What are digestive enzymes?
Enzymes are catalysts, which means that they are little powerhouses that make chemical reactions within the body go faster. For example, digestive enzymes cause food that you eat to be broken down much faster than would occur without them. They occur naturally within the human digestive system but at times of stress, illness or as we age they may need a helping hand.

Research has shown that people who have digestive disorders, long-term illness or have low energy levels may also have lower enzyme content in their blood, urine, and tissues.

Why are enzymes important?
Digestive Enzymes are one of the most essential elements in our body. Enzymes are as important as the air you breathe, the water you drink, and the food you eat. Why is this?

Enzymes are required for your body to function properly because without enzymes you wouldn't be able to breathe, swallow, drink, eat, or digest your food. To do all of these things, your body needs some help. You must have enzymes to help perform these tasks. Enzymes are an absolute necessity to live because they help us to assilmilate nutrients and these inturn run life sustaining processes within the body.

Enzymes are your body's workers. They are responsible for constructing, synthesizing, carrying, dispensing, delivering, and eliminating the many ingredients and chemicals our body uses in its daily business of living. Your body makes enzymes. When you were young, you had an abundant supply of enzymes and you felt great. Your energy level seemed never ending.

You had 'enzymes to burn' which kept you running at tip top efficiency.

As time goes by, many people slowly begin to lose this efficiency. For years you don't even notice the changes. But then you are less able to eat the spicy foods you love or less able to recover as quickly from the aches and pains of weekend sports. This reduced vitality and stamina may signal a weakened and compromised body.

Slowly, slowly does it...
The process of depleting your enzymes is a slow one, and most likely you didn't notice your energy and vitality disappearing until one day something you once loved to do was suddenly too much work. You aren't getting too old to enjoy life, you may be running out of enzymes that would ensure you the energy you need to enjoy life.

What is happening to our enzymes?
The poor dietary habits of many in western civilization, fast food obsessions, and excessive intake of fat and sugars, all require excessive amounts of enzymes to digest our foods.

Stress kills and damages cells, resulting in our enzyme-making machinery having to work overtime to help rebuild and replace them. Environmental pollution causes cellular damage requiring ongoing assistance from enzymes just to maintain a healthy immune system. Every one of these factors diminishes our body's capacity to act, to do, to feel the way we want to feel; and, as many reputable scientists will tell you, these factors may even shorten your life.

How supplements may help restore the balance
Many individuals choose to slow down this trend by fortifying their digestion with supplemental enzymes and there is much you may do to combat your waning enzyme potential. The sooner you start, the quicker you begin to restore and extend the vitality you once had. If you still think you have it, you might be surprised what you have ever so slowly lost without knowing it until you get it back.

Symptoms Common to Enzyme Deficiency
Don't we get enzymes in the food we eat? The simple answer is no, for several reasons, including cooking and pasteurisation. When milk is pasteurised, all enzymes are destroyed so, unless you live on a farm or may get hold of raw milk, you cannot depend on consumption of milk for your digestive enzymes.

You could eat raw meat, which is full of live enzymes but also contains hormones, antibiotics, herbicides and pesticides and, quite possibly, parasites, before and after cooking. Also, do you like the taste of raw meat? Cooking, even at low heat, destroys enzymes.

So, how do we get the enzymes we need? Supplementation may be part of the answer, and plant, or phyto-enzymes can be found in many individual and multiple digestive formulas today. (A selection of our most popular supplements is featured to the right).

An enzyme deficiency may manifest itself as a variety of conditions. Presented here is a brief look at causes and symptoms:

Amylase (carbohydrate digesting enzyme) Deficiency
Breaking out of the skin-rash
Hypo-glycaemia
Depression
Mood Swings
Allergies
PMS
Hot Flashes
Fatigue
Cold hands and feet
Neck and shoulder aches
Inflammation

Protease (protein digesting enzyme) Deficiency
Back Weakness
Fungal infections
Constipation
High Blood Pressure
Insomnia
Hearing Problems
Parasites
Gum Disorders
Gingivitis

Lipase (fat digesting enzyme) Deficiency
Aching Feet
Arthritis
Bladder Problems
Cystitis
Acne
Gall Bladder Stress
Gallstones
Hay Fever
Prostate Problems
Psoriasis
Urinary Weakness
Constipation
Diarrhea
Heart Problems