6/25: Enzymes(효소) and Health

[논둑길맨발로]

Enzyme Basics 10분 - 2007년 9월 18일 - 업로더: tombohager The Role Enzymes Play in the Body youtube.com

What are enzymes 3분 - 2008년 9월 2일 - 업로더: videoavita What are enzymes youtube.com

How to Determine the Best Enzyme Supplement 5분 - 2009년 11월 11일 In this health video you will learn how to determine the best enzyme supplement. 5min.com

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     In my life, I have met three people who have cured themselves from cancer by eating everything raw. One of them had been given only six months to live, but thirty years later he was still around and had not been sick again since changing his food habits. At the time I met those people, I did not know that much about food, but now I know that their cure is largely related to the presence of enzymes in raw food. It is the lack of enzymes in processed and cooked foods that burdens our bodies and causes a variety of health problems. This article is an introduction to this very important health issue.

Enzymes are the key to life. No enzymes, no life. We destroy all the digestive enzymes in our food by cooking and baking, and thus the body has to draw the necessary enzymes to digest this dead food from the body organs which in turn become unbalanced. All processed foods are also void of enzymes. Research has shown that this might be a cause of a lot of degenerative diseases. Fortunately eating raw food and/or taking enzyme supplements can help to restore our health.

Human salivary amylase image from the Research Collaboratory for Structural Bioinformatics (RCSB)

What are enzymes? - Health Issues - Information about Enzymes - Enzyme Supplements - Advice on Taking Enzymes - Other Sources of Enzymes

What are enzymes?

          Living cells and tissues require basic nutrients and essential substances to divide, grow and perform their normal activities. Most of these substances are synthesized from components of ingested food, water, and other nutritional supplements, or from breakdown products of tissues. The biochemical reactions to synthesize the basic elements required by living cells depend on a steady supply of energy from these sources. Ordinarily, this energy is supplied by a step-by-step oxidation of food components. In addition, the biochemical reactions themselves sometimes release energy. During times of stress or disease, there is am increased demand for the nutrients and essential supplies required by cells. Without very special helpers and at normal body temperature, it would be impossible for the cells and tissues to perform all the essential biochemical reactions required fast enough to meet the basic needs of the body. Fortunately, very specific and remarkable helpers initiate, accelerate and terminate these biochemical reactions. The helpers are highly specific organic substances which have evolved in living organisms and developed the capacity of performing these accelerated tasks to perfection via remarkable and specific catalytic actions. These remarkable substances are called enzymes.

     Enzymes are catalysts. They make things work faster. For example, the chemistry of the body is all about utilizing one substance to produce another. Let us call it turning chemical A into chemical B. The biochemical reaction to do this may require energy or release energy, depending on whether molecules A or B contain their own energy.

     Regardless of whether energy is required or released, the reaction time is shortened by its specific enzyme, without the enzyme being used up. The reaction is accelerated through the use of enzymes. This acceleration without consumption is the nature of a catalyst. For practical purposes, most biochemical reactions require enzymes since the reaction A to B might take hundreds of years without them.

     It seems that enzymes are the fountain of life. Enzymes serve as the labor force to perform every single function required for our daily activities and are required to keep us alive. Digestive enzymes are only a part of the total amount of enzymes in the body. There are about 3000 known enzymes. They are responsible for all the functions of every organ system in our bodies.  At the same time they are most important in supporting our body defenses and immune system to protect us from harmful forces and specific dangers to our health. The immune system depends heavily on enzymes to conduct its protective function. In addition we require enzymes not only to eat, digest and absorb our nutrients, but also to see, hear, smell, taste, breathe and move. Enzymes are required for our blood and coagulation system, cardiovascular functions, kidneys, liver, elimination of toxic products, excretion, reproduction, etc. They are required even to think, dream or for sexual excitement. When enzyme activity stops, life stops and the person or organism dies!

     There are two major enzyme systems in the human body. One is digestive and the other is metabolic. The digestive enzymes help break down all of the food that we eat so that it can be absorbed by the body. The metabolic enzymes help to run all of the systems of the body from respiratory system to the nervous system.

     The seven categories of food (digestive) enzymes and their activities are:

• Amylase: breaks down starches.

