Proteolytic Enzymes
Facts
- proteolytic enzymes = catch phrase for hydrolytic enzymes that facilitate the chemical breakdown of proteins by severing the bonds between the amino acids that make them up
- they are proteases
- vast majority of metabolic enzymes in the body
- regulate everything from liver function to the immune system
- occur naturally in all organisms
- constitute 1-5% of all genetic content
- different from other enzymes in the body: able to adapt to changing needs ( ex.: the same proteolytic enzyme can meet both digestive and metabolic needs)
- a healthy supply of these protein specific enzymes is essential for sustaining and maintaining optimal health
Types
- six classifications (groups) in the human body:
-
- Serine
- Threonine
- Cysteine
- Aspartate
- Glutamic acid
- Metalloproteases
Enzymes Included In Supplemental Formulas
Serine
- majority of the enzymes included in the supplemental formulas
- break peptide bonds in those proteins in which the amino acid serine plays a key role at the enzyme’s active site
- coordinate various physiological functions: digestion, immune response, blood coagulation, inflammation, and reproduction
- widely distributed in nature (found in all kingdoms of cellular life and in many viral genomes)
- defend our body: break down serine protein bonds in invading viruses
Cysteine
- examples: bromelain and papain
- regulate and enhance cell aging, cell death, and certain immune responses
- bring macrophages back into line when they are misprogrammed and attacking collagen and elastin at sites of inflammation such as arterial walls in atherosclerosis and lung tissue in emphysema
References
- Barron, J (2014, July 21). Systemic, Proteolytic Enzymes. Baseline Of Health Foundation. Retrieved from https://jonbarron.org/article/proteolytic-enzyme-formula
