Products rich in enzymes. Why are digestive enzymes needed?

What drugs improve digestion?

There is a certain group of substances - enzymes or enzymes - that help accelerate the production of digestive gland products necessary for the process of digesting food. Enzymes are normally secreted in sufficient quantities by the stomach, pancreas, liver and gall bladder. But sometimes a malfunction occurs in the intestines or stomach due to a lack of these substances. That's why they produce enzyme preparations based on animal enzymes (herbal medicines are very rare).

Enzymes are intended to:

• Increase the absorption of vitamins, minerals and other elements.
• Relieve heaviness after overeating.
• Launch and accelerate metabolic processes and metabolism in the body.
• It was easier to digest food without causing side symptoms (discomfort, heaviness, bloating).
• Break down complex foods faster so that the body absorbs them more actively.

You should be careful with enzymes; the process of restoring the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract in adults and children should be monitored by a doctor, otherwise the medicine can only do more harm than good.

It is impossible to know in advance how to improve digestion if the cause of its deterioration has not been diagnosed, and this will not be possible without medical help. Moreover, no one knows which enzymes are best, and you can’t try everything at random.

Causes of enzyme deficiency in the body

Most often, acute deficiency of enzymes in the body develops for the following reasons:

Interestingly, fattening animals are fed cooked food. It turns out, for example, that pigs eating raw potatoes do not gain weight and eat boiled food - they eat it quickly. While these vegetables shouldn't be raw, the reason for the difference in weight gain is obvious and you can learn valuable lessons from it.

Based on: Daniel Reed, The Tao of Health. Digestive juices are produced by the butt, but it must be emphasized that the human body only has a certain amount of enzymes. Enzymes break down and use nutrients. The experiments of Dr. Edward Howell, a famous nutritionist, showed that the cause of loss of primary health is enzyme deficiency. For we owe life energy. Metabolic enzymes are responsible for the functioning of our body, while digestive enzymes are responsible for processing food.

1. Incorrect (unbalanced) nutrition.
2. (pancreatitis, colitis, ulcers, etc.) that disrupt metabolism.
3. Taking medications, especially antibiotics, that negatively affect the intestinal microflora, causing dysbiosis (read how to treat it).
4. Pregnancy affects enzyme failure.
5. Eating foods that contain too much fat and protein.
6. Binge eating.
7. Eating junk food.
8. Poor chewing of food (eating on the run).

Why take enzymes?

Enzymatic processes are maintained at a sufficient level only in healthy people who take good care of their diet and lifestyle.
But only a few actually have good digestibility of food; for all the rest, the digestive tract does not work entirely harmoniously. A child has better rapid digestion processes than an adult, so enzymes are prescribed to children extremely rarely. But even at 1 year old, health problems may appear and then you cannot do without the help of drugs to improve the functioning of the intestines, stomach and other organs.

Drugs that help normalize the digestion process are necessary:

• If food digestion has slowed down and it is necessary to restore the amount of enzymes.
• If food quickly enters the stomach without being chewed, and large pieces are difficult for the body to digest.
• For constipation caused by eating large amounts of food, when there is no normal supply of enzymes for breakdown.
• To improve metabolism.
• To relieve symptoms of indigestion.
• To restore the digestive system after a gastrointestinal illness.
• So that vitamins, minerals and beneficial microelements are correctly and fully absorbed by the human body.
• To speed up the process of supplying enzymes and quickly react and reduce their levels in the absence of food, so that digestive enzymes do not corrode the walls of the stomach and intestines.
• If a person feels unwell after eating food.

Honey

Honey is rich in many beneficial substances, including digestive enzymes (up to 10%).

The main biologically active substances, according to scientists, are: diastases, amylases, proteases and invertases (they break down sucrose into glucose and fructose).

Honey improves the breakdown and subsequent absorption of almost all basic substances supplied with food (starch, sucrose, proteins), with the exception of fats.

Also, according to Italian cosmetologists, the high content of digestive enzymes has a beneficial effect on the skin (especially when applied topically). There is a softening and moisturizing of the skin, a slowdown in the formation of wrinkles, and a reduced risk of developing infectious and inflammatory diseases.

It is important to note that only natural honey that has not been subjected to heat treatment has beneficial properties (temperatures over 60 degrees contribute to the destruction of enzymatic components).

Honey contains a large number of digestive enzymes, which have a positive effect not only on the digestive system, but also on the skin.

