The digestive enzymes are those that allow the absorption of nutrients in foods through the rupture of the polymers present in food. Digestive enzymes allow the assimilation of nutrients and are therefore essential for the entire digestive process. Protease, Amylase, and Lipase are the Main Types of Digestive enzymes.
Types of Enzymes and their Function
There are different types of digestive enzymes, according to their function in the body:
- Lipases: They are those that digest fats, breaking them down into fatty acids.
- Proteases: Break the peptide bonds of proteins.
- Amylases: They degrade starches and complex sugars in the diet.
- Ptialina : It is an enzyme present in saliva that acts in a basic environment until it is inactivated when the food has reached the stomach.
The digestive enzymes have different properties and therapeutic uses in cases of inflammation, intestinal disorders, vesicular insufficiencies, constipation, ulcers, skin disorders, rheumatoid, degenerative arthritis, or different processes.
Examples of digestive enzymes
| Pancreatic amylase | Ribonuclease |
| Pepsin | Deoxyribonuclease |
| Renin | Lactase |
| Trypsinogen | Maltasa |
| Chymotrypsinogen | Dipeptidase |
| Phosphatase | Trypsin |
| Sucarasa | Polypeptidase |
| Protease | Pancreatic chymotrypsin |
| Enterokinase | Intestinal lipase |
| Duodenal amylase | Pancreatic lipase |
Production and Deficiency
The body naturally produces these enzymes, which act in all metabolic processes. The feed is one of the most common ways of incorporating this class of enzymes, which are often present in foods such as vegetables, sprouts, certain fermented foods as well as fresh fruits of raw consumption.
However, sometimes not having a good diet or even having it, it is possible that the body does not produce a sufficient amount of enzymes on its own, which causes digestion to become heavier, and then it is a great waste of energy by the body.
These types of deficiencies can cause constipation, gas, or intestinal irritation. When there is a significant lack of enzymes, it is necessary to resort to special preparations that aid digestion, in addition to taking care of the diet: these preparations usually include proteolytic enzymes, as well as enzymes similar to those produced by the pancreas.
You should read: Are fats bad for food?
Degradation
Due to their natural nature, enzymes undergo a degradation process that is often accelerated by issues such as stress, which is why it is said that trying to lead a quiet life helps the recovery of enzymes in cells.
Enzymes are also destroyed by heat, stating that there are no enzymes in any cooked, processed, or pasteurized food – only foods eaten raw contain them.
Read Also:
- Enzymes
- Coenzymes
- Examples of Proteins
- Catalysts
- Fatty Acids
- Antioxidants
- Nutrients
