digestive enzymes / deficiencies

[igH]

hi every1... i've been away for a while since my last/first thread on cetirizine here... life has been fair, can't complain much, p is totally under control... though still in the search for answers and in the pursuit of trying to find better remedies...

previously i had come to the conclusion that my p was a result of allergic reactions due to my high ige levels & using anti-histamines had basically solved my problem...

Allergic reactions are hyperactive responses of the immune system to generally innocuous substances. When immune cells encounter the allergenic protein, IgE antibodies are produced; this is similar to the immune system's reaction to foreign pathogens. The IgE antibodies identify the allergenic proteins as harmful and initiate the allergic reaction. The harmful proteins are those that do not break down due to the strong bonds of the protein. IgE antibodies bind to a receptor on the on the surface of the protein, creating a tag, just as a virus or parasite becomes tagged. It is not entirely clear why some proteins do not denature and subsequently trigger allergic reactions and hypersensitivity while others do not.

given the above scenario, it had always struck me as odd as to why these nefarious food compounds were not being totally broken down by my digestive system...   

luckily enough just today i came across various materials regarding enzyme deficiencies and it all kinda clicked on me... specially regarding the amylase deficiency and how it ties in with skin conditions in general... lots of data out there and i haven't completed researching... so thought of asking here, has anybody got any experience in regards to enzyme supplementation or any specific info in general in that regard? i know raw foods as being a good source and no wonder the juice/smoothies indirectly covers that need... but i was looking for detailed information... tnx n brgds

[igH]

found the following from beat-the-p...

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[Eveloftus]

. me... specially regarding the amylase deficiency and how it ties in with skin conditions in general... lots of data out there and i haven't completed researching... so thought of asking here, has anybody got any experience in regards to enzyme supplementation or any specific info in general in that regard? i know raw foods as being a good source and no wonder the juice/smoothies indirectly covers that need... but i was looking for detailed information... tnx n brgds

Hi IgH, why would enzymes from raw food help? Plants use different enzymes than humans. I don't think enzymes from plants can work in humans. They just get broken down in our digestive system.

[Lazza]

igH, I think a better tact might be to examine the various herbs found in digestive bitters (aka Swedish bitters).  Bitters stimulate the body's own mechanics for producing digestive enzymes.  I fear that if you simply gobble down digestive enzymes on a daily basis the body's natural enzyme production will be slowed down, and so in effect you will become hooked on taking these enzymes.

Having said all this, I have never taken Swedish bitters or digestive enzymes.  But I've thought about it. 


_Lazza

[igH]

. me... specially regarding the amylase deficiency and how it ties in with skin conditions in general... lots of data out there and i haven't completed researching... so thought of asking here, has anybody got any experience in regards to enzyme supplementation or any specific info in general in that regard? i know raw foods as being a good source and no wonder the juice/smoothies indirectly covers that need... but i was looking for detailed information... tnx n brgds

Hi IgH, why would enzymes from raw food help? Plants use different enzymes than humans. I don't think enzymes from plants can work in humans. They just get broken down in our digestive system.

hi eveloftus... thanks for your reply, regarding your question... well, i'm not sure myself, that is why i had started exploring this avenue... quackwatch has already debunked "enzyme deficiency"... You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login but it would have been really nice if they had mentioned specific references in regards to their counterclaims   anyhooz, i'm still on the look out, primarily for first hand accounts from those who have used such supplements & whether they have noticed any positive results...

[igH]

igH, I think a better tact might be to examine the various herbs found in digestive bitters (aka Swedish bitters).  Bitters stimulate the body's own mechanics for producing digestive enzymes.  I fear that if you simply gobble down digestive enzymes on a daily basis the body's natural enzyme production will be slowed down, and so in effect you will become hooked on taking these enzymes.

Having said all this, I have never taken Swedish bitters or digestive enzymes.  But I've thought about it. 


_Lazza

thanks lazza... i'll have a look around... 

[igH]

Study of some salivary changes in cutaneous psoriatic patients

Objective: To assess any alteration in the levels of some salivary components, and to correlate the same with the severity of the disease.

Methods: Unstimulated whole saliva samples were collected and analyzed in 20 randomly selected Syrian uncomplicated psoriatic patients presenting to the Dermatological Diseases Hospital, Damascus University, Syria between February and June 2010, and in 20 healthy matched controls. Sodium (Na+), potassium (K+), chloride (Cl-), and alpha amylase (sAA) was analyzed. The salivary flow rates (SFR) and pH was also studied. The Psoriasis Area and Severity Index was used to assess the severity of the disease. Student t-test and correlation coefficients (r) were used to compare differences between groups.

