Enzymes are involved in the function and regulation of every organ system in the body and as such they are absolutely essential for life.

Enzymes play a vital role in the digestive system to promote the breakdown of food to prepare it for absorption by the body. Digestive enzymes must be maintained at their optimum level so that the digestive processes occur efficiently. If enzyme levels are inadequate foods are incompletely digested and thus the body is less able to obtain nourishment from the food.

This in turn leads to reduced production of enzymes as the body needs nutrients to manufacture enzymes. A positive feedback circuit is created in which digestive function and nutrient absorption progressively declines.

Enzymes also play an integral role in the proper function of the immune system and are involved in the complement cascade, a component of the body’s non-specific defense mechanisms. Enzymes are also involved in the blood and coagulation system, cardiovascular function, kidney function, cognitive function, reproductive function, liver function and detoxification processes.

From observing the importance of enzymes in all body systems it is clear that the optimum enzyme levels must be maintained if good health is to be experienced.

If there is an insufficient supply of digestive enzymes, food will not be completely digested and large molecules enter the small intestine. In the presence of leaky gut syndrome these undigested food particles enter the bloodstream where they act as an antigen and trigger an allergic response.

On every subsequent exposure to the allergenic food an allergic reaction occurs which leads to inflammation in the digestive tract. This situation in turn promotes small intestine bacterial overgrowth and disrupts the normal balance of microflora. This condition is implicated in the development of a range of digestive disorders including indigestion, bloating, flatulence, digestive pain, colitis, irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn’s disease and candidiasis.

The leaky gut syndrome and food allergies may also worsen or trigger other allergic conditions such as hay fever and asthma due to increased antigen levels in the blood leading to increased inflammation throughout the body.

Other illnesses are also more likely to develop if digestive enzymes are deficient as nutrient absorption is impaired leading to reduced nutritional status and decreased resistance against illness and degenerative changes.

Mizpah Matus B.HSc. is a herbalist and nutritional consultant. Mizpah writes for Nourishing Perspectives - http://www.nourishingperspectives.com

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