Amylase

Alpha-amylase, or α-Amylase, is an enzyme that helps the body to turn food into energy. An enzyme is a protein that increases the speed or amount of a chemical reaction in the body. Alpha-amylase helps the body to turn starches into usable sugars. Those sugars are converted into or maltose to be used by the body for energy. Alpha-amylase is found in many health supplements that improve digestion, speed up the metabolism and to treat indigestion. There are two different types of alpha-amylase.

• One is produced by the salivary glands and is found in the saliva. It is called ptyalin, and is responsible for beginning the digestive process while food is still in the mouth.
• The second alpha-amylase is manufactured by the pancreas where it aids in digestion in the stomach and intestines. Researchers believe that the body secretes more alpha-amylase when subjected to mental or physical stress, making it a biomarker of stress levels.
  

See also :

• Glucoamylase
• Pancreatin
• Digestive Enzymes

Special Precautions of Amylase

• Most people do not experience side effects from alpha-amylase.
• Possible side effects of taking alpha-amylase include diarrhea, nausea or stomach pain.
• Serious side effects could be painful or frequent urination, severe stomach and abdominal pain or discomfort, and joint pain. Speak with a medical professional before beginning any supplements, and if you experience any side effects.
• Keeping a non-chewable pill in your mouth for a long time will cause irritation to the inside of the mouth because the pill contains digestive enzymes. For that same reason, inhaling the powder form of alpha-amylase will cause irritation to the lining of the nose, throat and lungs.
• Since alpha-amylase is commonly mixed with other enzymes, any side effects could be from another ingredient in the supplement. If you experience any severe allergic reactions, such as painful or difficulty breathing, rash, swelling or dizziness, seek immediate medical help.
• You should speak with a doctor or nurse practitioner before adding any new supplements, vitamins or medications to your daily regimen. Discuss taking alpha-amylase if you take iron supplements.
• Do not take alpha-amylase if you are allergic to pork proteins as some sources of the enzyme are derived from the pancreas of pigs. Alpha-amylase may cause interactions with some Type II diabetes medication.
• Those with pancreatitis or other gastrointestinal diseases should not take alpha-amylase due to the fact that the pancreas will not be able to handle the overload, unless instructed to do so by a medical professional.
• Women who are pregnant or nursing should not take alpha-amylase. If you are attempting to get pregnant, check with your doctor before taking alpha-amylase.

Benefits and uses of Amylase are

• Alpha-Amylase is used to replace the enzymes that should be present in the digestive tract but are not due to a medical condition. Those suffering from chronic pancreatitis, cancer of the pancreas, cystic fibrosis or surgery of the abdomen region might be prescribed Alpha-Amylase enzymes. Amylase digests carbohydrates (polysaccharides), breaking them down into smaller units called disaccharides, which are later converted into monosaccharides (simple sugars) such as glucose and fructose. People who can’t digest fats often eat–and tolerate–large amounts of sugar to make up for the lack of fat in their diet. If their diet is excessive in sugar, they can develop an amylase deficiency in addition to the original lipase deficiency.
• Possessing antihistamine properties amylase can relieve many kinds of skin problems, such as hives and rashes, contact dermatitis, and allergic reactions to bee stings, bug bites, and poison oak or ivy.
• Amylase, combined with certain herbs, relieves herpes of any kind, including canker sores, genital herpes, shingles, and chickenpox. Combined with certain skin-healing herbs, it can heal acne, eczema, and psoriasis.
• Although asthma is a direct result of sugar intolerance, amylase combined with lung-healing herbs helps alleviate the wheezing of asthmatics. This combination acts as a lung expectorant and relieves the coughing accompanying colds and bronchitis. Amylase is useful for athletes because it eases muscle soreness and pain following exercise. It also can treat writer’s cramp and joint stiffness that is worse in the morning upon rising or after sitting for long periods.
• Amylase is important in preventing the proliferation of dead leukocytes (white blood cells), which manifest as pus. For example, if you have an infected gum area, which antibiotics don’t heal, it may not be an infection, but rather an abscess–that is, pus with no bacteria. With adequate amylase, the abscess could disappear or at least be dramatically diminished within 48 hours.
• May Help Lower Autoimmune and Inflammation Responses : One study on digestive enzymes and autoimmune diseases, found that these enzymes could help slow the aggregations of antigens (molecules that trigger immune responses), as well as the resulting tissue damage from the heightened conglomeration of antibodies (immune system proteins that neutralize foreign cells). Some scientists are looking into the strong possibility that enzymes such as amylase can play a role in boosting immunomodulatory activity halting these strong immune states.
• Anti-inflammation : Many European research groups are actively studying enzymes such as amylase. Oral enzymes are even being used in European countries in place of anti-inflammatory drugs. Studies show that oral enzymes can be as effective in reducing inflammation associated with conditions such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, as well as other inflammation-based imbalances. Several placebo-controlled comparison studies found that patients with rheumatic diseases taking enzymes experienced some analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects. These studies confirm that enzyme preparations can be just as effective as non-steroidal, commonly prescribed anti-inflammatory drugs, without many of the harmful side effects.
• Enzyme therapy is even being studied in Switzerland for its uses as a supportive treatment of cancer. The amylase enzyme in particular was found to show amazing abilities in inhibiting the growth of tumor cells with metastatic capacities. The Swiss research team concluded these astounding results of the study: “Enzyme therapy can reduce the adverse effects caused by radiotherapy and chemotherapy. There is also evidence that, in some types of tumors, survival may be prolonged. The beneficial effect of systemic enzyme therapy seems to be based on its anti-inflammatory potential.”
• Lessens Aging Effects : While many scientists disagree on the question of whether or not enzyme production decreases as we age, one laboratory study found that pancreatic amylase decreased by 41% in aging rats. Similarly, a human study done in Argentina found that amylase and lipase secretion decreased in women over 45 years of age, but they actually increased in men of the same age.