Most people don’t know that several uncomfortable things can actually be signs of an enzyme deficiency. Gas, bloating, acid reflux, diarrhea, constipation, cramping, and yes, even heartburn can be your body’s way of telling you that you’re not getting enough enzymes.
Enzymes are proteins that serve as catalysts. This means that facilitating several of your biochemical functions by speeding up chemical reactions. They reduce the amount of energy your body must use to make the reaction happen, thereby making them fast enough to make your body efficient. The less energy a process takes your body, the more energy it has to devote to other things and the better it runs.
People become deficient in enzymes because they don’t eat enough of them. There are three types of enzymes: Food, Digestive and Metabolic. While Digestive and Metabolic enzymes are produced by the body, they can also be absorbed in the food we eat, and food enzymes are only absorbed in the food we eat. Simply eating, however, does not yield the maximum enzyme absorption.
Enzymes are affected by different things, which is how they are regulated. Enzymes can be sped up by substances called accelerators and slowed down by substances called inhibitors. Most drugs and poison are inhibitors, which gives a clear clue as to how important enzymes actually are! Enzymes can also be destroyed by chemicals as well as subject to intense temperature. This is explains why most processes that can be done to food including cooking, processing, preserving and canning eliminate most of the enzymes, meaning that on a daily basis, we’re not absorbing many enzymes unless we eat like cavemen. Enzyme production also naturally decreases as we age.
Enzymes are necessary in the digestive system because they’re what aids along the breakdown of food from what we put in our mouths to the nutrients our body needs. They are present in our saliva, the acid in our stomach, secreted by the pancreas, and in the small intestine. It is in the small intestine that nutrients are sorted out from waste and absorbed and waste is designated to be eliminated.
If enzymes are lacking, the digestive process may not run as smoothly, which is why all those symptoms mentioned in the beginning (gas, bloating, acid reflux, diarrhea, constipation, cramping, heartburn) are results. If left unattended, enzyme deficiency can lead to serious problems like hypertension, high cholesterol, weight changes, IBS, colitis, diabetes and Crohn’s disease.
To prevent enzyme deficiency, one could willfully make an effort to add more raw fruits and vegetables into their diet. Enzyme supplements can also be taken. Enzyme supplements have a natural blend of key enzymes designed to strengthen digestive organs and ensure maximum effiency in both nutrient absorption and waste elimination.