• Cellulase: breaks down fibers.

• Lactase: breaks down dairy products.

• Lipase: breaks down fats.

• Maltase: breaks down grains.

• Protease: breaks down proteins.

• Sucrase: breaks down sugars.

Health Issues

     Enzymes are extremely important to our health. When enzymes are short in supply, or become inactive, the body will suffer. As the body is built from the food we eat, paying attention to what we eat is one of the most important things we can do. Unfortunately we do not eat what our instinct and common sense tells us to do. We do not eat the right quantities of the right foods at the right times and in the proper manner. The results can include digestive disturbances, deposition of fat, and becoming overweight. These findings can be associated with further health problems including disorders of the circulation which lead to more severe cardiovascular disease and disorders of the heart. The reducing diets often recommend generally provide only temporary weight loss and many of them may be even more detrimental to health in the long run.

     We should all eat properly and follow a balanced diet  containing a substantial amount of fresh foods in each meal. We should also avoid highly processed foods and high levels of preservatives, additives or chemicals. We can also take natural digestive enzymes in order to support the digestion of processed or cooked foods. Every food that has been cooked, boiled, heated, grilled, baked has lost its enzymes and is a burden to our organs which have to supply the digestive enzymes. As almost nobody in our modern age is willing to eat everything raw, you can take digestive enzymes with your cooked, etc., food. (An informative site about raw food is Living and Raw Foods) It is also good to stay away from processed foods as they often contain enzyme inhibitors (to prolong shelf life), chemicals, and sugar (white sugar is destructive to our bodies, and contributes big time to obesity).

Information about Enzymes

     The European scientific community  has generated great excitement in the field of enzymes, which can be used preventively to prevent illness and give us a longer, healthier life. However in the United States the average person does not know much about enzymes and their importance.  Read a well written book that focuses on the therapeutic oral enzymes, but also has a wealth of information about what enzymes are and how they keep us healthy: Enzymes, The Fountain of Life, written by D.A. Lopez, M.D.; R.M. Willians, M.D. and Pg.D., and K. Miehlke, M.D.; published by The Neville Press, Inc.; isbn 1-884303-00-5 . At present I have a copy of Enzymes, The Fountain of Life for sale, look at the end of this article.

Enzyme supplements

     After you have read all about enzymes and why they are so important to our health, the next question is "what can I do about it? We will focus here only on digestive enzymes. Ideally you should eat everything raw. As raw food contains all the necessary enzymes to digest the food, our body does not have to deplete its organs of their necessary enzymes. And thus our body stays healthy. But in this modern age, who can eat everything raw? Make sure you eat enough raw food, but for the rest, supply your cooked or baked food with enzyme supplements.

     There are several enzyme supplements on the market, but one of the best supplements is Dr. Howell's N-Zymes, the enzyme supplement we ourselves are using. Dr Edward Howell was an enzyme pioneer who questioned the use of cooked, processed food for human consumption. He found that heating food to 118°F (47.78°C) for more than 15 minutes destroyed all the enzymes. Obviously then, heating foods at higher temperatures for shorter periods also destroys enzymes. Dr Howell wrote two books reporting his life's work: Food Enzymes for Health and Longevity and Enzyme Nutrition.

     N-Zymes is made by the National Enzyme Company, and distributed by Enzymes Inc, Parkville, Missouri. The digestive enzyme supplement we are using is called "Genuine N-zymes, Dr. Howell's Original Formula". The capsules contain the enzymes protease, amylase, lipase and cellulase). N-Zymes is available through health food stores. For their other enzymes products, visit Genuine N-Zymes.

Advice on Taking Enzymes

     When taking enzyme supplements, remember to

• open the capsules and sprinkle the enzymes on your food (not too hot please). This way they can start working. Otherwise it will take time for the capsule to dissolve in your stomach.

• also drink water with your food, as enzymes are only active when water is present.

• One also needs to chew one's food well because the digestive enzyme cellulase is trapped inside the fiber itself and must be liberated in the chewing process—otherwise, one experiences the gas and bloating.

• Eat plenty of fresh raw fruits and vegetables to maximize your enzyme intake.

