Enzymes are a group of chemical substances that are produced by living cells and cause particular chemical reactions to happen while not being changed themselves. For example, they break down ingested foods so the body can use them. Blood clotting is another example of enzymes at work.
Enzymes are complex proteins needed for all body functions and are found in every organ and cell in the body, including:
- Blood
- Intestinal fluids
- Mouth (saliva)
- Stomach (gastric juice)
Enzymes are highly selective catalysts, greatly accelerating both the rate and specificity of metabolic reactions, from the digestion of food to the synthesis of DNA. Most enzymes are proteins, although some catalytic RNA molecules have been identified.
Enzymes adopt a specific three-dimensional structure and may employ organic (e.g. biotin) and inorganic (e.g. magnesium ion) cofactors to assist in catalysis. In enzymatic reactions, the molecules at the beginning of the process, called substrates, are converted into different molecules, called products. Almost all chemical reactions in a biological cell need enzymes in order to occur at rates sufficient for life.
Since enzymes are selective for their substrates and speed up only a few reactions from among many possibilities, the set of enzymes made in a cell determines which metabolic pathways occur in that cell.
Types of enzymes
- Amylase
- Bromelain
- Catalase
- Cellulase
- Coenzyme A
- Coenzyme Q6
- Coenzyme Q10
- Galactosidase
- Glucanase
- Glucose oxidase
- Glutathione peroxidase
- Invertase
- Lipase
- Maltase
- Methionine reductase
- Nattokinase
- Pancreatin
- Papain
- Pectinase
- Pepsin
- Phytase
- Protease
- Serrapeptase
- Sucrase
- Superoxide dismutase
- Trypsin
- Tyrosine hydroxylase
- Xanthin oxidase
- Xylanase
Catalase, glutathione peroxidase, methionine reductase and superoxide dismutase are all vital enzymes manufactured in the body and recent studies have linked them with longevity. It seems that, as the body ages, less of these enzymes are produced so damage from free radicals occurs more frequently. It may be that human aging is a result of exposure to free radicals rather than the passage of time.
Digestive enzymes and probiotics work by balancing the delicate flora of the digestive tract which is also vital for optimum health and longevity.
To obtain live enzymes for building healthy cells drinking fresh vegetable juice (most vegetables including bean sprouts) and consuming some raw vegetables two or three times a day is vital.
NOTE: Enzymes are destroyed at temperatures of 104 degrees F (40 degrees C).
Related subjects
- A-Z of nutrients
- Blood and vein disorders
- Brain and mental health disorders
- Cancer
- Dementia
- Diabetes
- Feed your freindly bacteria
- Heart disorders
- Intestinal disorders
- Skin disorders
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