Enzymes and the Marvelous Mechanism of Action...

1. WHAT IS AN ENZYME?

An enzyme (commonly referred to as a catalyst) is a general term for biological catalysts primarily composed of proteins, formed within the cells of living organisms. Enzymes exist everywhere there is life, whether in the human body, animals, plants, or any place where life exists.

Enzymes play a crucial role in all essential activities required to sustain life, such as synthesis, decomposition, substance transport, detoxification, and energy provision.

In the human body, two main types of enzymes are produced: digestive enzymes and metabolic enzymes. Digestive enzymes are secreted in salivary glands, the stomach, the pancreas, and the small intestine to aid in food digestion. On the other hand, metabolic enzymes are produced within cells, assisting the body in synthesizing and utilizing energy. These energies play a particularly vital role, enabling humans to breathe, think, and move.

2. ENZYME STRUCTURE

Most enzymes have a globular (spherical) shape, with a wide range of molecular weights ranging from 12,000 daltons to 1,000,000 daltons or more.

Enzymes are soluble in water and when dissolved, they form a sticky solution. Enzymes also dissolve in dilute salt solutions, glycerin, and various organic solvents with different polarities. Enzymes are not stable and can easily denature at high temperatures. When denatured, enzymes lose their catalytic activity.

Enzymes are composed of two parts: the protein part (referred to as apoenzyme) and the non-protein part (referred to as coenzyme). Coenzymes directly participate in catalytic reactions, determining the type of reaction and enhancing the stability of the apoenzyme against denaturing factors.

Apoenzymes enhance the catalytic activity of coenzymes and determine the specificity of the enzyme.

3. PROPERTIES OF ENZYMES

• Enzymes are essentially proteins, so they possess all the physicochemical properties of proteins. Most enzymes have a spherical shape and do not pass through semipermeable membranes due to their large size.
• They are soluble in water and polar organic solvents but insoluble in nonpolar solvents like ether.
• Enzymes are not stable under the influence of temperature; high temperatures can denature them. Acidic or alkaline environments also render enzymes inactive.
• Enzymes exhibit dual nature: they exist in different forms depending on the pH of the environment, such as cationic, anionic, or neutral.
• Enzymes are categorized into two groups: single-subunit enzymes (composed solely of protein) and multi-subunit enzymes (containing non-protein groups). In multi-subunit enzyme molecules, there are two parts: apoenzyme and coenzyme.

4. THE MARVELOUS MECHANISM OF ENZYME ACTIVITY IN THE BODY

Today, enzymes are recognized as a crucial key to maintaining good health. Enzymes essential for daily life are formed directly within the cells of living organisms. Scientists have conducted extensive research on enzymes, but many questions remain unanswered. What is known is that living organisms continuously produce numerous enzymes to meet the body’s needs, yet the mechanism of enzyme formation within cells is still not fully understood.

Our human body contains more than 5,000 types of enzymes, each with over 25,000 different functions. Every activity within our body, such as digestion, absorption, even simple movements of our limbs and thoughts, is controlled by enzymes.

Fundamentally, the mechanism of enzyme activity in the body can be expressed through the following formula:

E + S → ES → P + E

In this formula: E represents Enzyme – acting as a catalyst; S stands for Substrate – the compounds affected by the Enzyme; ES is the Enzyme-Substrate complex; P represents the Product.

According to this formula, the enzyme’s activity (catalysis) goes through three stages:

• The first stage: Enzyme combines with the substrate through weak bonds to form the Enzyme-Substrate complex (ES), which is not stable due to the formation of various special bonds, especially hydrogen bonds. This bonding changes the spatial configuration of the substrate, altering its kinetic and potential energy, making the substrate molecule more flexible and facilitating its participation in reactions.
• The second stage: The substrate undergoes changes leading to stretching and breaking of covalent bonds involved in the reaction.
• The third stage: The enzyme catalyzes the substrate to form the product, while the enzyme is released in its free form.

5. TYPES OF ENZYMES IN THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM

The digestive system functions through the coordination of various organs. These organs take in food and liquids, break them down into simple substances such as proteins, starches, fats, and vitamins, which are then transferred to the small intestine and absorbed into the bloodstream to nourish the body. This entire process requires the involvement of enzymes.

There are three types of enzymes involved in this process.

5.1. Metabolic Enzymes

These enzymes play a crucial role in the generation of new cells, repair, and maintenance of damaged cells, tissues, and organs. The pancreas is the main organ responsible for producing and secreting metabolic enzymes in the body.

One of the most crucial functions of metabolic enzymes occurs in the blood, where they process nutrients provided by food and distribute them to all parts of the body.

