Enzymes & Dandelion

(1)papain units; (2)hemoglobin units; (3)dextrin units; (4)cellulase units; (5)lipase units; (6)galactosidase units; (7)lactase units;

Ingredients : Nutri&Co Enzyme Mix (bulking agent: Acacia gum, Papain, Protease, α-Amylase, Cellulase, Lipase, α-Galactosidase, β-Galactosidase (lactase)); coating agent: Hydroxypropylmethylcellulose; Dandelion root powder (Taraxacum Officinale);

Proteins, carbohydrates, lipids... Who are they?

Our foods are made up of large molecules called macronutrients and are represented by 3 main categories:

• Proteins : Proteins are an assembly of amino acid units (leucine, threonine, lysine, tryptophan, phenylalanine, valine, methionine, isoleucine...). Together, these amino acids form dipeptides, tripeptides... i.e. peptides of different sizes which together form proteins.
  
  
• Carbohydrates : Carbohydrates are an assembly of bone units, also equivalent to monosaccharides, of which the main ones are: glucose, galactose, mannose, fructose and ribose (naturally present in our diet). Our diet is mainly composed of polysaccharides such as :
  1. starch (chains of glucose units) found in starchy pasta, rice, potatoes, bread...,
  2. cellulose found in vegetables (vegetables, fruits and legumes) in more or less large proportions,
  3. some carbohydrates found in the form of disaccharides such as saccharose (table sugar).
     
     
• Lipids : Lipids (or fats) are an assembly of fatty acid units. In our diet, we consume them mainly in the form of triglycerides, molecules that contain 3 fatty acids. Cholesterol also belongs to the category of lipids. They are found in our diet through the consumption of cooking fats (butter or oil) or foods rich in them such as cheeses or certain fatty meats.

And lactose in all this ?

Lactose is the sugar in milk and is therefore part of the carbohydrate class. More precisely, it is a disaccharide composed of one unit of glucose and one unit of galactose. It is found in varying quantities in dairy products (fresh milk, powdered milk, yoghurt, cottage cheese, fresh cream...) or in desserts (cream desserts, rice pudding...).

From macronutrients to micronutrients

Our food is therefore a combination of these 3 main categories of macronutrients, but not only! It is through the breakdown of these macronutrients that we obtain the amino acids, fatty acids and "bones", mentioned above, which are part of the micronutrients. Among the category of micronutrients we also find vitamins and minerals that are directly provided by our food, always in variable proportions depending on the food in question and the way we consume it (example: impact of cooking). In conclusion, you can see why we are encouraged to eat a varied diet!

And that's where digestive enzymes come in. They will prepare (cut) the food (the macronutrients) so that the micronutrients can be assimilated.

Digestion circuit and functioning, role of the enzymes

To better illustrate digestion and its different stages, you can follow the diagram below. Enzymes act in the different compartments of digestion (mouth, stomach, small intestine, colon) and specifically for certain macronutrients. Not all macronutrients are digested at the same time, in the same place and at the same rate, which is why digestion takes several hours. The aim of digestion is to transform our food into nutrients so that they pass into the bloodstream to reach the target organs of metabolism (brain, liver, muscle, adipose tissue...) where they are used as a source of energy, reserve, structural compounds or as a metabolic catalyst. Each macronutrient has its own digestion circuit [1,2] :

• Proteins : Proteins undergo a first hydrolysis in the stomach, which becomes acid at the arrival of the food bolus, through the action of an acid protease: pepsin. Then, they pass to the small intestine, a neutral (non-acidic) medium, to be hydrolysed by proteases secreted by the pancreas and then by intestinal peptidases for the terminal phase of degradation.  Amino acids and small peptides can then pass the intestinal barrier (small intestine) to reach the bloodstream.
  
  
• Digestible carbohydrates: Polysaccharides and disaccharides also need to be broken down by our digestive enzymes. Indeed, only monosaccharides can be directly assimilated at the intestinal level. A first hydrolysis therefore takes place in the mouth thanks to the saliva which contains amylase, and also thanks to the chewing time which is exercised: the polyosaccharides become oligosaccharides (smaller carbohydrates). But it is above all in the small intestine that polysaccharides and olisaccharides are hydrolysed into monosaccharides by osidases (pancreatic amylase, intestinal lactase (=β-galactosidase), intestinal sucrase) to be absorbed and reach the bloodstream. Note that lactase can be a real problem for some people. Enzyme activities are maintained and our milk consumption can decrease significantly during our life, so it is possible to develop a malabsorption of lactose or even an intolerance.
  
  
• Indigestible carbohydrates: On the other hand, our organism does not possess the enzymatic systems to digest certain polysaccharides whose structure is essentially composed of linkages-β (hemicellulose, pectin, gums, inulin etc.), in contrast to structures composed of linkages-α (such as starch). It is above all our microbiota (intestinal bacterial flora) which takes over certain fibres through fermentation or transformation mechanisms. For other types of fibre that cannot be fermented, humans do not possess cellulase to digest cellulose or α-galactosidase to digest α-galactosides (the main oligosaccharides in legumes). This category of fibre is mainly there to increase the volume of the alimentary bolus and ensure optimal transit.
  
