Real Life Connection

Enzymes enable the many chemical reactions that are taking place at any second inside the body of a plant or animal. One example of an enzyme is cytochrome, which aids the respiratory system by catalyzing the combination of oxygen with hydrogen within the cells. Other enzymes facilitate the conversion of food to energy and make possible a variety of other necessary biological functions. Enzymes in the human body fulfill one of three basic functions. The largest of all enzyme types, sometimes called metabolic enzymes, assist in a wide range of basic bodily processes, from breathing to thinking. Some such enzymes are devoted to maintaining the immune system, which protects us against disease, and others are involved in controlling the effects of toxins, such as tobacco smoke, converting them to forms that the body can expel more easily.

A second category of enzyme is in the diet and consists of enzymes in raw foods that aid in the process of digesting those foods. They include proteases, which implement the digestion of protein; lipases, which help in digesting lipids or fats; and amylases, which make it possible to digest carbohydrates. Such enzymes set in motion the digestive process even when food is still in the mouth. As these enzymes move with the food into the upper portion of the stomach, they continue to assist with digestion.

No matter the reason, more consumers today are looking to eliminate gluten (a protein) from their diets. This has sparked renewed interest in protease enzymes—those that break proteins down—for their potential to help individuals who have trouble digesting gluten.

Certain proteases might effectively assist in combating gluten sensitivities. According to Tom Laaman, PhD, technical director at enzyme supplier BIO-CAT (Troy, VA), enzyme firms, including his own, are working to identify proteases “that act quickly enough to break down the gluten as it enters the stomach.”

Still, there are challenges here, he says. One is devising an in vitro test that can, with certainty, confirm whether protein hydrolysis is fast enough to be effective.

Deerland’s Ravech calls gluten intolerance “an especially good candidate for an enzyme-based solution.” His company recently completed a human clinical trial for its Glutalytic product, which is a blend of protease enzymes “designed to break down gluten more quickly and efficiently than typical DPP4.” (DPP4 is dipeptidyl peptidase, a single protease that breaks down wheat protein.) Ravech says that data from the double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study showed a statistically significant improvement when compared to the placebo group for several symptoms, including pain and bloating.2

Walter Crinnion, chief science officer for enzyme brand Enzymedica (Venice, FL), points out that while certain digestive enzymes have proven to be quite effective in breaking down gluten in the stomach prior to its release into the small intestines, more research on enzymes such as DPP4 and prolyl endopeptidase is needed.