Therefore, metabolic enzymes have three primary roles:

• Removing toxins from the body.
• Supporting energy production.
• Assisting cells and organs in performing their functions accurately.

5.2. Digestive Enzymes

These enzymes are secreted in the salivary glands, stomach, pancreas, and small intestine. Their primary function is to digest the food ingested into the body, making them critically important for the health of the digestive system.

Many people do not have a balance of digestive enzymes in their bodies, leading to various digestion-related issues such as acid reflux, bloating, or a feeling of stomach discomfort after meals.

There are three main digestive enzymes considered the most crucial for health:

• Protease: This enzyme digests proteins and also breaks down fragments from parasitic cells, fungi, bacteria, viruses, and the protein membranes of cancer cells.
• Amylase: This enzyme digests carbohydrates and is primarily found in the pancreas and saliva.
• Lipase: Lipase digests fats and fat-soluble vitamins. It is also used to digest omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.

5.3. Food Enzymes

Also known as organic enzymes, these enzymes are present in fresh food consumed by the body through meals, aiding in the breakdown of food by digestive enzymes.

Food enzymes often require the collaboration of vitamins and minerals to become coenzymes and ensure their proper functioning.

As humans age, they gradually lose the ability to produce enzymes, and the available enzyme levels in the body decrease every 10 years. Absorbing food enzymes also becomes more challenging.

6. ROLE OF ENZYMES

6.1. The Role of Enzymes in Metabolism

• Enzymes catalyze biochemical reactions within cells. The more enzymes in the body, the faster metabolic processes occur.
• Cells self-regulate metabolic processes by controlling enzyme activity through activators or inhibitors.
• Feedback inhibition is a type of regulation in which the product of a metabolic pathway acts as an inhibitor, inhibiting the enzyme catalyzing the reaction at the beginning of the pathway.

6.2. Is Enzyme Deficiency Dangerous?

• Enzymes are involved in all bodily activities. Therefore, an enzyme deficiency can lead to various health issues.
• A deficiency in digestive enzymes can reduce or deactivate the breakdown of food into simple sugars, amino acids, and fatty acids, which are responsible for providing energy to the body, leading to fatigue and lethargy.
• Dutch scientists have published research suggesting that enzyme deficiency can lead to chronic fatigue symptoms, recommending that patients with chronic fatigue should be tested to determine if they have an enzyme deficiency.
• Besides chronic fatigue, enzyme deficiency can lead to other health problems such as acid reflux, indigestion, bloating, constipation, headaches, various digestive disorders, atherosclerosis, high cholesterol, muscle weakness, and, most dangerously, the reduced functionality of organs in the body.

7. CONDITIONS FOR THE MOST EFFECTIVE ENZYME ACTIVITY

• Enzymes require suitable conditions to function optimally. Enzymes need an environment with the appropriate acidity or alkalinity, depending on the enzyme’s source. For example, enzymes produced in the stomach need a low pH environment, while those in the small intestine require a higher pH environment.
• Enzymes produced within the organism are called endogenous enzymes, but when they are supplied through food, they are called exogenous enzymes, naturally improving the digestive process. Some enzymes are provided to the digestive process without being digested by the organism.
• Exogenous enzymes are also natural proteins, produced through the controlled fermentation of microorganisms. They need an appropriate pH environment to be fully effective. They remain stable when preserved and are safe for both humans and animals.

8. HOW TO CONSERVE ENZYMES?

Professor and Doctor Hiromi Shinya (Professor of Surgery at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Chief of the Endoscopy Unit of Beth Israel Hospital) – the author of the famous series of books – ‘The Enzyme Factor,’ shares a similar view. He calls the enzymes produced in the body “miracle enzymes.” These miracle enzymes are the primary enzymes produced in the body and have the potential to become any specialized enzyme before they are transformed into a specific function. Professor Hiromi Shinya asserts that, to live a long and healthy life, it is best not to consume these “miracle enzymes.”

In his book ‘The Enzyme Factor – A Guide to Food and Medicine in Your Kitchen,’ Professor Hiromi Shinya instructs readers on how to ‘save’ these miracle enzymes. His method is a healthy diet. He points out that, apart from the over 5,000 enzymes present in the body, we can supplement enzymes through food.

Professor Shinya recommends a diet consisting of: 85-90% plant-based foods (50% whole grains like rice, legumes; 30% vegetables and tubers; 5-10% fruits and seeds), and 10-15% animal protein (fish, eggs, soy milk, limited amounts of red meat and poultry). Additionally, he suggests the consumption of herbal teas, seaweed, beer yeast, pollen and honey, as well as supplements of vitamins and minerals. He emphasizes the use of fresh and recent foods since they contain the most enzymes.