Results: The SFR and pH were normal in both groups. Psoriatics had significantly higher K+ and sAA concentrations (K+ mean = 21.38mmol/L, sAA mean = 64.26 IU/ml) than the controls (K+ mean = 17.69mmol/ L, sAA mean = 43.14 IU/ml), whereas there was no significant rise in the other salivary ions studied. Neither the severity nor the duration of the disease showed correlation to the according variables. No differences were observed between the age and the gender for each of the studied variables.

Conclusion: Psoriasis patients have higher concentration rates of salivary potassium ions and sAA compared with the controls. However, these salivary changes are not related to the severity or the duration of this dermatological disease. Further studies are required to support these results.

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[igH]

if all the plant enzymes are simply treated as 'proteins' whilst being digested, then how does the following work....

A number of commonly consumed cruciferous vegetables, including broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage, are good sources of glucobrassicin—the glucosinolate precursor of I3C. Myrosinase, an enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of glucosinolates, is physically separated from glucosinolates in intact plant cells (3). When plant cells are damaged, as when cruciferous vegetables are chopped or chewed, the interaction of myrosinase and glucobrassicin results in the formation of I3C (figure 1). In the acidic environment of the stomach, I3C molecules can combine with each other to form a complex mixture of biologically active compounds, known collectively as acid condensation products (4). Although numerous acid condensation products of I3C have been identified, some of the most prominent include the dimer 3,3'-diindolylmethane (DIM) and a cyclic trimer (CT) (figure 2). The biological activities of individual acid condensation products differ from those of I3C and are responsible for the biological effects attributed to I3C (5). When plant myrosinase is inactivated (e.g., by boiling), glucosinolate hydrolysis still occurs to a lesser degree, due to the myrosinase activity of human intestinal bacteria (6). Thus, when cruciferous vegetables are cooked in a manner that inactivates myrosinase, glucobrassicin hydrolysis by intestinal bacteria still results in some I3C formation (see Food Sources). However, acid condensation products are less likely to form in the more alkaline environment of the intestine.

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i'll try and look for the full version of the following...

Enzyme inactivation during heat processing is reviewed with regard to fundamental aspects (structure, thermodynamics and kinetics), mathematical models and the relationship between enzyme activity and food quality. Enzyme stability is related to enzyme structure and to factors in the microenvironment. Kinetics of inactivation are categorized with respect to reaction order and two models are briefly discussed which describe the variation of inactivation rates with temperature. The determination of accurate kinetic parameters is emphasized where the objective is to develop mathematical models of enzyme inactivation in real foods. The value of modelling inactivation is assessed. Enzymes having effects on sensory quality are reviewed with particular emphasis on those enzymes which influence flavour, through lipid degradation, and those which affect texture by catalysing the breakdown of starch, pectin or protein.

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[igH]

Psoriasis vulgaris and digestive system disorders: Is there a linkage?

Psoriasis is well-known immune-mediated skin disease often associated with co-morbidities, including dyslipidaemia and obesity. Few reports imply that the disease might be also related to pathology of mucosal surfaces, especially that of the digestive system. The authors present a case of psoriasis and concurrent digestive system abnormalities, and review the literature regarding the topic. A 40-year-old man suffered from an exacerbation of exudative psoriasis for about 6 months. Topical antipsoriatics proved ineffective and the disease gradually progressed to a severe disseminated form. Subsequent detailed examinations revealed persistent gastroduodenitis due to H. pylori infection, pancreatic dysfunction and fatty change of the liver, although the patient denied any gastrointestinal symptoms. As a result appropriate treatment of the diagnosed digestive system disorders was added to topical antipsoriatic therapy. Within 2 weeks of treatment clinical symptoms and laboratory signs showed a marked trend to normalisation. The presented medical history seems to suggest that there may be some kind of interplay between psoriasis and digestive system disorders.

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[igH]

ENTOZYME® IN TREATMENT OF PSORIASIS

Entozyme,® a pancreatic extract taken orally, was used in 36 cases of psoriasis previously recalcitrant to other treatment. In 24 cases this extract was the only treatment given, and good response occurred in 19 cases within 4 weeks to 3 months, with complete clearing in four cases. In 11 of 12 cases in which local treatment was supplemented by Entozyme, lesions cleared in 2 weeks to 3 months or longer.

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Pancreatin is a mixture of several digestive enzymes produced by the exocrine cells of the pancreas. It is composed of amylase, lipase and protease. This mixture is used to treat conditions in which pancreatic secretions are deficient, such as surgical pancreatectomy, pancreatitis and cystic fibrosis. It has been claimed to help with food allergies, celiac disease, autoimmune disease, cancer and weight loss. Pancreatin is sometimes called "pancreatic acid", although it is neither a single chemical substance nor an acid.

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