Following on from last month’s article, let’s take a closer look at three key systemic enzymes, which we like to think of as the three musketeers; fighting for the good of the people.

Serrapeptase

Serrapeptase  is born in the intestine of  the silk worm, where it  is produced by bacteria and used by the silk worm to digest its cocoon. It is now produced in the lab by the non-pathogenic bacteria serratia E15.

 Also known by its pet name serratiopeptidase, serrapeptase is a proteolytic enzyme best known for its ability to: 

• Reduce excess inflammation allowing nutrients to reach damaged areas, removing wastes and improving healing time
• Block pain inducing bradykinin, thus reducing pain
• Degrade proteins like non-living tissues, scar tissue and cysts
• Break down circulating toxins and cellular debris, thus supporting the immune system
• Degrade mucus such as in sinusitis
• Break down fibrin blood clots
• Help prevent swelling and fluid retention

Nattokinase

Nattokinase originated from Japan; having been isolated from the traditional Japanese fermented soybean dish ‘Natto’. Nattokinase is produced by the bacterium Bacillus subtillis during the fermentation process.

It wields its sword close to the heart; acting specifically in the cardiovascular system to:

• Break down fibrin blood clots, reducing blood viscosity (thickness) and blood pressure
• Improve blood flow to all areas of the body
• Break down scar tissue
• Act as an antioxidant by protecting against LDL oxidation

Nattokinase and serrapeptase can both be obtained individually or in combination with other enzymes. Serrapeptase is often combined with the anti-inflammatory enzymes bromelain and papain as a blend for pain, inflammation and scar tissue. Nattokinase is often combined with serrapeptase and other enzymes for heart health and fibrin breakdown.

Lumbrokinase

Lumbrokinase is made up of a group of six enzymes first derived from the earthworm family, and has been the masked defender in Chinese hospitals since 1990. It has a strong stomach for blood flow; used most commonly for its ability to aid in conditions of hypercoagulation, where there is too much blood clotting and the bodies’ normal mechanisms to reduce blood viscosity are not functioning properly.

**This enzyme is usually sold as a practitioner-only product to be prescribed by a qualified health practitioner.

**Anyone taking blood-thinning medication should consult their health care professional prior to taking systemic enzymes.

Digestive vs Systemic Enzymes

You barely know what an enzyme is; let alone what kind of enzyme supplement you need.

Well, it’s good to know that there are just two broad categories of enzyme supplements:

• Digestive enzymes, which aid the digestive process directly and
• Systemic enzymes, which provide support throughout the body.

These two groups of enzymes are distinct from one another and have their own specific jobs.

Digestive Enzymes

Digestive enzyme supplements are designed to be taken with each meal to complement the body’s own digestive enzymes produced primarily by the pancreas. The pancreas secretes enzymes to breakdown the main food groups entering the body, including: amylases for carbohydrate digestion, lipases for digesting fats and proteases for protein digestion. But this doesn’t always cut the mustard.

Supplemental digestive enzymes go the extra mile: they contain the above enzymes as well as others that the body does not specifically generate, which aid digestion of specific types of fibres or carbohydrates. One example of this is cellulose: an enzyme which helps us breakdown cellulose – a plant fibre otherwise indigestible to humans.

Why do we need a supplement if we make most of the enzymes ourselves?

Good question. In a state of optimal health and nutrition, yes, we do make adequate amounts of digestive enzymes ourselves and obtain others from the fresh raw foods we eat. But throw in stress, chronic disease, poor nutrition and food allergies –  to mention just a few of life’s frivolities – and suddenly the body is not so well equipped.

Also the number of enzymes produced by the body is limited over our lifetime. As we age, the level of enzymes we produce declines. Since we rely heavily on enzymes to unlock nutrients from the food we eat, the importance of good digestion with adequate enzymes becomes paramount to maintain good health.

Systemic Enzymes

Systemic enzymes on the other hand are designed to be taken on an empty stomach; allowing them to be absorbed directly into the circulation, to support the body where needed. These systemic enzymes can help:

• Maintain healthy immune functions
• Maintain healthy blood flow & circulation
• Maintain healthy joints
• Support normal, healthy inflammatory processes
• Assist with muscle soreness after exercise
• ( and a few other things that only your doctor / practitioner can talk about! )

There are many types of Systemic Enzymes used such as:

• Serrapeptase – derived from the silk worm
• Nattokinase – derived from the Japanese fermented soybean dish “Natto”
• Lumbrokinase – a group of six enzymes derived from the earth worm
• Bromelain – from pineapple
• Papain – from papaya
• As well as other enzymes like proteases and lipases. Check out our Detailed List of Enzymes

Whether enzymes work locally to assist digestion or systemically to work throughout the body is determined by how the enzymes are taken (i.e. with food or without food). Digestive enzymes can assist systemically if taken away from food, while systemic enzymes can assist digestion if taken with food. For best results, enzymes should be used as they have been designed.

Supplementary enzymes can work wonders for many different types of conditions, but it’s best to consult with your healthcare professional to ensure you’ve found the product best suited to your needs.

