Digestive enzymes are compounds that ensure the proper digestion of foods consumed. Among the organs that help produce digestive enzymes are the salivary glands, small intestine, and pancreas. These organs do so by breaking down the significant, complex compounds that create proteins, carbs, and lipids. This permits the micronutrients in the meals to be readily absorbed and transported throughout the body. Enzymes are produced naturally in the human body and aid in a variety of functions, namely muscular growth, toxins elimination, and food component processing.
To delve deeper into the topic, enzymes function by generating an environment that makes the process exceptionally energetically efficient. The active site, which is often a pocket surrounded by amino acids, binds the source, such as glucose, and participates in its reaction process (Sensoy, 2021). As a result, the amino acids that make up the active site offer substrate selectivity as well as the right chemical conditions for the reaction to proceed more quickly than it could.
Every of the several digestive enzymes tackles a particular chemical and breaks it down into a type that may be consumed. Although there are many distinct forms of enzymes, the organ that handles the majority of the work during digestion, the pancreas, produces three primary forms (Hartenstein & Martinez, 2019). For example, one of the forms, amylase, aids in carbohydrate digestion by breaking down starches into glucose (Bolen, 2021). Lipase, in turn, is in charge of breaking down lipids into glycerol and fatty acids. Proteins are broken down into amino acids by proteolytic enzymes (Bolen, 2021). Maltase, which is released by the small intestine, contributes to the breakdown of maltose into glucose and is another crucial form of the enzyme (Bolen, 2021). Lactase is a digestive enzyme that dissolves lactose, a sugar present in dairy foods (Bolen, 2021). Lastly, the small intestine secretes sucrase, which transforms sucrose, which is also known as table sugar, into fructose and glucose.
A multitude of health issues can prevent adequate digestive enzymes from being secreted to digest meals thoroughly. Some genetic diseases are hereditary, while others change and evolve (Roland, 2022). For example, lactose intolerance develops when the small intestine produces inadequate lactase, preventing the body from digesting lactose (Roland, 2022). Cramping, diarrhea, stomach discomfort, and gas are common side effects of dairy consumption (Roland, 2022). Furthermore, the pancreas generates essential digesting enzymes such as amylase, protease, and lipase, which are deficient in persons with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (Roland, 2022). Consequently, such individuals are unable to digest meals, particularly lipids, effectively. Additionally, inhibitors are compounds that impede an enzyme’s capacity to initiate a chemical process. Inhibitors can be found in nature and can also be synthesized and supplied as pharmaceuticals (Roland, 2022). Antibiotics, for instance, hinder or block some enzymes from aiding the progression of bacterial diseases.
Thus, enzymes are important for a range of functions, notably digestion, since they cause biochemical responses in the body, implying that the body cannot function properly without them. Digestive enzymes are generated primarily in the pancreas and aid in the digestion of meals and the extraction of micronutrients. Many individuals can assist in preserving their digestive enzymes at maximum potential by consuming a well-balanced, nutrient-dense diet and exercising regularly. Others, on the other hand, suffer from a variety of ailments that prevent enzymes from working correctly, causing discomfort.
References
Bolen, B. (2021). Types and functions of digestive enzymes. Verywell Health.
Hartenstein, V., & Martinez, P. (2019). Structure, development and evolution of the digestive system. Cell and Tissue Research, 377(3), 289-292.
Roland, J. (2022). Understanding digestive enzymes: Why are they important? Healthline.
Sensoy, I. (2021). A review on food digestion in the digestive tract and the used in vitro models. Current Research in Food Science, 4, 308-319.