Enzymes: Little Helpers with a Big Effect

The human digestive system is a marvel. Expressed in figures, it utilizes a whole 30 tons of solid food and 50,000 liters of liquid in the course of a lifetime. And apart from chewing, the processes run completely independently without the human being having to deal with them. Provided, of course, that no complaints arise. But that can happen. Eating too much fat or too much food can cause problems for the stomach and intestines, as can gulping down food quickly during stressful periods. Older people, diabetics, pregnant women or overweight people complain more often about digestive problems. One reason for this may be a lack of enzymes, because they are the main actors in the digestive system.

Enzymes at work

Whether it’s bread, meat, fruit or vegetables, humans eat not only for pleasure, but also to get energy and nutrients. But how does, say, a complete cheese roll get into the body? It has to be chopped up. Digestion begins in the mouth. There, the food is first ground up and broken down into its first building blocks. This process can even be tasted. If you chew on a piece of white bread long enough, you will notice how it slowly takes on a sweet taste. This is the work of enzymes contained in saliva. The so-called amylases divide the starch from bread, potatoes or rice into its smallest components – the sugar molecules.

Finely chopped

When swallowed, the food pulp slides further into the stomach, where it is thoroughly mixed and mixed with digestive juices. These include stomach acid, which kills germs present, for example, as well as protein-splitting enzymes (proteases). Once the stomach has done its work, it moves on to the small intestine, the center of digestion. Here, two important liquids are added to the food pulp right at the entrance to the intestine: bile, for emulsifying fats, and an enzyme cocktail from the pancreas. This contains further proteases as well as amylases and lipases, which break down fat compounds. This is because only the smallest building blocks of human food can pass through the intestinal mucosa into the organism. In the case of the cheese roll, these are sugar building blocks from the cereals, amino acids from the milk protein, and free fatty acids from the butter. In addition, of course, vitamins and minerals.

Support needed

However, this process does not always run so smoothly. If the food components are not broken down optimally, this often manifests itself as flatulence, a feeling of fullness or abdominal pain. When undigested carbohydrates and proteins reach the large intestine, they are metabolized by the intestinal flora – beneficial bacteria that colonize the intestine. This process produces gases, among other things, which are normal to a certain extent, but can also cause discomfort. To dilute the undigested food pulp, the organism also releases water into the intestine to some extent. Diarrhea is the result. In addition, if fat digestion is impaired, unpleasant fatty stools may occur. There are several ways to improve digestion. For many people, a change in eating habits already helps. Well-tolerated food and smaller portions are the means of choice. Very fatty or ice-cold foods, legumes, cabbage, onions and fried foods should be on the menu as seldom as possible in cases of discomfort. Low-fat sausages and cheeses, lean meats such as poultry or fish and easily digestible vegetables such as carrots, pumpkin, zucchini or fennel are better. On the other hand, whole grain products, which support healthy digestion, should not be avoided. For example, fine-crumb breads such as graham bread, whole-grain pasta or oatmeal are well tolerated. Instead of three large meals, several small ones are recommended. This is because the body’s own enzymes are more likely to be sufficient to digest a meal. Good chewing also makes work easier for the stomach and intestines. On the one hand, carbohydrates are already pre-cracked, and on the other hand, the enzymes can better reach the finely ground food components. Since alcohol can negatively affect the work of the pancreas, consumption should be limited.

Enzymes for ingestion

If, despite all caution, digestive problems occur or you simply want to indulge in a feast, enzyme preparations from the pharmacy can help quickly and reliably. However, these should not be taken permanently.Anyone who suffers from gastrointestinal symptoms over a long period of time should definitely have a doctor examine them to rule out any illnesses.