Alfalfa – A flowering plant that is very nutrient rich (vitamins, minerals esp. calcium and chlorophyll). As well as providing many nutrients it can also assist in wound healing, help lower blood cholesterol, act as a digestive tonic, aid in menstrual complaints (esp. with blood loss as has high vitamin K), help stop bleeding of wounds when applied locally, as an anti-diabetic agent and an appetite stimulant.

Alpha-Galactosidase – An enzyme that separates the alpha-galactosyl portion from glycolipids and glycoproteins and it can break down melibiose (to galactose and glucose) as well as other polysaccharides such as raffinose and stacchiose found in legumes. Therefore it is helpful for digesting legumes and raw vegetables.

Amla – Also known as Indian Gooseberry (Emblica officinalis) is an edible fruit that has one of the highest concentrations of natural vitamin C.

Amylase – An enzyme that breaks down starch into sugar. The pancreas makes one type of amylase called alpha amylase. Beta amylase is another type of amylase enzyme. *

Bacillus Coagulans – A spore-forming bacterium that is considered non-pathogenic to humans and safe to take in the form of a probiotic supplement. The dormant spores formed by the bacteria are very resistant to chemical (toxins, radiation) and physical (heat, freezing, drying) influences. The stomach acid activates the spores and they then multiply in the intestines and aid crowding out of harmful microorganisms such as yeast and fungi. The bacillus species in not a normal resident of the human digestive tract and it does not appear to persist in the body after cessation of the supplement. Research shows that it may be useful in prevention of antibiotic-associated diarrhoea as well as to reduce diarrhoea associated with Crohn’s disease. These beneficial bacteria may also enhance the natural immune response and alleviate symptoms of pain and inflammation in arthritis.

Bacillus Subtilis – These bacteria are the source for Nattokinase a popular proteolytic enzyme commonly used in systemic enzyme therapy. They can secrete large numbers of enzymes such as alpha-amylase, cellulose, dextrinase, maltase, proteases and beta glucanase. Research shows that Bacillus subtilis enhances the growth and/or viability of Lactobacilli and may be useful in treating H.pylori infection.

Bifidobacteria bifidum – Gram-positive bacteria that are a natural part of the bacterial flora in a healthy human digestive tract. They help protect the body from harmful bacteria and support the immune system.

Bladderwrack – A type of brown seaweed also known as Kelp that is commonly used in Japan as a vegetable and has been shown to act as a thyroid stimulant, soother of mucous membranes, and to assist in reduction of body weight.

Bromelain – A proteolytic enzyme found in the pineapple. Bromelain acts as an anti-inflammatory agent by blocking pro-inflammatory intermediates.

Caigua (Cyclanthera Pedata) – A small tropical vine from South America that is grown for its fruit to be eaten as a vegetable. It can lower cholesterol levels and reduce blood pressure, balance blood sugar levels and increase urine output by its diuretic actions. It may also clean the arteries and aid digestion.

Calcium Citrate – A highly absorbable form of calcium; citrate has an acid base and calcium requires an acid environment for best absorption. Calcium is important for many functions in the body including bone and tooth formation, muscle contraction, nerve transmission, regulation of hormone and enzyme secretion and maintenance of blood pH, and electrolyte balance.

Californian nettle – A type of stinging nettle that can relieve rheumatism, tone down an allergic response (often by stabilizing mast cells), aid detoxification and elimination and when applied locally can stop wound bleeding.

Cellulases – A general term for enzymes that break down cellulose (the fibre in plants). Humans do not make this enzyme. These enzymes also degrade chitin (a cellulose type fibre found in cell walls of the yeast species Candida).

Chromium – A mineral required by humans in trace amounts. It assists insulin in the uptake of glucose and can be useful with hyperglycaemia. It can also reduce LDL cholesterol and apolipoprotein B and increase HDL cholesterol. It is found in different forms in supplements. Some controversy surrounds the picolinate form of chromium, but it is seen to be safe in small quantities of 200mcg a day. Polynicotinate is a more bio-available form of chromium that is commonly used in supplements.

Citric Acid – The substance responsible for the tart, sour taste of many fruits and is commonly found in citrus fruit, though it is also produced by the mould Aspergillus niger when it is fed sucrose or glucose. It is typically used as a preservative in food and supplements, bound to minerals to increase bioavailability of the supplement and in cleaning products as well as to soften water.

Coenzyme Q10 – An enzyme essential in the process of energy production in the mitochondria of the cells and is found to be the highest in heart and liver cells. It also acts as an antioxidant in the body sparing vitamin E and may increase IgG levels in response to infection.

Fenugreek Seed – The seed of the fenugreek plant Trigonella foenum-graecum. It has been used traditionally as a spice and a medicine. Fenugreek seeds are a common ingredient in curry and are commonly used to promote production of breast milk, as a cholesterol and blood glucose lowering agent and as an appetite stimulant. It is also soothing to the mucous membranes and has anti-inflammatory properties *

Folic Acid – Also called vitamin B9, is an important nutrient for numerous functions in the body including synthesis, repair and methylation of DNA; embryonic development of nervous tissue; for healthy red blood cell production; growth and development in children; and synthesis of serotonin, choline and norepinepherine.