Enzyme groups

Enzyme preparations that accelerate digestion and bring the digestive system into a balanced state are of three types, depending on the active composition.

Mango

Mango contains the enzyme amylase, which breaks down complex carbohydrates into simple sugars - glucose and maltose.

According to Brazilian scientists, amylase activity in mangoes increases as the fruit ripens. Carbohydrates that are formed in the fruit during photosynthesis are gradually destroyed by enzymes, which ensures the accumulation of simple sugars.

Thus, the more ripe the mango, the more enzymes it contains.

Amylase is normally produced by the pancreas and is also found in salivary fluid. Therefore, mango is also recommended for people with atrophic pathologies of the oral cavity and exocrine pancreatic insufficiency.

Thus, mango is an important source of the enzyme amylase, which ensures the digestion of complex carbohydrates. It is recommended to consume the fruit for various diseases of the pancreas.

List of drugs to restore digestion

It is difficult to select a group of suitable enzymes without diagnosing the causes of the disease. The doctor should advise what is best to take after making a diagnosis.

Let's look at the main list of drugs that promote good digestion, easing a person's condition after eating.

Pancreatin

Pancreatin is the best remedy for insufficient production of enzymes by the pancreas. The drug is available in tablets. The product improves the digestion process, promoting the speedy passage of food through the digestive tract. Proper use of the product will help you get rid of heaviness in the stomach after eating.

Pancreatin is recommended for people with:

• Low enzymatic activity of the pancreas.
• Problems of the chewing apparatus due to which food enters the stomach in large pieces and takes a long time to digest.
• Pain and heaviness in the abdomen when overeating.
• Chronic diseases of the digestive system, especially at the time of exacerbation of the disease.

The drug is well suited for children, adults and the elderly.

In order for the normalization of the digestion process to occur gradually without stress for the body, you must take the tablets according to the instructions:

1. Adults can drink 1 tablet of Pancreatin during meals.
2. Children under 3 years of age should be given 1/3 of a tablet with meals.
3. Older children can be given half or a whole tablet, depending on the situation and the doctor's prescription.

The product helps quickly, acceleration of digestion and relief occurs 10-30 minutes after taking Pancreatin. For the best effect, it is necessary to take the drug in a course prescribed by a doctor to help the body restore its usual rhythm.

Creon

The drug is available in capsules, so the effect extends to the intestines. Creon accelerates the digestion process throughout the entire digestive tract, and does not act only in the stomach, unlike Pancreatin. If a person is facing a feast with a predominance of fatty and heavy food, then it is advisable to drink Creon in advance to help the body quickly process and absorb a large amount of food. Tumors in the stomach and intestines that affect their performance, cystic fibrosis, pancreatitis - all these are indications for the use of Creon.

Capsules should be taken before meals and should be swallowed.

It is not advisable to open the capsule, chew or dissolve its contents, since the activity of the drug will decrease and the effect will not reach the intestines. It is enough to drink 1 capsule at a time.

Creon has a side effect in rare cases - diarrhea, but you cannot take the drug against constipation, since this is not its main purpose and this way you can not adjust digestion, but only throw off the balance.

Mezim

Mezim contains four main active components:

• Pancreatin.
• Protease.
• Amylase.
• Lipase.

For gastritis, chronic pancreatitis and simply temporary problems with the pancreas, the drug is useful for the absorption of nutrients and good rapid digestion of food. You should also drink Mezim if you have problems with food stagnation.

If the functioning of the pancreas or stomach is disrupted, usually take 1 tablet of Mezim with meals.

It is better if the treatment and dosage are prescribed by a doctor, since the drug is very strong and uncontrolled use can only harm the body. It can be taken for a long time if there are chronic diseases, but the doctor must then constantly monitor the patient’s condition.

Festal

Festal tablets improve human digestion due to their component composition:

• Pancreatin normalizes the production of enzymes.
• Ox bile powder helps improve amylase activity.
• Hemicellulose helps break down fiber.

These components are good for the rapid and complete absorption of vitamins and minerals. These digestive pills are great for people with irritable bowel syndrome.

Festal is a good remedy, but it has a number of contraindications.

The tablets should not be used by people with:

• Hepatitis of any etiology.
• Acute pancreatitis.
• Intestinal obstruction.
• Diabetes mellitus (only as prescribed by a doctor with monitoring of blood glucose levels).

Enzistal

It has almost the same component composition as Festal, so improving digestion and absorption of nutrients with the drug will be much more effective.