  
• Lipids :Digestion of fats, mainly triglycerides, occurs after an emulsion phase, which takes place mainly at the beginning of the small intestine. It is then the result of the action of multiple pancreatic lipases (esterases), which release fatty acids, monoglycerides and cholesterol, which are absorbed from the micelles (spherical aggregates with a polar and an apolar part) of bile salts (secretions from the bile). This phase is immediately followed by a re-synthesis of triglycerides because fatty acids and cholesterol are insoluble nutrients which are then transported in the circulation by large spherical molecules called chylomicrons.

Summary diagram of enzymatic digestion in our organism

Digestion problems: how can enzymes help?

Digestive problems are frequent: bloating, constipation, cramps... It is in this context that the use of "food supplements" has been tested. We often talk to you about probiotics as a way of balancing and revitalising the intestinal flora. But it's not only the microbiota! Certain inconveniences can also be directly linked to the efficiency or overload of our digestive enzymes. This is why the notion of enzymes is being integrated into nutraceuticals today. The improvement of digestive disorders could be envisaged by taking an enzyme supplement that has been considered promising and risk-free [3-5]. Several manifestations could suggest this intake:

• Dyspepsia characterised by persistent or recurrent pain in the upper abdomen associated with bloating, heartburn, gas... These manifestations generate discomfort that makes everyday life more complex and may even cause apprehension about eating certain meals. Clinical studies in dyspeptic subjects have shown that taking an enzymatic mix classically composed of amylase, protease, lipase and lactase would significantly improve the symptoms of digestive discomfort. These data then suppose that this intake would be effective in optimising the digestion process [6,7].
• Periods of stress, fatigue or exceptional meal repetitions for example.
• A particular physiological situation such as ageing. Over time, enzyme functions, including those of digestion, become less and less efficient.
• Irritable bowel syndrome (affecting mainly the colon).
  • Concentrate on the essential by building a formulation from the main digestive enzymes :
    1. Protein digestion :
       - Protease: activity reproducing that of acid protease (pepsin),
       - Papain: activity reproducing that of pancreatic proteases. - α-Amylase: activity reproducing that of pancreatic amylase.
    2. Lipid digestion :
       - Lipase: activity reproducing that of pancreatic lipase.
    3. Fibre digestion :
       - Cellulase and α-galactosidase. Add enzymes that humans cannot produce contributing to the digestion of the main indigestible carbohydrates (fibres) : cellulase and α-galactosidase. Think about all dietary and lifestyle patterns by adapting to the greatest number. non-animal origin in order to give access to the enzymatic mix targeting digestion to all types of diets (vegetarians and vegans). <Finally, add an extract in an effective quantity that is active on digestion by selecting dandelion extract which is well documented for its beneficial effects on the digestive system [8].

An enzymatic mix targeting the essential part of digestion cannot do without lactase (or β-Galactosidase), and lactase food supplements are well known to people with lactose intolerance.  Indeed, certain physiological digestive disorders can occur in the case of lactose malabsorption or even complete intolerance. These problems generally appear over time as the body becomes "unaccustomed" to lactose (less lactase) leading to poorer digestion. This also leads to more or less severe digestive symptoms. Our mix therefore contains a sufficient quantity of lactase to effectively reproduce the activity of intestinal lactase. At this level, it is a significant support for lactose digestion [9].

Publications

1. Goodman, B.E. Insights into digestion and absorption of major nutrients in humans. Adv. Physiol. Educ. 2010, 34, 44–53, doi:10.1152/advan.00094.2009.
2. Dainese-Plichon, R.; Hébuterne, X. Digestion et absorption des nutriments dans l’intestin grêle. EMC - Gastro-Entérologie 2012, 7, 1–14, doi:10.1016/S1155-1968(12)53630-8.
3. Roxas, M. The Role of Enzyme Supplementation in Digestive Disorders. 2008, 13, 8.
4. Edakkanambeth Varayil, J.; Bauer, B.A.; Hurt, R.T. Over-the-Counter Enzyme Supplements: What a Clinician Needs to Know. Mayo Clin. Proc. 2014, 89, 1307–1312, doi:10.1016/j.mayocp.2014.05.015.
5. Swami, O.C.; Shah, N.J. Functional dyspepsia and the role of digestive enzymes supplement in its therapy. Int. J. Basic Clin. Pharmacol. 2017, 6, 1035, doi:10.18203/2319-2003.ijbcp20171653.
6. Khandke, D.A.; Jain, S.K.; Shirsath, P.A.; Manager, A. Post-Marketing Surveillance Study to Assess the Efficacy and Tolerability of Al5zyme — A Multienzyme Preparation in Patients with Functional Dyspepsia. Indian Med. Gaz. 2013, 11.
7. Majeed, M.; Majeed, S.; Nagabhushanam, K.; Arumugam, S.; Pande, A.; Paschapur, M.; Ali, F. Evaluation of the Safety and Efficacy of a Multienzyme Complex in Patients with Functional Dyspepsia: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study. J. Med. Food 2018, 21, 1120–1128, doi:10.1089/jmf.2017.4172.
8. González-Castejón, M.; Visioli, F.; Rodriguez-Casado, A. Diverse biological activities of dandelion. Nutr. Rev. 2012, 70, 534–547, doi:10.1111/j.1753-4887.2012.00509.x.
9. NIH Lactose Intolerance; 2014; p. 12.