Fructooligosaccharide (FOS) – Belongs to the family of oligosaccharides and is commonly sourced from chicory but is also found in other foods such as bananas, onions, asparagus, garlic and barley. FOS is between 30-50% sweeter than sugar-syrups used commercially and is often used as a low calorie alternative to sugar. FOS also acts as a prebiotic by acting as food for the friendly bacteria in the intestines and thus promote their growth to keep the intestines and body healthy. It may also improve calcium absorption because the good bacteria in the intestines cause the FOS to ferment which lowers the pH making the intestinal environment more acidic for better calcium absorption.

Garcinia – Is an evergreen tree with an exotic fruit that grows in India and parts of Asia. It has many uses including assisting weight loss by blocking an enzyme needed for storing excess carbohydrates as fat. The active ingredient is HCA (hydroxy citric acid). It also aids in relief of rheumatism, acts as an appetite suppressant, and a digestive tonic.

Gelatin – A clear, colourless protein substance made from partially broken down collagen from the skin, connective tissue and bones of animals such as pigs, horses and cattle. It is used as a gelling agent in food and pharmaceutical manufacturing as well as in cosmetics and photography.

Ginger - Zingiber officinalis or ginger root is a rhizome which has been used traditionally as a spice and medicine. It is commonly used as a circulatory stimulant, digestive stimulant, and anti-nausea agent as well as to help relieve smooth muscle spasms. It also reduces platelet aggregation and acts as an anti-inflammatory agent. *Digesticol

Glycerin/Glycerine – A thick, colourless, odourless liquid that has a sweet taste and is commonly used in foods, pharmaceutical and herbal products such as to extract the herbs in a tincture without the use of alcohol. It is a by-product of the soap making industry as well as the cooking and salad oil refining industry. It can be of either vegetable or animal origin depending on its source.

Glucoamylase – An enzyme that breaks the bonds at the ends of large carbohydrates (starches) such as amylose and amylopectin, releasing maltose and glucose.

Glucanases – A group of enzymes that breakdown glucans. Glucans are carbohydrates found in the cell walls of plants and fungi. Beta-glucanase helps degrade beta-linked glucose bonds typically found in grains, such as barley, oats and wheat.

Gugulipid (Commiphora Mukul) – A small tree originating from India, of which the gum resin is used medicinally for its health benefits including lipid-lowering effects, improved elimination of cholesterol and as an anti-inflammatory. It may also possess antioxidant properties.

Hemicellulase – An enzyme that breaks down hemicelluloses; polysaccharides found in plant walls. It can be helpful for people who have trouble digesting vegetable matter.

Hercampuri (Gentianella Alborosea) – A plant originating from Peru that may assist in weight reduction, act as a diuretic, improve production and secretion of bile and assist in lowering cholesterol levels.

Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose Phthalate (HPMCP) – Used as an ingredient in enteric coating for dietary supplements and medications. Research shows that Phthlates have a feminizing affect on boys while in the womb if their mothers are exposed to Phthlates during pregnancy. HMCP may also be a carcinogen. Phthlates are also commonly used in the production of plastic and vinyl products.

Inulin – belongs to a group of polysaccharides found in the roots of many plants such as chicory and dandelion. It is a fibre that has probiotic properties, so acts as food for the beneficial bacteria in the intestines and is a common addition to many probiotic supplements.

Invertase – A sucrase enzyme that breaks down sucrose (table sugar) to fructose and glucose

Lactase – An enzyme that breaks down lactose (milk sugar) into galactose and glucose. Lactase is required for digestion of lactose in milk products and can therefore assist those who have lactose intolerance to digest dairy products.

Lactobacillus Bacteria – A genus of gram-positive anaerobic bacteria that have a mutually beneficial relationship with their host (“friendly bacteria”) and make up a portion of the flora in the digestive tract. They help maintain a healthy bacterial balance in the human digestive system by production of lactic acid, acetic acid and hydrogen peroxide which make the digestive environment less favourable for the growth of harmful microorganisms. Lactobacilli produce short-chain fatty acids that are a very bio-available energy source for the body and may have a protective effect on the intestines. Lactobacilli can also stimulate immune cells in digestive tract and can assist with the digestion of lactose in intolerant individuals.

- Lactobacillus Acidophilus bacteria produce lactic acid and hydrogen peroxide inhibiting growth of unwelcome microorganisms. They also secrete lactase which improves digestion of lactose (milk sugar). L.acidophilus can aid in the elimination of bad cholesterol from the body.

- Lactobacillus biffidus helps to make the environment more acidic making it uninhabitable for harmful microorganism.

- Lactobacillus brevis may assist in reducing inflammation levels in the digestive system

- Lactobacillus bulgaricus is resistant to very harsh environments and toxins and can withstand the high acid conditions of the stomach. It can aid the growth of other beneficial bacteria in the intestines and may also favourably influence peristaltic activity.

- Lactobacillus Casei can improve immune system function in humans especially immunity to bacterial and viral infections entering through the digestive system.

