Proteolytic Enzymes

See also :

• Enzymes
• Digestive Enzymes
• papain

Proteolytic enzymes, sometimes called proteases, are enzymes found in your body that help break down proteins ingested when eating into their base elements. These enzymes enter your digestive system and then pass through your stomach or intestines to enter your circulatory system and travel throughout your body.

Benefits and uses of Proteolytic Enzymes are

The enzymes can aid people who have problems digesting food, can help ease the symptoms associated with rheumatoid arthritis, and help people recover from hard exercise.

• Reducing inflammation: Inflammation is a natural response of the body to injury. However, excessive inflammation retards the healing process. Proteolytic enzymes reduce inflammation by neutralizing the biochemicals of inflammation (i.e., bradykinins and pro-inflammatory eicosanoids) to levels at which the synthesis, repair and regeneration of injured tissues can take place.1 Reducing inflammation can have immediate impact on improved heart health, cancer prevention and recovery, and Alzheimer's prevention. It also helps speed up recovery from sprains, strains, fractures, bruises, contusions, surgery and arthritis. In one study, football players who suffered from ankle injuries found that proteolytic enzyme supplements accelerated healing and got the players back on the field 50 percent faster than athletes who received placebo tablets.2 Other trials have shown that supplemental proteolytic enzymes can help reduce inflammation, speed healing of bruises and other tissue injuries (including fractures), and reduce overall recovery time when compared to athletes taking a placebo.3,4 And even in patients recovering from facial and various reconstructive surgeries, treatment with proteolytic enzymes significantly reduced swelling, bruising and stiffness compared to placebo groups.5,6,7
• Cleansing the blood of debris: Proteolytic enzymes are the primary tools the body uses to "digest" organic debris in the circulatory and lymph systems. Supplementing merely improves the effectiveness of the process.
• Dissolving fibrin in the blood, reducing the risk of clots: Certain specialized proteases such as nattokinase are extremely effective at improving the "quality" of blood cells, optimizing the ability of blood to flow through the circulatory system, and reducing the risk of clots.8 This is extremely important in reducing the risk of stroke. It also makes using proteolytic enzymes during long plane flights a no-brainer, as they minimize the potential of blood clots in the legs.
• Maximized immune system: The primary vehicle the immune system uses for destroying invaders is enzymes. Macrophages, for example, literally digest invaders with proteolytic enzymes. *Supplementation significantly improves the ability of your immune system to do its job.
• Killing of bacteria, viruses, molds and fungi: Bacteria, viruses, molds and fungi are protein/ amino acid-based. Proteolytic enzymes taken between meals literally go into the bloodstream and digest these invaders.
• Elimination of autoimmune diseases: In Lessons from the Miracle Doctors, I cover in detail the process whereby large undigested proteins make their way into the bloodstream and form circulating immune complexes (CICs), which trigger allergies and autoimmune diseases. Supplemental proteolytic enzymes clean CICs out of the body, thereby reducing allergies and autoimmune conditions. In addition, this helps with sinusitis and asthma.
• Dissolving of scar tissue: Scar tissue is made of protein. Proteolytic enzymes can effectively "digest" scar tissue – particularly in the circulatory system.
• And finally, a properly designed supplemental proteolytic enzyme formula can help reduce the symptoms of MS, clean out the lungs9 and aid in detoxing.
• Cancer Treatment: Proteolytic enzymes have historically been used in the treatment of cancer, according to Dr. Michael Murray. Murray notes that studies have been conducted through the U.S. National Institutes of Health in using them to treat breast, stomach, reproductive, lymph and lung cancers to improve the quality of life and life expectancy of cancer patients. Murray notes that these enzymes should not be taken immediately before surgery since they can make surgical bleeding worse.