If the digestion process slows down, a person will begin to experience abdominal pain, flatulence, bloating, nausea, and loss of appetite.

It is these unpleasant symptoms that Enzistal helps to get rid of. The indications and contraindications for the drug are the same as for Festal.

Somilaza

The drug will help solve gastric problems associated specifically with the intake of plant and animal fats in large quantities. Alpha-amylase and solizyme, the active components of the drug, help quickly break down fats that have entered the stomach and facilitate the rest of the digestion process.

Somilase is prescribed to people with:

• Gastritis.
• Chronic pancreatitis.
• Problems with the liver and gallbladder.
• Digestive problems after surgery on the gastrointestinal tract.

Methods of use and dosage will entirely depend on the reason for the prescription, and therefore the medicine must be prescribed by a doctor.

This drug is quite different from the medications described above, and its self-prescription may not help in certain cases. Therefore, if a person is not sure of his diagnosis, it makes no sense to purchase Somilaza.

Oraza

The drug is prescribed to people with:

• Gastritis.
• Stomach ulcers.
• Reduced production of hydrochloric acid.

The drug gained its popularity due to its unique component composition, which helps normalize the activity of the entire digestive tract, and not just one organ.

Take the medicine ½-1 teaspoon after or during meals. The dosage will be individual, but most often the drug is prescribed to be taken three times a day. There are Oraza syrup and capsules; the release form for each person must be prescribed by a doctor. The drug in syrup is more suitable for children, as it is easier for them to take it, but adults can take tablets or capsules.

The product has one side effect - diarrhea.

Often girls try to use an enzyme preparation for weight loss - to digest food faster and so that everything comes out of the intestines more actively. This is fundamentally wrong, since such treatment can completely destroy the digestive system, disrupting the balance of enzyme production, which will subsequently affect human health. The medicine should be used only if there really is a problem with the production of enzymes.

Enzymes for digestion in children

Problems with the digestive system can occur not only in adults, but also in children. Therefore, manufacturers produce special preparations that are suitable for children’s bodies. Our rating includes the 2 most popular enzymes.

Colif

This dietary supplement is not a drug and can be used for children from birth as an additional source of lactase in case of lactase deficiency. For babies under 12 months of age, dietary supplements are given along with breast milk or formula, adding it immediately before administration. It has passed clinical trials.

Colif contains exclusively natural ingredients - purified water, lactase enzyme and glycerin. The drug is available in the form of drops with a sweetish taste due to the glycerin content. After opening, the drops must be kept in the refrigerator, and they have a fairly long shelf life. Thanks to the breakdown of the main amount of lactose in milk, its better absorption is ensured. This helps children with colic in the first months of life.

Advantages:

• Natural composition;
• Can be used for children from birth;
• Ease of use;
• Long shelf life;
• High efficiency.

Flaws:

• Relatively high cost.

Colif can be used not only for infants, but also for older children with problems with the digestive system.

Lactazar

The main component of the supplement is lactose. The product is recommended for increased gas formation in children, colic and stool instability. It can also be used in cases of intestinal disorders, infections and lactose intolerance. The enzyme reacts only to milk carbohydrates, breaking them down for better absorption. At the same time, the development of the baby’s digestive system occurs in the prescribed manner.

Lactazar is available in the form of capsules with microelements. Their contents are added to the milk at each feeding, mixed thoroughly and given to the child. After this, you can feed the baby as usual. When artificial feeding, the product is added to the prepared warm mixture. From 5 years of age, children can take the product in the form of a diluted powder.

Advantages:

• Low cost;
• High efficiency;
• Wide spectrum of action;
• Various release forms;
• Long shelf life.

Flaws:

• Not very convenient to use while breastfeeding.

Prices

When people come to the pharmacy, they don’t know what to do or which drug to choose.
Nowadays they produce inexpensive and effective medications, but it is still worth choosing a drug based on the digestive problem. It is impossible to reliably determine the best medicinal enzyme preparations only by price, because cheap drugs are sometimes more effective than expensive ones, and sometimes price does not matter at all, and everything depends on the individual characteristics of the body. The table shows prices for several large cities in Russia, from which you should base your assessment of the drug in order to choose a product that is affordable and beneficial (prices vary greatly depending on the amount of the drug in the package and its dosage).