- Lactobacillus helveticus may lower blood pressure, improve calcium absorption and increase bone density

- Lactobacillus lactis

- Lactobacillus plantarum has been shown to be effective in inflammatory bowel conditions and has been shown to be resistant to most antibiotics.

- Lactobacillus rhamnosus is able to survive in the harsh environments of the stomach and urinary tract.

Lactobacillus Sporogenes – now reclassified to the bacillus genus and renamed Bacillus Coagulans – see Bacillus Coagulans

L-Glutamine – An amino acid (amino acids are the building blocks for proteins in the body). It has numerous functions in the body such as a cellular energy source after glucose, regulator of pH balance in the kidneys, involved in DNA synthesis , important component of the gut wall and gut immunity. *Digesticol

L-Leucine – A branched chain amino acid and one of the essential amino acids to obtain in the diet as the human body does not make it. Leucine is important for the growth and repair of muscle tissue; blood sugar and energy regulation; wound healing; production of growth hormone and endorphins.

Lipase – An enzyme that catalyses the breakdown of dietary lipids (fats) and improves utilisation of fat in the body.

Lipoic Acid – A fatty acid that is found naturally within the cells and is a cofactor for many enzymes. It is a potent antioxidant that is unique because of its ability to perform in both water and fat environments. It can also regenerate/recycle other antioxidants such as vitamin C, E, CoQ10 and glutathione (an antioxidant that is very important for eliminating toxic substances from the body).

Maltase (diastase) – An enzyme that breaks maltose down to glucose (simple sugar) *Digesticol

Magnesium Citrate – A very bio-available form of magnesium; in the body magnesium is involved in the process of energy production, muscle relaxation, regulation of body temperature and nerve transmission as well as acting as a co-factor for many different enzymatic reactions.

Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) – A naturally occurring sulfur compound that is present in many foods such as fresh fruit and vegetables, milk, fish and grains, but is destroyed by food processing. For use in dietary supplements, it is often synthesized to be identical to that found in nature. MSM is thought to aid with pain relief and inflammation in joint conditions like arthritis.

Nattokinase – A fibrinolytic (fibrin degrading) enzyme first discovered in the Japanese fermented soybeans dish called ‘Natto’. This enzyme may break down scar tissue, cellular debris and non-living tissues in the body, cleansing the blood and freeing up restrictions. It may also promote production of plasmin (the body’s only blood clot fighting enzyme) and lower LDL cholesterol.

Papain – Is a proteolytic enzyme found in papaya and mountain papaya. Papain has been used to treat inflammation, oedema and microbial infections and also to improve wound healing.

Pectinase – A general term for enzymes that breakdown pectin which is found in the cell walls of plants, especially many fruit and vegetables.

Pepditase – Any of a subclass of proteolytic (protein degrading) enzymes. See proteases above

Phytase – An enzyme that breaks down phytic acid or phytates found in grains and oil-producing seeds, to inositol and phosphate. This process releases calcium and other nutrients thereby assisting in their absorption.

Plantain – A common weed that grows in fields and along country roadsides. It has diuretic, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. It also soothes mucous membranes, promotes wound healing, and can be applied locally to stop bleeding.

Potassium Bicarbonate – Is bicarbonate bound to potassium and has similar alkalinizing effects to sodium bicarbonate. It may also improve calcium absorption.

Prickly ash – A tall shrub found in North America that was traditionally used to relieve toothaches. It is commonly used as a circulatory stimulant, to promote sweating to control a fever, to aid in rheumatism, and it also increases secretion of saliva.

Proteases (proteinase) – A group of enzymes that break proteins down into the individual amino acids. Research shows that proteolytic enzymes can break down undigested protein, cellular debris and toxins in the blood; help prevent accumulation of acid waste; degrade waste protein at a site of injury; assist with inflammation and improve the circulation; help the body fight muscle spasms and help prevent allergies to food and airborne allergens.

Riboflavin – see Vitamin B2

Rutin – Also called rutoside, is a bioflavonoid found in plants such as cranberries, buckwheat and asparagus. It has strong antioxidant properties and strengthens capillaries. It also shows anti-inflammatory activity and enhances vitamin C.

Saccharomyces Boulardii – A non-pathogenic, non-colonizing yeast that has been shown to restore and maintain a natural balance of flora in the intestines.

Serrapeptase – An enzyme naturally produced by silk worms to break down their cocoon walls upon rebirth that is now produced by friendly bacteria in a laboratory. It acts as a powerful anti-inflammatory, degrades fibrin, scar tissue and other non-living tissue in the body and can be helpful in degrading mucus in the sinuses.

Sodium Bicarbonate – Also known as baking soda or bicarbonate of soda is an alkalinizing agent. It is added to some antacids to help neutralize stomach acid. Sodium bicarbonate is a normal component of the human pancreatic juices and may improve the absorption of nutrients in the small intestines.

Sophora japonica – A small shrub originating from East Asia whose leaves the Chinese used to obtain rutin. It is a particularly rich source of Rutin.

Soy Lecithin – A fatty substance derived from soya beans and used as an emulsifier in the food industry and as a dietary supplement. It contains phosphatidylcholine which is the active constituent. Lecithin can support nerve cell formation, reduce oxidative damage to cell membranes, improve fat metabolism and reduce blood cholesterol levels.