• Raw seeds or raw nuts, contain enzyme inhibitors which will neutralize some of the enzymes your body produces. In fact, eating foods with enzyme inhibitors causes a swelling of the pancreas. All nuts and seeds contain these inhibitors. Raw peanuts, for example, contain an especially large amount. Raw wheat germ is also one of the worst offenders. In addition, all peas, beans and lentils contain some. Potatoes also have enzyme inhibitors (concentrated in the eyes of the potato). In eggs the inhibitor is contained mainly in the egg white. There are two ways to destroy enzyme inhibitors. The first is cooking; however, this also destroys the enzymes. The second way, which is preferable, is soaking, rinsing and germinating or sprouting. This destroys the enzyme inhibitors and also increases the enzyme content from a factor of 3 to 6. Taking extra enzymes is the third way to neutralize the enzyme inhibitors in ungerminated or unsprouted seeds and nuts.

• Fermentation also removes the enzyme inhibitors and it has other benefits too. Fermentation neutralizes unhealthy chemicals found in grains and beans. Second, it adds a host of beneficial micro-organisms to food, making them more digestible and increasing the healthy flora in our intestinal tracts. Grains and beans all contain an acid, myoinositol-hexa, or phytic acid. Phytic acid blocks the absorption of calcium, phosphorus, iron and zinc. A diet high in unfermented whole grains can lead to mineral deficiencies and bone loss. Fermenting grains and beans before eating them neutralizes phytic acid. It also neutralizes enzyme inhibitors and breaks down gluten, sugars, and other difficult to digest elements in grains and beans. The simplest way to lacto-ferment grains and beans is by adding whey and water, and letting them stand for at least seven hours. Beans should ideally stand for twelve hours or more. Yogurt can be added instead of whey, which is a by-product of cheese-making and is commercially available as a powder (sold in health food stores).

• Make sure you also read our article about Kefir, a special culture used in the fermentation of milk that adds a lot of enzymes in the process. It is very easy to make kefired milk and it is very healthy! It also is a way of making excellent whey for fermenting your grains and cooked veggies.

• Salt is an indirect enzyme inhibitor, so use it sparingly.

Other Sources of Enzymes

    There are four major types of proteolytic enzymes: trypsin, chymotrypsin, papain, and bromelain.

     Chymotrypsin is a proteolytic enzyme crystallized from an extract of the pancreas gland of the ox.

     Trypsin is a proteolytic enzyme also crystallized from an extract of the pancreas gland of the ox.

      Papain is derived from the green papaya fruit.

      Bromelain is extracted from the pineapple. Because of the relative value of the fruit, the difficulty of processing the juice, and the improvements of methods to extract bromelain from pineapple stems, the source of most bromelain is the stems.

     Proteolytic enzymes are enzymes that help you digest the proteins in food. Although your body produces these enzymes in the pancreas, certain foods also contain proteolytic enzymes. Papaya (the unripe fruit) and pineapple are two of the richest plant sources. Papain and bromelain are the respective names for the proteolytic enzymes found in these fruits.

     The primary use of proteolytic enzymes is as a digestive aid for people who have trouble digesting proteins. However, proteolytic enzymes also appear to reduce pain and inflammation, which has made them popular in Europe as a treatment for sports injuries and as an aid in recovery from surgery. Supplemental proteolytic (protein-digesting) enzymes also enhance immune function, helping to destroy pathogens; and proteolytic enzymes seems to be good for people with pancreas problems.  Digestive enzymes are classified as a food by the FDA., but if you want to take proteolytic enzymes you should discuss this with your doctor.

     Another source of enzymes is brewer's yeast which stimulates enzyme activity in the intestines. There are also enzyme preparations available from the pharmacy for digestive disorders. Fermented foods are full of enzymes, like yogurt, sauerkraut, soy sauce and kefir. Check out our kefir page, as kefir is very easy to make and makes you very healthy.

The material in this site is provided for educational and informational purposes only, and is not intended to be a substitute for consultation by a healthcare provider. Please consult your own physician or appropriate healthcare provider about the applicability of any opinions or recommendations with respect to your own symptoms or medical conditions.