The Best Medicines to Replenish Missing Enzymes

The word “enzyme” itself comes from the Greek word “enzymes” - fermented. Enzymes are involved in growth processes, metabolic processes, food utilization, threat control, and others. This is from the very beginning of our lives. For example, food will not nourish us until it is ready for absorption by the body. Food molecules must cross both the cellular and mitochondrial membranes. Responsible for this are digestion and decomposition enzymes, which “open the door” of the cells, change the spatial shape of the food particles, and only then the food particles are delivered inside the cell.

The most effective medications for replenishing enzyme deficiency are the following drugs:

It is important to know that all of the above drugs have a beneficial and gentle effect on the body, however, it is recommended to consult a doctor before taking them.

Generally, enzymes can be divided into several main groups.

• Digestive fats - i.e. lipolytic enzymes.
• Digestive sugars are glycolytic.
• Decomposing nucleic acids - ribonuclease, deoxyribonuclease.

The body of each of us contains a huge number of enzymes - more than three thousand.
More than 50 enzymes work in just one liver cell and about 10 in blood vessels. We already know that not a single biochemical reaction can occur in your body without enzymes. This means that enzymes are involved in digestion, cleanse the body of waste, build any tissue, without enzymes it is impossible to get blood. Our immune system cannot function without enzymes. All actions of this system, attacking "intruders", removing toxins, quickly removing huge numbers of used cells, are based on the enzyme system. Thanks to its properties, it has a world-class career today as a natural food preservative, antibiotic and analgesic.

It is also important to understand that most medications are undesirable to take during pregnancy, so you need to be especially careful when choosing enzyme medications during this period.

Reviews

Ulyana, Novosibirsk For as long as I can remember, my father drank Pancreatin all the time. When I had to hand over, I also drank these pills. Cheap and cheerful. Drinking it once helps a lot. I don’t know what it’s like for long-term treatment.

Yuri, Nizhny Novgorod Pancreatin is not a bad remedy, but I had to switch to a more expensive one - Creon. I have chronic problems with my pancreas, and now only Creon helps, but it is very expensive, so if my health allows it, I can buy it cheaper.

Vitalina, Omsk And for me personally, Festal helps a lot. I really like to eat on holidays, but then it’s such a burden. And I took a couple of pills at the table and no problems. Highly recommend.

How to prevent enzyme deficiency

Lysozyme Monocrystalline lysozyme. Lizo is present, among others. in chicken protein as one of five biologically active proteins that protect the embryo from bacteria, viruses and mold. Among them, lysozyme is the most important and most durable. In the past, raw chicken protein was used to protect wounds from infection. It should be noted that today's chicken eggs contain much less lysozyme than ever before due to feeding chickens that have been handled and processed under unnatural conditions. Lysozyme is also present in breast milk.

It plays a very important role in protecting the child from all types of infections. Without a number of important enzymes, such as superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, selenium oxide peroxidase, glutathione reductase, glutathione transferase, there would not even be effective protection against free radicals. We couldn't make one life without enzymes. Everything we do requires energy. Without this we will not be able to walk, run, hear, wink, think. Our body must produce energy. This would be impossible without enzymes - the main labor force of the system.

In order for your body to work smoothly and not have a deficiency of necessary enzymes, you must adhere to the following recommendations:

1. Follow your diet. This means that you need to eat at the same time every day. This will eliminate the problem of overeating and the feeling of extreme hunger.
2. Drink plenty of fluids. It is advisable to drink up to two liters of water per day, not counting soups, compotes, juices and other drinks.
3. There should be 4-5 full meals per day, consisting of a hot dish, side dish and juice, as well as 2-3 snacks, including nuts, dried fruits or fruits.
4. You need to eat slowly, chewing each piece of food well.
5. It is not advisable to eat food that is too cold or too hot, as this will certainly not have a beneficial effect on the digestion process.
6. It is better to give preference to home-made food rather than store-bought semi-finished products, since there is no guarantee that only fresh products were used in such dishes.
7. You should avoid eating too spicy and fatty foods, as well as hard-to-digest foods (baked goods, sausages, dumplings, etc.). Despite its taste, this food will burden the gastrointestinal tract and cause digestive problems.
8. It is very important to lead an active lifestyle, since the work of the gastrointestinal tract is directly related to this. With a lack of exercise, people often develop constipation and slow metabolism.
9. Stress and nervous strain should be avoided, because mental disorders can negatively affect the gastrointestinal tract. Most often, it is stress that provokes indigestion and the formation of stomach ulcers.
10. It is advisable to keep a food diary. It will be especially useful for those who cannot control what they eat. In such a diary you need to write down everything you ate during the day. Thus, it will help you organize your menu and stop uncontrolled consumption of junk food.
11. You should not wash down your food with water, as this disrupts digestion.