Vegetarian Pancreatin – A mixture of enzymes that resembles the human pancreatic digestive secretions released by the pancreas, but obtained from vegetarian sources. This enzyme blend contains the enzymes amylase, lipase and proteases.

Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) – One of the B-group vitamins and has many different roles in the body including the activation of vitamin B6 & B12, energy production, foetal growth and development, maintenance of mucus membranes, skin and eye tissues, red blood cell production, and metabolism of protein, carbohydrates and fats as well as a cofactor in many enzymatic reactions.

Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine HCL) – A water soluble vitamin belonging to the group of B vitamins that is important for many functions such as synthesis of neurotransmitters, breakdown and absorption of protein, carbohydrates, and fat, energy production, prostaglandin and vitamin B3 synthesis and aids with PMS symptoms. In combination with other B vitamins it can also help to maintain healthy homocysteine levels.

Vitamin C (Ascorbyl Palmitate) – An essential vitamin that has so many important functions in the body such as improving wound healing, synthesis of collagen, carnitine and tyrosine, as an antioxidant, for the growth of bones and teeth, immune system support and aiding iron absorption.

Vitamin E (d-alpha tocopherol succinate) – The natural form of vitamin E which is more active and better absorbed. Vitamin E is a powerful fat soluble antioxidant that protects our cell membranes from free radical damage.

Vitamin K2 (Menaquinone-7) – Vitamin K is required for blood clotting, bone remineralisation, and calcium metabolism. It is responsible for depositing calcium in the right places and preventing vessel and soft tissue calcification and bone spur formation. It is also produced by the beneficial bacteria in the human intestinal tract.

Xylanase – A type of hemicellulase that breaks down hemicellulose or soluble fibre found in grains. This enzyme can also be helpful in breaking down food dyes and preservatives. Xylanase also appears to be a key enzyme responsible for breaking down the biofilm in the gut (a polysaccharide layer produced by resistant bacteria and yeasts to protect them from the harsh environment).

Reference for above statement: “Some Ways to Reduce the Toxic Exposure for Your Child (and the whole family)” Amy Derksen, ND Holistic Healing Arts 2101 112^th Ave NE, Ste 110 Bellevue, WA 98004 doctoramy@comcast.net P 425-709-2787 F 425-709-2789

Zinc Methionate – A macro mineral very important to the human body. Zinc is required as a cofactor for the functioning of more than 200 different enzymes including the important antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase and several enzymes involved in protein and carbohydrate metabolism. It enhances immune system function such as improving wound healing and is essential for the synthesis of RNA & DNA and for a healthy reproductive system. Zinc assists in brain development and the manufacture of insulin and is required for the release of Vitamin A from the Liver.

But I’ve got a question! If these nutrients fill their allotted functions, then why don’t they seem to work the same for everyone? In other words, they seem to help some people and not to work at all in others! Is there some underlying thing that allows these nutrient substances to perform their actions? Are vitamins, minerals and herbs the do all-end all of attaining wellness or, are they the bricks and cement that must be placed on a solid foundation before they can take up their tasks solidly?

Let’s redefine some terms. In 1913, Dr. Funk discovered nutritional substances he called “Vital Amines” or Vitamins for short. Without getting into biochemistry it turns out that vitamins are not amines but coenzymes, substances that help enzymes to work. An enzyme is a huge protein that speeds up chemical reactions. Without enzymes, chemical reactions would happen so slowly that life would not be able to exist at all. The human body has some 3000+ enzymes and over 7000 enzymic reactions.

Most folks think of enzymes as being involved only in digestion. This is among the last things that enzymes do. Of all the enzymes in the body, the protein cleaving (or cutting-eating) ones are the most important. These have 5 primary actions, they:

•    Reduce inflammation
•    Balance the repair mechanism and prevent fibrosis, (the buildup of scar tissue)
•    Clean the blood
•    Modulate the immune system
•    Fight Viruses

Folks who do not experience the beneficial reactions expected from their coenzymes (vitamins) possibly don’t have the enzymes that the coenzyme is supposed to help! The human body produces a finite amount of enzymes. From the age of 27 on, that enzyme production begins to wane. Dr. Max Wolf, an MD with 7 other Ph.D.’s after his name, researched enzymes and hormones at Columbia University from the 1930’s through the 1960’s. He found that round about 27, most people stop making as many enzymes as they used to and that this event started the cycle of aging. In physiology we are taught that old age begins at 27!

The progression of aging goes like this:

About age 27: Enzyme production drops – 27-35 marks the time when most of our aches, pains and arthritic changes begin to set in. Fibrosis begins building in the organs, blood vessels and muscles. Immune function begins to lag which is further complicated by high stress lifestyles. Blood begins to become thicker and harder to circulate.

From 35 to 45 the drop in enzymes and stress of lifestyle causes a reduction in the all-important sexual hormones of testosterone and progesterone. Sex drive, mental drive, zest for life, bone density, muscle mass and overall energy go down significantly.