발효와 효소에 대하여

 글쓴이 : FM애그텍

조회 : 1,776  

현재 농민들 사이에는 발효라는 이야기와 효소라는 이야기가 부정확하게 이해되고 있 는 것이 사실이다. 그간 정확한 개념을 전달하고자 하였는데, 여기서 다시 한번 발효라는 개념과 효소라는 개념을 과학적으로 정리해 보기로 한다.

[ 발효(formentation)란 무엇인가 ]

유기물이 미생물의 작용에 의해 분해적으로 변화하는 현상을 말한다.
좁은 의미로는 물질이 미생물에 의해 산소가 없는 조건에서 (혐기 상태에서) 분해되는 현상을 말한다.
이러한 현상은 옛날부터 알코올 음료, 빵등의 양조 제품의 제조에 이용되어 왔다.

발효의 형식은 미생물의 종류와 환경에 따라 다양한데, 전형적인 것으로 효모의 알코올 발효, 글리세롤발효, 유산균의 유산발효, 메탄세균의 메탄발효, 대장균 등에서 보이는 혼합 유기산 발효가 있다.

산화발효는 기질의 불완전 산화에 의한 중간대사 물질의 축적을 이용하는 것으로 초산 균에 의한 초산발효, 글루콘산 발효, 설포즈 발효나 사상균에 의한 구연산, 글루콘산, 푸 말산, 수산등의 유기산 발효가 있다.

아세톤 부타놀 발효나 낙산 발효는 편성 혐기성 세균인 clostridium속에 의한 혐기발효 로 한때는 이들의 용제의 중요한 생산 수단이었다.

그런데 최근에는 미생물에 의한 물질 생산을 모두 발효라고 부르고 있으며, 아미노산, 뉴클레오티드, 항생물질등도 미생물공업상 중요한 발효제품이다. 알콜발효는 오래 전부 터 많이 연구되어 왔으며 효소 화학의 발전에 큰 역할을 하였다.

베르젤리우스 (J.J. Berzelius)나 리이비히 (J.F.von Liebig)는 발효를 매개에 의한 분해 작용으로 이해했으나 파스퇴르(I. Pasteur)에 의해 미생물의 관여가 증명되었다.
그 후 부흐너 (E. Buchner, 1897)가 효모의착즙에서 무세포상태로도 발효가 일어나는 것을 발견하고 근육의 해당작용에 대한 연구가 진행되면서 알콜발효와 당분해 경로가 같다는 것이 밝혀지고, 엠덴마이엘호프 경로가 밝혀졌다.
한편 인산결합의 의미가 해명됨과 동시에 에너지 획득수단으로서 발효의 의미가 밝혀지 게 되었다.
발효에는 산소가 관여하지 않고 유기기질 상호간의 탈수소 효소에 의한 산화환원의 결 과, 고에너 지화합물이 생성되는 ADP로의 인산기전에 의해 ATP가 생성된다. (기질단위 의 인산화) 엠덴마이엘호프 경로 외에도 예를 들면 초산, 낙산 등의 생성에는 ATP 1몰 의 생성이 수반되는 것이 보통이다.
그런데 발효에 있어서 당분해 경로는 엠덴마이엘호프 경로가 유일한 것은 아니고 경우 에 따라 펜토오스인산회로, 엔토나도오도로프 경로등이 관여하고 있다.

[ 효소의 정확한 의미 ]

효소란 살아있는 세포 안에서 만들어지는 단백질의 생체촉매이며 영어로는 엔자임이라 고 한다. 효소에 의해 매개되는 화학반응을 효소반응이라고 하는데 생체내의 화학반응 은 거의 효소 반응이고 물질대사는 대부분 효소계에 의존하고 있다.

효소의 발현은 맥아에 함유되어 잇는 물질에 의한 전분의 당화와 동물의 소화작용연구 에서 시작되었는데 세포내의 물질대사가 효소에 의해 이루어진다는 것은 알코올 발효가 효모추출액에 의해 행해진다고 하는 부흐너 (E. Buchner)의 발견으로 밝혀졌다. 1926년에 섬머 (J.B. Summer)가 우레아제를 결정으로 분리한 이래 많은 효소가 계속 발견되어 단백질이라는 것이 확인되었다. 또 많은 효소에서 보효소의 필요성이 지적되 고 그 대부분이 비타민구조를 포함하며 기질과의 반응에 관여한다는 것이 밝혀졌다.