It’s worth mentioning separately about juices.

Only freshly squeezed homemade juices (vegetable or fruit) can contain a huge amount of useful vitamins and enzymes. Store-bought juices contain several times less of these substances.

It is best to drink such juices an hour before meals so that they promote the production of gastric juice. You can also mix fruit nectars with vegetable nectars. This will only make them more useful.

Modern man often suffers from diseases caused by enzyme deficiency. Moreover, with age, this problem becomes more and more urgent. However, today even young people often have problems with a lack of food enzymes (enzymes) in the body. There is only one way out of this problem - to compensate for the deficiency, that is, to obtain enzymes for digestion through medications or proper nutrition. What threatens the body with a lack of these important substances and how to replenish it? It's worth figuring everything out.

Food as a source of enzymes

The source of “additional” enzymes for the body is food. However, not all food provides a person with the necessary set of these substances. The most common enzyme-rich foods are dairy products, especially kefir and various yogurts. A large number of enzymes are found in ordinary, apple cider vinegar and self-fermented kvass. Among the “overseas” dishes, Chinese sauerkraut kimchi and a product of Japanese cuisine miso are rich in enzymes.

Another category of foods rich in enzymes are fruits and vegetables, especially those grown in natural, environmentally friendly conditions. Moreover, they must be consumed raw, since heat treatment destroys most of the enzymes. To maintain your digestion in normal condition, you need to eat a salad made from fresh ingredients every day or drink a glass of natural juice. Particularly rich in enzymes: shoots of grains and seeds, garlic and horseradish, avocados, bananas, pineapples, avocados and papaya, mangoes and soy sauce.

Rules for taking enzyme preparations

To achieve maximum effectiveness and minimize the risk of side effects, you must adhere to the following rules:

1. The milder the digestive disorder, the lower the dose of the drug should be used.
2. During drug therapy, you must adhere to the diet recommended by your doctor.
3. Follow the dosage and regimen of taking the medication.
4. Do not use expired medications.

Medicines as a source of enzymes

In cases where regular food is not enough to provide the body with enzymes, medications containing digestive enzymes come to the rescue. If necessary, doctors may recommend taking the following medications: Festal, Mezim-Forte, Pancreatin, Gordox, Cholenzym, Creon and others. In addition, pharmacology produces products with enzymes of plant origin - Bromelain and Papain, which are obtained from pineapple and papaya.

You just have to remember that enzyme preparations can only be taken after consultation with a doctor, since it is important to carry out a diagnosis and know exactly which enzymes the body lacks and what medications need to be taken. Eat right and be healthy!

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No less important digestive organs

Liver

The largest gland with a soft elastic consistency. Length 30 cm, width 21 cm, height 7 – 15 cm. Weight 1500 – 1800 g. Diaphragmatic and visceral surfaces. Front and back edges. Two lobes: right and left.

The liver unit – lobule – is prismatic, 1 mm in diameter. In total there are about 50 thousand slices. Consists of radially diverging hepatocytes.

Main functions of the liver:

• Protein metabolism.
• Carbohydrate metabolism. Recycling of fructose and other fast sugars.
• Glycogen storage.
• Fat metabolism. Synthesis and metabolism of bile acids, cholesterol and lipoproteins.
• Neutralizing (detoxifying).
• Hematopoiesis in the prenatal period.
• Protective.
• Synthesis of coagulation factors.

Gallbladder

A pear-shaped organ located in the right hypochondrium. Length 10 cm, width 5 cm, capacity 40 cm3. 3 sections: bottom, body - bend - neck. Adjacent to the duodenum and colon. The main function is the accumulation and concentration of bile.

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Gallbladder point: the junction of the 8th and 9th costal cartilages or the intersection of the costal arch with the right edge of the rectus abdominis muscle.

What are the dangers of enzyme deficiency?

The lack of enzymes important for the body leads to the fact that food that enters the stomach simply does not have time to be digested. And this digestive disorder threatens with problems with the stomach, and then with the gallbladder. A common consequence of enzyme deficiency is obesity.

The first signs of a lack of these important elements for digestion are: heartburn, belching, gases and flatulence. Problems with enzymes can also be determined by a person’s appearance: his skin loses its former healthy color and becomes gray, hair becomes dull and brittle, and nail plates begin to peel.