Wikipedia definition: Enzymes are mainly proteins, that catalyze chemical reactions.
The Enzyme Factor is a book I read recently about the importance of enzymes - the ones produced in our body and the ones we take from our food. I remembered the biology class from high school when we were learning the most important digestion enzymes. Some of them are protease (for digestion of proteins), amylase (for digestion of carbohidrates), lipase (for digestion of lipids).
There are more than 3000 enzymes, regulating many processes in the body.
The author, Dr. Hiromi Shinaya - a Japanese doctor - gastroenterologist, proposes a theory that the human organism is able to produce primary 'miracle' enzymes - enzymes, which can be turned into any kind of enzymes that the body needs at a certain moment. For example, if we take too much alcohol, the body produces more of the enzyme which deals with the digestion of alcohol and less of an enzyme needed for other body functions. The production of this primary enzymes reduces as people get older, but their depletion also depends on the lifestyle and the food we eat.
Many studies provide data for the confirmation of this theory. So we should make sure we don't misuse this vital function of our bodies.
Here you can read more about the book and Dr Shinaya.
Here you can refresh your knowledge about most important digestion enzymes for the human body. Scroll down to the articles The Power of Enzymes Part I and II.
