What Are Enzymes, Pancreas, Digestion & Liver Function

Enzymes are proteins that help speed up metabolism, or the chemical reactions in our bodies. They build some substances and break others ... ThinkyoumayhaveCOVID-19? Findoutwhereyoucangettested Needavaccineorbooster? Scheduletoday ComingtoaClevelandCliniclocation? Visitationandmaskrequirements Home / HealthLibrary / Articles Enzymes Enzymesareproteinsthathelpspeedupchemicalreactionsinourbodies.Enzymesareessentialfordigestion,liverfunctionandmuchmore.Toomuchortoolittleofacertainenzymecancausehealthproblems.Enzymesinourbloodcanalsohelphealthcareproviderscheckforinjuriesanddiseases. Appointments216.444.7000 Appointments&Locations ContactUs Whatareenzymes? Enzymesareproteinsthathelpspeedupmetabolism,orthechemicalreactionsinourbodies.Theybuildsomesubstancesandbreakothersdown.Alllivingthingshaveenzymes. Ourbodiesnaturallyproduceenzymes.Butenzymesarealsoinmanufacturedproductsandfood. Whatdoenzymesdo? Oneofthemostimportantrolesofenzymesistoaidindigestion.Digestionistheprocessofturningthefoodweeatintoenergy.Forexample,thereareenzymesinoursaliva,pancreas,intestinesandstomach.Theybreakdownfats,proteinsandcarbohydrates.Enzymesusethesenutrientsforgrowthandcellrepair. Enzymesalsohelpwith: Breathing. Buildingmuscle. Nervefunction. Riddingourbodiesoftoxins. Whatarethedifferenttypesofenzymes? Therearethousandsofindividualenzymesinthebody.Eachtypeofenzymeonlyhasonejob.Forexample,theenzymesucrasebreaksdownasugarcalledsucrose.Lactasebreaksdownlactose,akindofsugarfoundinmilkproducts. Someofthemostcommondigestiveenzymesare: Carbohydrasebreaksdowncarbohydratesintosugars. Lipasebreaksdownfatsintofattyacids. Proteasebreaksdownproteinintoaminoacids. PartsofEnzymes Whatarethepartsofanenzyme? Eachenzymehasan“activesite.”Thisareahasauniqueshape.Thesubstanceanenzymeworksonisasubstrate.Thesubstratealsohasauniqueshape.Theenzymeandthesubstratemustfittogethertowork. HowdotemperatureandpHaffectenzymes? Enzymesneedtherightconditionstowork.Ifconditionsaren’tright,enzymescanchangeshape.Then,theynolongerfitwithsubstrates,sotheydon’tworkcorrectly. EachenzymehasanidealtemperatureandpH: pH:Enzymesaresensitivetoacidityandalkalinity.Theydon’tworkproperlyifanenvironmentistooacidicorbasic.Forexample,anenzymeinthestomachcalledpepsinbreaksdownproteins.Ifyourstomachdoesn’thaveenoughacid,pepsincan’tfunctionoptimally. Temperature:Enzymesworkbestwhenyourbodytemperatureisnormal,about98.6°F(37°C).Astemperatureincreases,enzymereactionsincrease.Butifthetemperaturegetstoohigh,theenzymestopsworking.That’swhyahighfevercandisruptbodilyfunctions. CommonConditions&Disorders Whathealthconditionscanenzymeproblemscause? Metabolicdisordersareoftentheresultofnothavingenoughofacertainenzyme.Parentscanpassthemtotheirchildrenthroughgenes(inherited).Someexamplesofinheritedmetabolicdisordersinclude: Fabrydiseasepreventsbodyfrommakingenzymes(alpha-galactosidaseA)thatbreakdownfat(lipids). Krabbedisease(globoidcellleukodystrophy)affectsenzymesneededfortheprotectivecovering(myelin)onnervecells(CentralNervousSystem). Maplesyrupurinediseaseaffectsenzymesneededtobreakdowncertainbranchchainaminoacids. Otherhealthconditionsrelatedtoenzymeimbalancesinclude: Crohn’sdiseaseanimbalanceofthebacteriainyourgut(gutmicrobiome)mayinfluenceanautoimmuneresponseoftheintestinaltract.ThismayplayaroleinpresentationandseverityofCrohn’sdisease. Exocrinepancreaticinsufficiency(EPI)isaconditionwhereyourpancreasdoesn’thaveenoughdigestiveenzymes.Youcan’tbreakdownfoodorabsorbnutrients.Chronicpancreatitis,pancreaticcancer,diabetesorcysticfibrosiscanleadtoEPI. Lactoseintoleranceisashortageoftheenzymeneededtodigestsugarsinmilk(lactose)anddairy. Howareenzymetestsusedtodiagnosehealthconditions? Yourhealthcareprovidercanuseavarietyofenzymeandproteinbloodteststocheckforcertainhealthconditions.Forexample,elevatedliverenzymescouldbeasignofliverdisease. CaringforYourEnzymes DoIneedtotakeenzymesupplements? Peoplewithoutchronichealthconditionscanusuallygettheenzymestheyneedfromahealthydiet.But,ifyouhavecertainhealthconditions,yourhealthcareprovidermayrecommendtakingenzymesupplements.Forinstance,manypeoplewithEPImaytakeadigestiveenzymebeforetheyeat.Thishelpstheirbodiesabsorbnutrientsfromfood.Talktoyourhealthcareproviderbeforetakinganytypeofenzymesupplement. Canmedicationsaffectenzymelevels? Somemedicationsaffectenzymelevels.Forexample,antibioticscankillcertainbacterianeededforsomeenzymestoworktheirbest.Thisisthereasonantibioticsmaycausediarrhea.Tokillthebacteriamakingyousick,theyalsowipeoutimportantgoodbacteriathataidindigestion. Statins(medicationsthatlowercholesterol)canraiseliverenzymesandmuscleenzymes.Theymayincreasetheriskofdamagetotheliverormuscles. WhentoCallaDoctor WhenshouldIcontactmydoctoraboutanenzymeproblem? Youwon’tknowifyouhaveanenzymeproblemwithoutabloodtest.Contactyourdoctorifyouexperienceanyofthefollowingproblems: Abdominalpain. Bloatingorgas. Diarrhea. Fatigue. Nauseaandvomiting. Unexplainedweightloss. Lowredbloodcounts(anemia). Gastrointestinalbleeding. AnotefromClevelandClinic Enzymeshelpfacilitatebiochemicalreactionsinourbodies.Theyaidineverythingfrombreathingtodigestion.Havingtoolittleortoomuchofacertainenzymecanleadtohealthproblems.Somepeoplewithchronicconditionsmayneedtotakeenzymesupplementstohelptheirbodiesworkastheyshould.Onlytakeenzymesupplementsunderthesupervisionofyourhealthcareprovider. Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Print Getuseful,helpfulandrelevanthealth+wellnessinformation enews ClevelandClinicisanon-profitacademicmedicalcenter.Advertisingonoursitehelpssupportourmission.Wedonotendorsenon-ClevelandClinicproductsorservices. Policy RelatedInstitutes&Services DigestiveDisease&SurgeryInstitute Findthelatestinformationfromthegloballyrecognizedleaderindigestivediagnosis,treatmentsandsurgicalinnovations. ClevelandClinicisanon-profitacademicmedicalcenter.Advertisingonoursitehelpssupportourmission.Wedonotendorsenon-ClevelandClinicproductsorservices. Policy Morehealthnews+info ShowMore Appointments216.444.7000 Appointments&Locations ContactUs Facebook Twitter YouTube Instagram LinkedIn Pinterest Snapchat