At 45, we begin to have trouble absorbing the nutrients we need to maintain the 4 types of tissue we have in our bodies and these tissues begin to break down and malfunction. Here also, from lack of proper eating and exercise complicated by smoking or air pollution, our blood is as thick as catsup. We don’t have great circulation and oxygen is not getting everywhere we need to get it to! Especially up to our brains.

From 50 through 60, we lose an estimated 10% muscle mass a year so that by the time we are 60 we are at bare bones minimal muscle mass to move us around – getting out of bed, off the potty or out of a deep chair becomes a chore. If the thighs and pelvic muscles, which are the strongest ones in the body, are weak and have trouble getting you up then how are the other muscles doing?

From 60 onward, our internal organs begin to shrink and further malefaction. That goes as well for the brain. The brain is 60 to 70% cholesterol. Everything we think with is based on a fat linked to a protein. If we are lacking the good fats needed to produce neurotransmitters that the brain needs to maintain itself, then it begins to shrink and malfunction. If you’ve ever seen the MRI picture of an Alzheimer patient’s brain, it looks like a dried, shrunken, cracked jello mold someone left out on the kitchen table under a ceiling fan for a week! The last 30 years of the low cholesterol craze has done nothing to lower the rate of heart disease and everything to increase the rate of the formerly rare Alzheimer’s! Look in any Alzheimer’s ward, are there any fat people there?

How do we stave off these ravages? If we are in the midst of them, how do we slow their progress down? And how do we make the vitamins and minerals we are taking work better. We need to go back to the beginning of the degeneration and replace what we’re missing.

Let’s touch on again why vitamins, minerals and herbs alone don’t work. Let’s look at the lives or deaths rather, of some of the greatest nutritional teachers and practitioners of our time: Dr. Paul Kellogg – heart attack. Dr. Bernard Jenkins – prostate cancer. Dr. Carlton Frederick’s – lung cancer. Dr. Pavo Aerola – stroke. Dr. Paul Bragg drowned after being knocked unconscious in the water by his surfboard at the age of 93! What differentiated Dr. Bragg from the rest?

Look at the bodies of some of the better known nutritional teachers and “natural” doctors now…go ahead think of them. Their faces and pictures are on books and television constantly. Are they severely overweight? Or, are they so thin and worn that they look as if they’ve just stepped out of a Siberian prison camp? If taking all of these good vitamins, minerals and herbs do it all then why did Kellogg, Jenkins, Fredericks and Aerola get sick and die. Why are the current gurus of “integrative medicine” overweight or emaciated, why don’t they look like Dr. Bragg did, a handsome, muscular, vibrant man, glowing with energy and power even in his 90’s.

Here we go back to Dr. Wolfs’ work and we start with, you guessed it, enzymes. If we maintain a high enzyme intake as in our young years, then we would hold off the changes that low enzyme levels precipitated. This is what Dr. Bragg did through his mainly raw fruit and vegetable diet, he replaced or substituted for many of the enzymes his body lagged in making.

This kept his hormone levels high throughout his life. Testosterone maintained the size and mass of his bone structure, his muscle mass and most importantly his brain. In men it has been found that the brain structure known as the medial amygdala is larger that it is in women. This is where a man’s drive and zest for life come from.

As men age and testosterone levels go down (round about 35 to 45), estrogen levels go up. This causes the medial amygdala to shrink and with the shrinking goes a man’s mental energy. A man in his 50’s has more estrogen than his wife! High estrogen levels bring depression, anger, weight gain, lack of libido, mood swings and decreased erection size. We now know that it is estrogen that converts to the dreaded hormone Di Hydro testosterone (DHT) that wrecks our prostate and causes us to lose our hair! (Studies have confirmed this – swollen prostates and severe hair loss don’t happen to testosterone dominant men in their teens and 20’s).

With women, the drop in progesterone levels to near 0 before and after menopause causes much the same effects, i.e. lack of mental drive, depression, moodiness, loss of bone and muscle mass, weight gain, etc. For decades, MD’s have concentrated on the estrogen after menopause. While it is true that estrogen levels in these women are lower than they previously were, their progesterone and testosterone levels are practically nonexistent, making them still estrogen dominant. Estrogen is the fuel that sparks fibrocystic breast disease, breast cancer, uterine fibroids and cervical cancer.

OK, so we did not do what Dr. Bragg did and eat enzymes from a young age. So, once they are gone, we’ll need to replace them. What Next?
Oxygen. We have been ‘plagued’ by all the nutritional data about antioxidants for at least 15 years, leading most folks to think that oxygenation is a bad thing. The strongest antioxidant you can find is to wrap your lips around a tailpipe! Life is an oxidative process! All disease states arise from, are fed by, or are complicated by a lack of oxygen.

Oxygen not only feeds tissue and is vital to life, oxygen will also; kill viruses, burn bacteria, singe yeast, and dissolve cancer. Disease states are anaerobic. All diseases hate oxygen. Cancer cells for example, feed off of glycogen (anaerobic respiration), and die in the strong presence of oxygen! Part of a healthy immune system is to have the circulation, rich red blood cells and clean thin blood needed to carry oxygen throughout every inch of the body. This kills off anything that may be thinking of festering in an area due to the lack of sufficient oxygen.
So we add Oxygen to our mix.

