We all know that you are what you eat, but in fact you are what you digest.

Digestive Stress
According to the National Institute of Health, more than 62 million Americans experience some type of digestive distress. Poor digestion can impair the absorption of carbohydrates and fats, as well as many other vitamins and minerals. The foundation of good health lies in proper digestive function. All other health factors can be undermined when nutrients are not properly digested.

Enzymes
Enzymes are specialized, living proteins that are the biological catalysts of all the chemical processes that occur in the body. They exist in every cell of every living organism, with more than 3,000 kinds known to exist in the human body alone. Enzymes are vital for the normal activity of the organs, tissues and cells and are needed to support life, energy production and numerous bodily functions, including digestion.

Digestive enzymes break down the foods ingested into smaller particles so that the body can better absorb vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients. They control the entire metabolic process and are essential for digesting and absorbing food, producing energy, maintaining healthy function, and clearing toxins from the body. Without sufficient enzymes the body cannot break down the food ingested for assimilation.

Enzymes are present in food, however highly processed foods do not contain all the enzymes needed and, even if the foods ingested contain enzymes, these enzymes are destroyed in the cooking process. When functioning properly, your pancreas produces enzymes. Unfortunately highly processed foods and common illnesses, aging, and stress can deplete the body's production of these digestive enzymes. When digestive enzymes decrease, the body's other enzymes that are critical for proper immune regulation and systemic cellular processes get pulled from the blood stream into the digestive system. This causes a depletion of the enzymes reserved for other body systems. A depletion of enzymes is a depletion of health.

Most people do not end up getting the enzymes they need, even with the proper amounts of vitamins, minerals, and proteins. Supplemental enzymes help the body properly digest protein, fats, and carbohydrates, which are essential to maintaining overall health.

There are three main types of digestive enzymes: proteases, amylases and lipases. Protease is part of a ubiquitous group of enzymes, which carry out the function of breaking down proteins in living organisms. Protease performs a wide variety of functions in the human body. It is involved in digestion, immune response, various cellular and extra cellular functions, regulation and metabolism. For many years proteases has been used in oral supplements to relieve digestive discomforts such as bloating, gas, constipation and heartburn.

Lipase is an enzyme that is used by the body to break down dietary fats into an absorbable form. All cell membranes and other structures are made up of lipids, thus an adequate supply of essential fatty acids in the diet is important to ensure viable cells. Digesting fats and lipids are more difficult since they have to be carried by a water based transport system such as the blood and lymph. A shortage of lipase in the body may lead to high cholesterol, difficulty in losing weight, heart problems etc. With too little lipase, the cell membranes permeability is not at optimum, and nutrients cannot enter the cell, while wastes cannot leave the cell.

Amylase is needed to digest carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are one of the three major food groups needed for proper nutrition. Carbohydrates in food are an important and immediate source of energy for the body. Carbohydrates can be stored in the body as glycogen for future use however, if they are eaten in excessive amounts, the body changes them into fats and stores them in that form. If carbohydrates are not properly broken down before they are absorbed, overall health can be affected.

Bromelain and papain are part of a group of enzymes known as proteolytic or protease enzymes (enzymes capable of digesting protein). Bromelain has been used successfully as a digestive enzyme. It is widely believed that most orally ingested enzymes are destroyed by the digestive juices prior to being absorbed, however, because of its wide pH range there is evidence that significant amounts of bromelain can be absorbed intact. It contributes to the digestion of protein, and may therefore be used as a digestive aid.

Papain possesses a very powerful digestive action. It softens and digests protein components and has a mild, soothing effect on the stomach. Changes in intestinal alkalinity or acidity do not interfere with the unique digestive activity of papain. Papain breaks down meat fibers, thereby rendering nutrients available to the digestive process. Papain helps cleanse the tissues and intestinal walls of all waste matter in the form of excessive mucous and dead tissue. Papaya is the only known food containing papain, the principal active enzyme in this enzyme formula. Since it acts impartially in acid, neutral, and alkaline mediums, it is extremely valuable for the anyone who has weak digestion due to enzyme deficiencies developed over the years.

What is Enzymax® ?
Maxi Health Research® has developed a unique line of products that contain important basic nutrients with a difference. The difference is ENZYMAX®. Enzymax® is a unique, digestive enzyme complex of bromelain, papain, amylase, protease and lipase, all essential ingredients for proper digestion. All Maxi Health vitamins are manufactured in an Enzymax® base making our products more bioavailable. You can be assured that you are getting the enzymes you need with Maxi Health Research's® products.

"It's not just what you eat, it's what you absorb."

References:
Medhekar, R. (2002). National Enzyme Company.
Izaka K, Yamada M, Kawano T, Suyama T. Gastrointestinal absorption and anti-inflammatory effect of bromelain. Jpn J Pharmacol 1972;22:519-34.
Balakrishnan V, Hareendran A, Nair CS. Double-blind cross-over trial of an enzyme preparation in pancreatic steatorrhea. J Assoc Physicians India 1981;29:207-9.