that can be absorbed and utilized by your body.
How enzymes work in your digestive system
Amylase
is produced in the salivary glands, pancreas, and small intestine. One type of amylase, called ptyalin, is made in the salivary glands and starts to act on starches while food is still in your mouth. It remains active even after you swallow.
Pancreatic amylase is made in the pancreas and delivered to the small intestine. Here it continues to break down starch molecules to sugars, which are ultimately digested into glucose by other enzymes. This is then absorbed into the body’s blood circulation through the wall of the small intestine.
Protease
is produced in the stomach, pancreas, and small intestine. Most of the chemical reactions occur in the stomach and small intestine. In the stomach, pepsin is the main digestive enzyme attacking proteins. Several other pancreatic enzymes go to work when protein molecules reach the small intestine.
Lipase
is produced in the pancreas and small intestine. A type of lipase is also found in breast milk to help a baby more easily digest fat molecules when nursing. Lipids play many roles, including long-term energy storage and supporting cellular health.
What affects enzymes?
- Enzymes work best at your normal body temperature. The average body temperature is 98.6°F (37°C), but normal body temperatures can range from 97°F to 99°F (36.1°C to 37.2°C).
- If you run a fever and your temperature increases too much, the structure of enzymes breaks down. They no longer function properly. Restoring your body temperature to its optimal range will help restore enzyme health.
- Certain health conditions, such as pancreatitis, which is inflammation of the pancreas, hurts your pancreas and can also reduce the number and effectiveness of certain digestive enzymes.
- The pH level of your stomach or intestines can also affect enzyme activity.
- A low pH means something is very acidic. A high pH means it’s basic, also known as alkaline. Enzymes work best in a fairly narrow pH range. If the environment surrounding an enzyme becomes too acidic or too basic, the enzyme’s shape and function will suffer.
- Chemicals called inhibitors can also interfere with an enzyme’s ability to cause a chemical reaction.
- Inhibitors can occur naturally. They can also be manufactured and produced as medications. Antibiotics are a good example. They inhibit or prevent certain enzymes from helping bacterial infections spread.
- Your diet can also influence your body’s enzyme activity. That’s because many foods contain digestive enzymes that help share the burden of the naturally occurring enzymes in your body.
- For example, bananas contain amylase. So even though a banana is packed with carbs, it also comes with amylase to help you digest it so you can use those carbs for energy later.
- Eating enzyme-rich foods can boost enzyme activity in your body. Just keep in mind the calories and other nutritional information about the foods in your diet.
- In addition to your diet habits, your body’s overall state of health will also affect how well it produces, stores, and releases enzymes and how efficiently its enzymes function. This will vary from one person to the next.
- Eating a nutritious diet in moderation on a regular basis and staying in good health will help your body’s enzyme activity to stay more regular. Otherwise, for example, if you intermittently binge on a large meal here or there, you may have untoward effects like indigestion, nausea, or even diarrhea if you don’t have enough enzymes readily available to aid in digestion.
When are enzyme supplements needed?
- Problems with your pancreas, such as pancreatitis, cystic fibrosis, or pancreatic cancer, can reduce the number of important enzymes your body produces. As a result, you may not get enough enzymes to thoroughly digest your food and obtain all the nutritional value from what you eat.
- If you have these conditions — or others in which your enzyme levels are below a normal or healthy range — talk with your doctor about treatment options.
- Dietary enzymes are available in pill form as supplements. If your doctor recommends trying these supplements, make sure you get pancreatic enzyme products (PEPs) that are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
- You may also need enzyme supplementation if you’re exposed to various chemicals or pesticides, or if your foods are always cooked at high temperatures. Heating foods can destroy any naturally occurring enzymes in them.
- Some people may have stomach irritation or other unpleasant gastrointestinal side effects with enzyme supplements. Be sure to talk with your doctor about any potential risks or complications with dietary enzymes.
Overview.
Enzymes are crucial for good health. Your body produces them. You can also get them in fruits, vegetables, and other foods. They’re also available in supplements.
But if you’re in good health, follow a healthy plant-based diet, and your doctor says your enzyme levels are healthy, don’t start taking enzyme supplements simply hoping to get even healthier. They can affect your metabolism in negative ways.
If you have a chronic disease such as cancer or if your doctor has told you that you’re lacking in certain nutrients, then be sure to discuss whether to take supplements and what kind you should take. Changes in the color and consistency of your stool may indicate nutritional deficiencies.
Taking dietary enzymes can make a positive impact on your health, but only if you really need them.
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Four ingredients when taken alone can certainly support the body and provide added benefits. However, combined them together and you definitely will have the opportunity to not only feel, but see improvements.
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Why Detoxing is Beneficial.
Detoxification — or detox — is a popular buzzword.
It typically implies following a specific diet or using special products that claim to rid your body of toxins, thereby improving health and promoting weight loss.
Fortunately, your body is well-equipped to eliminate toxins and doesn’t require special diets or expensive supplements to do so.
That said, you can enhance your body’s natural detoxification system.
Thank you for your support in reading this article and hopefully, you have found it beneficial.
"Providing Better Health Through Knowledge"
Many people rely on quick, processed foods for meals and snacks. Since these products often contain added sugar, it makes up a large proportion of their daily calorie intake.
In the US, added sugars account for up to 17% of the total calorie intake of adults and up to 14% for children.
Dietary guidelines suggest limiting calories from added sugar to less than 10% per day.
It is believed that sugar consumption is a major cause of obesity and many chronic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes.
Here are some reasons why eating too much sugar is bad for your health.
Thank you for your support in reading this article and hopefully, you have found it beneficial.
"Providing Better Health Through Knowledge"
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