Finally, we need to have an efficient outside to effectively and painlessly carry our efficient insides around! For this, aerobic training will not do. All of the jazz exercise, yoga, karate aerobics, and even swimming and walking simply will not do. For this we have to strength train! Mind you, I said strength training not body building. There is a huge difference I’ll get to explain in a bit.

First let’s look at something known as Wolfes’ (a different Wolf this time) physiological law. A physiological law is an uncontested truth. That’s the way it works – no questions about it! Wolfes’ law states: “Mineralization is laid into bone along axial lines of stress”. What that means is that unless we compress hard, tug hard and yank hard on a bone, it will not fill well with minerals or maintain it’s mineral mass. Most MD’s think Wolfes’ law can be fulfilled by simple weight bearing, as in walking…they are dead wrong. For one thing, while walking, what weight bearing do the arms, shoulders and mid back do? How can they benefit from the walking? For another, the first principle of exercise is that a muscle prefers to get its exercise in its primary range of motion in as great a range of motion as it can safely do. This will stress the bones sufficiently to produce the adaptive response of mineralizing. Walking has a mere 13 degrees of range of motion at the hip and knee when the hip is capable of 160 degrees of range and the knee 135 degrees. So how much exercise is 13 degrees? Not much. For walking to be a good exercise in bone building for the pelvis and lower extremity, you would have to be going very fast up hill both ways…coming and going. Not likely to happen.

Now — what’s this difference between strength training and bodybuilding? Bodybuilding bloats muscles through a process known as hypertrophy and does not produce a lot of strength for the size. Real strength training, on the other hand, produces dense strong muscle through a process called hyperplasia. Do any of the lightweight Olympic weight lifting champions look like bodybuilders do? No. Do the men in the “Worlds Strongest Man” competitions look like bodybuilders? No. Look at the bantam and lightweight class of Olympic lifters. Yet these small men and women are some 3 to 4 times stronger and more able than the biggest of bodybuilders. We are not going for kissable beautiful biceps.

We are shooting for useable strength for the Activities of Daily Living (ADL’s) and:

•    to keep our circulation up,
•    our bones strong,
•    and very importantly increase the number of mitochondria in the muscle cells.

The energy we use for everything in our lives is produced by mitochondria. It is these furnaces of the cells where Adenosine Tri Phosphate is produced (ATP). ATP is the sugar everything in our bodies is powered by. Most all of the ATP in the body is made in the muscles. The brain uses 33% of the body’s daily energy, the eyes 33% and the remainder of our body gets the rest! If we have lowered numbers of mitochondria, as in Mononucleosis, Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue or due to age and loss of muscle, then all of our energy is significantly reduced and we are in a fog.

The only thing that can significantly increase the number of mitochondria in our bodies is STRENGTH TRAINING. Period. And yes, I know that for the last 20 years the medical emphasis has been on the aerobic training of the heart. Again research now shows that couch potatoes are living as long as their marathon running cousins and, that runners are dying of heart disease anyway while they sink their immune systems and wreck their joints with all the aerobic work! As we age, frame strength becomes more important than heart endurance. When was the last time you ran after the postman because he forgot to pick up a letter? But you arise from bed, the toilet and chairs every day. Strength is important not only in maintaining the circulation to our extremities but to perform all of the activities of daily living from blow drying our hair, to serving the table, to picking the skillet up from that bottom shelf!

Let’s put this all together: When we only take vitamins, minerals and herbs, as important as they are, we are skirting around the outside of the essentials for health. If we just take supplements and not replace the enzymes we are wasting a good bit of money, expectation and time.

If we don’t raise our levels of the sexual hormones, i.e. progesterone and testosterone, then we cannot stop or reverse the bone and muscle loss; we’ll be depressed, gain fat and have no drive for life.

If we don’t have high levels of circulating oxygen, we’ll have disease grow and fester throughout our bodies and have low energy and shortened life span.

If we don’t maintain our frame, we can forget the rest of the program as it will give out and contract disease regardless of whatever else we do.
So again, the cornerstones of life and wellness are:

Enzymes from juicing, raw foods and most importantly from supplementation. We need the supplements because the most essential enzymes for avoiding or combating the catastrophic diseases are the enzymes that we may no longer make as much of. Pancreatin is essential in the prevention and fight against all cancers and inflammations. Eating raw pancreas and meat is out of the question. So, we have to find the finest enzyme supplement and take it liberally. Today Vitalzym from World Nutrition is the greatest systemic enzyme on the planet!

Progesterone and testosterone. With simple saliva tests we can determine just how low or off we are in our hormone balance and then safely supplement the loss with topical creams that are natural and without side effects. Testosterone has gotten a bad rap in the last 20 years as a cancer producer and aggression maker. The latest research shows the truth. Natural testosterone; protects the heart from disease, is the greatest antidepressant known, maintains sex drive, bone mass and muscle mass, lowers cholesterol and levels of body fat, protects the prostate and maintains mental drive! Life Flo makes the purest most utilizable proto – hormone supplement creams on the market today. The Progesta Care for women and the Andro – Edge are the products to look for.

