Re: FW: [GFCFkidsUK] GFCF and Enzymes

[Guest guest]

Pamela, please forward this to the gentleman:

There is really no need for concern of " unbridled proteolysis "

occuring with the use of oral enzyme supplements. If one's gut is

functional enough to accept dietary foods (that is, no

enteral/duodenal feeding tubes), then taking enzymes should still

pose no problem. The generalized inflammation that often accompanies

yeast infections is also not serious enough to be preclude enzyme

supplementation. As the pancreas will respond to the presence of

food with an outpouring of proteases whose activity will be

controlled by endogenous protective mechanisms, in the same manner a

dose of supplemented enzymes are also subject to the same controls,

which I will detail.

Cysteine proteases, such as papain, are inactivated by alpha-2

macroglobulin (a2M), cystatins, and thiol proteinase inhibitors (TPI-

1, TPI-3, TPI-4). These substances are ubiquitous in the blood

plasma and tissues. Any systemic uptake of enzymes will eventually

result in their inactivation by these substances. a2M, in particular,

is quite efficacious in the inhibition of several classes of

proteolytic enzymes. This explains why, according to the makers of

Wobenzyme (a preparation used for years in systemic enzyme therapy),

such high and frequent doses of enzymes are needed for

whatever " treatment " the product is used for.

As to systemic uptake of enzymes: While I have heard percentages of

uptake of orally supplemented enzymes as high as 40%, most likely

that percentage is much lower. Based on the work of Castell (1998)

with bromelain, the percentage of active enzyme in serum was about 2%.

Even so, given the catalytic nature of enzymes, this percentage could

and does have a noticeable effect on such things as platelet

aggregation and blood clotting times.

As the formulator of SerenAid, I do not recall receiving a call from

you, I'm sure if you had I would have given you the EC numbers of

those enzymes listed (3.4.23.6 for fungal protease, 3.4.22.2 for

papain, etc.) on the label. Perhaps you spoke to another person?

The individual enzymes in SerenAid and other enzyme products have

been in use in other various products and other applications for

years (juice industry, soy fermentation, wine making, etc.) and have

been well-characterized as to their pH optimum, temperature

stability, and substrate specificities.

As to the use of bromelain and papain as meat tenderizers, they

indeed are; however, there is much difference in using enzymes on

dead, denatured meat and in a vital, living system accustomed to the

presence of such proteases.

Devin Houston, Ph.D.

> I am forwarding this to the group with the author's permission.

Could

> someone please answer the points this gentleman has made. This has

been a

> concern on the GFCFkidsUK list.

>

> Pamela

>

>

> Re: [GFCFkidsUK] GFCF and Enzymes

>

>

>

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> I have expressed concerns before about the use of enzymes and in

> particular the possibility of unbridled proteolysis. It seems

generally

> accepted that the gut is in bad shape, if you indiscriminately dose

it with

> protease enzymes then it is to be expected that the situation may

> deteriorate. For the gut to be in such bad shape and accepting that

there is

> likely low native enzyme activity anyway then what is it going to

look like

> once you increase this activity?

>

> Enzymes are proteins too, if Gluten can pass, them so can enzymes

(maybe),

> I am concerned about the damage that such enzymes can do

systemically.

>

> Enzymes are often talked about as being very specific to a

particular

> protein or peptide etc., this is not the case, they are specific to

their

> type of substrate but often will degrade similar.

>

> I don't think enzyme therapy extends to controlling bile

excretion, it

> does not stimulate Bicarbonate release either, this is necessary in

most

> cases to correct the acidity in the small intestine which is where

secretin

> comes in.

>

> In the grand scheme of things it is acid that (should) promote

the release

> of secretin into circulation, this is the signal for the pancreas

to produce

> the Bicarbonate (which neutralises the acid) and for it to release

the

> enzymes. It also has an effect on the parietal cells (the ones that

make the

> acid) and instructs them to stop.

>

> I'm not pro-secretin either (esp. not porcine but that is another

issue)

> but I'm posting all of this negative stuff to make anyone who is

interested

> in this therapy to do so under caution, I am considering it too

BTW, but if

> I do opt for it, it will be added to offending foods (e.g. in milk),

> certainly not after or in between meals and at a minimal dose,just

enough to

> make a difference.

>

> Despite how it must seem I am excited about this therapy esp. now

that I

> have learned of a formula (Caroline's post) that comprises DPP-IV,

the one

> that tackles Gliadomorphine and Casamorphine, I would go for it if

this was

> available separately. I consider that the proteolysis is not as

important as

> breaking down the peptides that are the product of proteolysis.

>

> There is no dispute here that the results speak for themselves,

I'm just

> thinking long term effects.

>

> On Serenaid, I have some of this stuff in the cupboard, I was

undecided if

> I should use it and called them, I was put through to the man who

formulated

> the preparation and asked some specifics i.e the Enzyme Commision

> designation, the man had no idea at all and this told me the

product had not

> been well investigated. Bromelain and Papain are pretty aggresive,

they are

> used as meat tenderisers, they are certainly not native of my

child's gut.

>

> Should anyone on list be concerned about this,

feel free

> to pass my comments on . I don't mind scrutiny, even better if I

am wrong

> because then I would start them 1st thing tomorrow.

>

> Jon.

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