Digestive enzymes help the body break down and use the nutrients from fats, carbohydrates, proteins, sugars and fibers. They are produced by the body, mainly in the pancreas, but also the stomach and salivary glands to act on food in the stomach, mouth and small intestine.
Production of pancreatic enzymes is decreased by stress, caffeine, alcohol, illness, pregnancy and simply with aging. Low levels of enzymes can lead to poor digestion, occasional acid indigestion or heartburn, deficiencies in essential vitamins and minerals, and low vitality. This means they have numerous benefits, not only to the digestive process, but overall health.
For active individuals or athletes enzymes can help pack on muscle mass. Studies have shown that they also play an important role in recovery from high-intensity training, making them a prime addition to a bodybuilding nutritional program.
Before the protein and carbohydrates we eat can be used for muscle growth, stored enzymes must be released from the digestive system. Three main classes of enzymes break down foods: amylases break down carbohydrates, lipases break down fats and proteases break down proteins. Although these enzymes are naturally produced and stored in our bodies, they can also be obtained from certain foods and dietary supplements. Bodybuilders looking to pack on mass can use enzyme supplements to help their digestive systems handle the large amounts of calories they need to consume; the enzymes help utilize more food so those nutrients can be put to use for muscle building.
Digestive Enzymes have also been shown to decrease the production of molecules that cause inflammation while increasing levels of anti-inflammatory substances. Excessive inflammation can delay muscle recovery and therefore slow down muscle building, by limiting the amount of inflammation that occurs after an injury, the regeneration process can begin sooner.
It is also possible that proteases speed recovery through their role in increasing amino acid absorption, which would provide more available aminos for rebuilding damaged muscles and joints. This means that enzyme supplements may not only aid recovery from an injury, but they may also help muscles recover from intense weight training.
Most enzyme supplements work in the stomach, even though almost all carbohydrate and fat digestion happens in the small intestine.
NextZyme Dual Digestive Enzymes are pH-stable and help break down food in both the stomach and the small intestine. In addition to assisting your body to digest what you eat, it also helps to absorb proteins, fats, and carbohydrates into your system.
So whether you are in need of alleviating occasional gas, bloating and indigestion, reducing that feeling of fullness due to undigested food, like whole grains beans, proteins and fats, or want to increase your energy and vitality, you might want to give a digestive enzyme like NextZyme.
