Digestion is fundamental to everything related to health and fitness, and it is often overlooked. Digestion is how the nutrients from your food(and supplements) are able to absorb into the body. So without proper digestion, you're fighting an uphill battle and a lot of what you eat is not getting into the body.
Digestion ends at the intestines, the small intestines being where nutrients are absorbed. In order for the nutrients to absorb, they must first be broken down into their basic form. Starting in the form of food(such as a grape) it goes through the digestive system and is then broken down along the way into basic nutrients for absorption at the intestines.
Part of this breakdown is physical and part of it is chemical. The physical digestion starts with chewing. It is very beneficial to spend your time chewing to help break down your food as much as possible before starting the digestive process. There are also small smooth muscles that help as well with some breakdown but they mostly are responsible for helping to move the food through the digestive system.
The other part is chemical digestion. This is arguable the most important part as this is the part where food is broken down into its basic nutrients. We have these enzymes in our body called digestive enzymes that are responsible for breaking down food into its basic components. Most digestive enzymes are produced in the pancreas and small intestines, but it can also be acquired from foods such as pineapples, papayas, mangoes, honey, bananas, avocados, sauerkraut, and ginger, apples, grapes.
The main digestive enzymes are:
Amylase (breaks down complex carbohydrates)
Lipase (breaks down fats)
Protease (breaks down proteins)
Lactase (breaks down lactose)
Sucrase (breaks down sucrose)
There are some signs you can use to tell if you are lacking in digestive enzymes. Some common symptoms include:
Gas
Bloating
Hunger shortly after eating wholesome(nutrient filled) or large meals(absorbtion issue)
Inability to digest food after eating(still floating around hours later)
Eating and failing to see the effects or energy from your food
Diarrhea
Belly pain or cramps
Oily stools (bowel movements)
It is also important to note that the body will use digestive enzymes to neutralize acidity along with minerals from your bones and teeth. This includes alcohol, which also affects the pancreas and its ability to do work and produce enzymes.
It is also important to note that majority of adults have very little lactase enzyme. This is simply because lactase production starts declining sharply after infancy (lactase nonpersistence). This makes it difficult for adults to digest milk/dairy products. If you experience abdominal pain, bloating, flatulence, nausea, or diarrhea shortly after consuming dairy, then you have a level of lactose intolerance(lactose malabsorption). True lactose intolerance is the inability to produce lactase at all. This is typically determined from birth, as an infant you would have had problems digesting milk.
*Please note that taking TOO much digestive enzymes CAN lead to abdominal pain and stomach cramps.
Pure Digestion enzymes come complete for complete digestion support. We put lactase, lipase, papain for the protease, bromelain another proteolytic(digest protein) enzyme and the super powerful Makzyme Pro (TM) Enzyme Blend.
Makzyme Pro (TM) was developed to be a more effective digestive enzyme for athletes. Makzyme Pro (TM) supports the digestion of protein and the absorption of amino acids. Makzyme Pro helps with gut immune system(gut-immunological axis) by enhancing the mucosal immune response(Toll-like receptors) and upregulation of genetic markers associated with macrophage (gut-immune cell) activity. Makzym Pro has been shown to suppress helicobacter pylori growth (pathogenic bacteria) and gut inflammation and enhance gut microbiome.
Makzym Pro also supports anti-inflammatory modulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis which may lower levels of cortisol(stress hormone). Reduced inflammation works via activation of Toll-like receptors (TLRs) and reduction nuclear factor (NF)-kB and pro-inflammatory cytokines (inflammation markers)
