After the common cold, digestive disorders are the second most common reason for seeing a doctor. Poor digestion can have an impact on the entire health of our body and can lead to various symptoms and illnesses. Symptoms of poor digestion can include bloating, flatulence, belching, abdominal pain, heartburn, bad breath, constipation, diarrhoea, allergies and so on. Proper digestion, absorption and elimination are necessary in order to gain the nutritional benefits from foods.
Adequate production of digestive enzymes is required for healthy digestion and general wellbeing. If a person’s natural digestive enzymes are deficient undigested protein may stay in the body. These protein parts may contribute to the development of allergies, autoimmune diseases, and autointoxication.
Digestive enzymes begin their pre-digestive work in the upper stomach. All digestive enzymes are primarily used to aid the digestion of foods and absorption of nutrients, especially protein. If proteins are not completely digested, undigested protein particles may make their way into the bloodstream through the intestinal wall with other nutrients. This phenomenon is known as leaky gut syndrome, and it can result in allergic reactions that may be more or less severe, depending upon the strength of the immune system. This is one reason why the proper digestion of proteins is so important.
What is Pepsin?
Pepsin is an enzyme produced by the mucosal lining of the stomach, its main function is to break down proteins. Pepsin is one of three principal protein degrading, or proteolytic enzymes in the digestive system, the other two being chymotrypsin and trypsin. During the process of digestion, these enzymes, each of which is particularly effective in severing links between particular types of amino acids, collaborate to break down dietary proteins to their components ie. peptides and amino acids, which can be readily absorbed by the intestinal lining. Pepsin is synthesised in an inactive form called pepsinogen by the stomach lining. Pepsinogen needs the low stomach pH and hydrochloric acid for conversion to pepsin. Hydrochloric acid, also produced by the gastric mucosa, is necessary to convert the inactive enzyme and to maintain the optimum acidity (pH 1-3) for pepsin function. If the pH is more than 5.0 then pepsin will denature and become inactive. Once pepsinogen is converted, this then starts a chain reaction because pepsin trigger’s the formation of more pepsin.
The body does manufacture enzymes, but we also need to obtain them from food. The problem is that enzymes are extremely sensitive to heat. Even low to moderate heat destroys them, so a person must either eat a lot of raw food to obtain enzymes, or take enzyme supplements. It is suggested that as we grow older, the body’s ability to produce enzymes decrease. At the same time, malabsorption of nutrients and chronic health conditions increase.
Antacids – Helping or Hindering?
Pepsin requires a low pH level in order to function, commercial antacids in the form of tablets, wafers, liquids, powders or bicarbonate of soda so widely advertised as decreasing digestive problems, in reality increase deficiency of hydrochloric acid, leading to a pH level that is not optimal for pepsin to work, adding to digestive troubles.
Supplemental Help for Poor Digestion
Tablets of hydrochloric acid combined with betaine and pepsin are a good supplemental source of these essential enzymes needed for adequate digestion and assimilation of nutrients. Nature’s Sunshine Products have a formula containing Betaine Hydrochloride and Pepsin called Protein Digestive Aid. Protein Digestive Aid tablets supply 325mg of Betaine HCl and 65mg of Pepsin (derived from porcine, activity 0.5 pH). Each Protein Digestive Aid tablet contains enough acid and digestive enzymes to digest 195 grams of protein. It is recommended one tablet be taken 15 minutes prior to each meal.