효소는 다른 촉매와 비교할 때 온화한 조건에서 강력하게 반응하며, 특이성이 높고, 각 효소는 일정기질의 일정반응만 촉매한다. 이것은 효소단백질의 입체구조가 촉매활성부 위를 중심으로 하여, 기질과 특이적으로 결합하도록 되어있기 때문이다.
이를 효소의 특이성이라고 한다. 효소는 단백질이기 때문에 다양한 외적조건의 영향을 받아 활성이 변화한다. 고온에 의한 단백질 변성으로 활성을 잃거나 pH등의 미묘한 변 화에 의해 활성에 변화를 일으킨다. 또 활성부위에 결합하는 물질에 따라 활성의 저하가 일어나는데, 작용물질과 특이적으로 결합하는 부위를 활성부위 이외에 갖는데, 그 결합 에 따라 활성이 높아지거나 저해되거나 하는 경우도 있다. 이것은 생체의 대사조절에 큰 의미를 갖는다.

효소에는 기질과의 화학반응에 관여하는 저분자 부분이 존재하는 것이다.
이 부분은 단백질부분과 분리되기 쉬운때는 보효소, 결합이 강할때는 보결분자단으로 불린다. 이들은 색소, 누클레오티드, 비타민 유도체, 금속화합물이 많고 그 변화는 호흡 스펙트럼, 전자스핀공명등으로 포착된다.
또 특이적인 시야에 의해 화학변화를 받아, 저해를 받는다.

효소는그 촉매되는 반응의 형태에 따라 분류되고 명명된다. 효소에는 가용성효소로서 세포내에서 용해된 상태로 존재하고 기능하는것도 있으며 (발효관계의 효소), 불용성으 로 막구조등과 결합하여 존재하는 것도 있다 (호흡 효소계).
복합효소계로서 근육의 수축이나 물질의 막투과 등의 보다 고차적인 생리적 기능을 영위하는 것도 있다.

효소의 세포내 형성은 기질등의 첨가에 의해 촉진되며, 대사 생산물등의 첨가에 의해 방 해받는 경우가 많다. 이것은 특히 미생물에서 현저하며 세포의 대사조절에서 큰 의의를 갖는다.

[ 효소의 특성 ]

1. 효소는 촉매이다.
효소는 화학적 반응의 속도를 조절하며, 그 자신은 변화과정에서 이용되지 않는다. 그러므로 여러번이라도 사용될 수 있다.
효소는 반응의 속도를 조절할 수 있지만 에너지를 증가시키는 반응은 일으키지 않는다.

2. 효소는 거의 단백질 분자이다.
대부분의 효소분자는 100에서 1,000의 아미노산이 특이한 순서로 구성되어 있는 단백 질이다. 아미노산 순서에 추가하여 삼차원적인 단백질의 구조가 촉매반응에서 중요한 역할을 한다.
예를 들면 효소에 열을 가하면 분자구조가 바뀌며, 촉매능력이 파괴된다.

3. 효소는 특이적인 작용을 한다.
아무리 간단한 미생물이라도 1,000개 이상의 상이한 효소를 가지고 있으며 각 효소는 특이한 반응을 촉매할 수 있다.
일반적으로 살아 있는 생체에서 일어나는 유기 분자를 합성 및 분해할 때 각 단계에서 촉매 작용을 하는 효소의 종류가 다르다.

4. 효소는 세포의 대사 유형을 결정
생체 내에서 일어나는 모든 중요한 반응은 효소가 작용하고 있다. 그러므로 세포의 종류 는 그들이 가지고 있는 효소의 종류와 양에 따라 결정된다.
예를 들면 단백질의 양분을 흡수하는 능력은 프로티나제라는 효소군의 존재 여부에 따 라 결정된다. 이러한 효소들이 없으면 단백질을 소화할 수 없는 것이다.
효소도 또한 세포의 합성 능력을 결정한다.

* 참고문헌 : 생활 미생물학, 저자 김충기

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