Professor Hiromi Shinya’s argument in his book ‘The Enzyme Factor – Practice’ suggests that when a specific part of the body consumes a large amount of specialized enzymes, there is a deficiency of enzymes in other parts of the body. Professor Hiromi Shinya also points out that in the body, the activity that consumes the most enzymes is the “detoxification” process. Therefore, those who detoxify more also consume more enzymes. As a result, the body may lack enzymes to maintain health and become more susceptible to diseases.

The organ responsible for detoxification in the body is the liver. When the liver operates at full capacity, it requires a significant amount of enzymes. At that point, the body automatically takes enzymes from other parts to perform detoxification. Excessive toxins can exhaust and damage the liver. This is one of the reasons why a damaged or overworked liver can make us feel tired and lacking in vitality.

Modern dietary habits, such as overcooking, frequent consumption of fried and fast foods, foods containing pesticides and preservatives, or habits like alcohol and tobacco consumption, exposure to a toxic living environment, stress, and more, are the factors that make the liver work continuously and at full capacity to detoxify. Naturally, this consumes a large amount of the body’s enzymes.

Therefore, it can be easily understood that to live a long and healthy life, we need to ‘save’ the ‘miracle enzymes,’ also known as the body’s reserve enzymes. To conserve these reserve enzymes, it is essential to regularly supplement foods rich in enzymes, limit foods containing harmful substances to reduce the detoxification process’s burden. Additionally, using digestive enzyme products can support the breakdown and absorption of nutrients, aid in detoxification, and reduce the burden on the liver.

AICARE ENZYMES – EXCLUSIVE ENZYME PRODUCTS THAT REDUCE THE LIVER’S BURDEN, PRESERVE MIRACLE ENZYMES, AND ENHANCE HEALTH

AICARE Enzymes are products of AiCarePro, a brand based in Vietnam with global operations.

AICARE Enzymes contain a combination of Veg-Panzyme Plus enzymes, including Protease, Amylase, Cellulase, and Lipase. These enzymes catalyze reactions that break down complex molecules into corresponding simpler ones, enhancing nutrient absorption and improving the user’s overall well-being. This ability also supports the digestive function, accelerates metabolic processes, reduces the liver’s burden, and minimizes the causes of liver-related diseases.

The combination of enzymes in AiCare Enzymes also helps the body use fewer “miracle enzymes,” ensuring the smooth operation of other parts of the body.

Protease is a protein-digesting enzyme, and it also breaks down fragments from parasitic cells, fungi, bacteria, viruses, and the protein membranes of cancer cells.

Amylase is an enzyme found in saliva and the pancreas that plays a role in digesting starch, breaking starch into shorter polysaccharides and oligosaccharides, and ultimately into glucose. Amylase facilitates the rapid and efficient digestion and absorption of starch in the small intestine.

Cellulase is an enzyme capable of breaking down cellulose (fiber). This enzyme is not naturally found in the human digestive system. Supplementing with cellulase enzyme helps soften the fiber in fruits, vegetables, or other high-fiber foods, supporting digestive system function and preventing constipation.

Lipase is an enzyme that aids in the digestion of fats and facilitates the absorption of essential nutrients that are soluble in fat, such as Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, vitamin D, vitamin K, Lutein, and Gamma Tocopherol (Vitamin E). Lipase, especially the kind found in AiCare Enzymes, is challenging to extract, making it a valuable component not easily found in other products on the market.

In addition to the exclusive enzyme blend, Enzymes AiCare also contains specialized ingredients for liver support. It includes Silymarin (at 80% purity), extracted from Milk Thistle, along with ingredients like Dandelion root, choline, and vitamin B6, creating a comprehensive formula that enhances liver detoxification, provides antioxidant protection, prevents oxidative damage to liver cells by free radicals, restores liver function, and promotes overall health.

SOME INFORMATION ABOUT AICARE ENZYMES PRODUCT:

Product Price: 480,000 VND per box

Product Packaging: 1 box contains 6 bottles x 60ml each

Dosage Form: Liquid for consumption

Manufacturer: AiCarePro

Ingredients per bottle:

• 18 types of natural Vietnamese fruits
• 12 strains of probiotics

Target Users:

• Individuals with impaired liver function, liver inflammation, fatty liver, or elevated liver enzymes.
• People who consume alcohol regularly.

Usage Instructions:

Consume 1 bottle per day after a meal.