Oxygen. We first clean the blood with the enzymes. Then we make the blood rich with oxygen carrying red blood cells. We then increase the circulation by opening up clogged blood vessels with enzymes and then make miles and miles of new blood vessels through weight training. On top of that, to make sure we are always oxygen rich to fight off disease despite air pollution and all the other negatives, we’ll supplement with a rich oxygen source. Aerobic 0-7 and K 0-7 are the industry standards for oxygen supplementation.

Finally we’ll shore up our frames and boost our energy producing structures with strength training. This will lessen the incidence of injury, maintain our bone and muscle mass, increase our circulation, lubricate the joints, feed our brain better and give us the ability to carry ourselves around for life without being a burden to ourselves and others.

Does all that sound reasonable? Well stay tuned. We’re in this for Life!

Our bodies have a love-hate relationship with inflammation. On the one hand, inflammation is a natural response, necessary to protect the body from invading organisms. On the other hand, inflammation can limit joint function, and destroy bone, cartilage and other articular structures.

An elusive goal of scientists and physicians has been to find a side-effect-free substance to reduce the pain and inflammation associated with fibrocystic breast disease, rheumatoid arthritis, idiopathic edema, carpal tunnel syndrome and post-operative swelling. It appears that the search may be nearing an end, thanks to an enzyme Serrapeptase produced by the larval form of the silk moth.

Serrapeptase is an enzyme that is produced in the intestines of silk worms to break down cocoon walls. This enzyme is proving to be a superior alternative to the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents (NSAIDs) traditionally used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. Its uses have also been extended to the treatment of chronic sinusitis and postoperative inflammation, and some researchers believe the substance can play an important role in arterial plaque prevention and removal

Harmful Effects of NSAIDs

NSAIDs, which include aspirin, ibuprofen, salicylates, and naproxen, are among the most commonly prescribed medications for inflammation resulting from rheumatoid arthritis, joint conditions, osteoarthritis, gouty arthritis, joint and muscle discomfort associated with systemic lupus erythematosus, and other musculoskeletal disorders.(1) In some cases, this overeliance on NSAIDs has proved deadly. Annually, 76,000 people are hospitalized from NSAID-induced gastrointestinal complications. The American Medical Association estimates that from 50-80 percent of those hospitalized for gastrointestinal bleeding are taking some form of NSAIDs. At this stage in the medication-induced bleeding, there is a ten percent chance of fatality.(2)

NSAIDs lethal effects result from the inhibition of the biosynthesis of prostaglandins. NSAIDs block cyclo-oxygenase, the enzyme responsible for catalyzing the reactions of arachidonic acid to endoperoxide compounds. This process results in the inhibition of gastric prostaglandin E, a hormone which protects the lining of the stomach from acid. After prolonged and frequent ingestion of NSAIDs, the stomach remains defenseless and at increased susceptibility to ulcers.(3-4) If an ulcer erodes into a blood vessel, bleeding results. An ulcer can destroy part of the stomach and duodenal walls, leaving a gap that requires immediate surgery.

In one study, 1,826 osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis patients who had been taking NSAIDs for six months or more and who had been unable to tolerate continuous NSAID use because of adverse gastrointestinal symptoms were examined endoscopically for gastroduodenal lesions and ulcers. Clinically significant gastroduodenal lesions were found in 37.1 percent of the patients. Of those, 24 percent had ulcers. The prevalence of gastroduodenal ulcers increased with age, duration of osteoarthritis, and duration of current NSAID use. The authors of the study wrote: “These results provide further endoscopic confirmation of the association between NSAID use and gastroduodenal lesions and ulcers and support the contention that safer treatment alternatives to conventional NSAIDs are required.”(5)

That advice is particularly wise in light of the other effects NSAIDs have on the gastrointestinal tract. In one group of 312 NSAID takers, 20 percent had levels of inflammation comparable to that previously reported in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.(6) Besides damaging the gastrointestinal tract, NSAIDs also interfere with and suppress bone repair and remodeling. One paper presented data obtained over a 12-year period, and outlined the effects of NSAIDs on the matrix synthesis and turnover in 650 arthritic and 180 non-arthritic human cartilages. The study showed that one category of NSAIDs that includes Naproxen, ibuprofen, indomethacin, and nimezulide significantly inhibited matrix synthesis and had toxic effects on cartilage metabolism.(7) Thus, it appears that the drugs many patients take to relieve their arthritic pains actually contributes to further destruction of their joints!

Additionally, NSAIDs have been shown to interfere with patients’ sleep patterns. One study of 37 male and female subjects at the sleep laboratory at Bowling Green State University in Ohio demonstrated that aspirin and ibuprofen, in comparison to a placebo, increased the number of awakenings and the percentage of time spent awake. The drugs also decreased sleep efficiency, and delayed the onset of the deeper stages of sleep.(8)

Even insulin secretion is affected by NSAIDs. Neonatal rat pancreatic cells were examined partly to determine the effects of insulin secretion caused by prostaglandin E (PGE) and drugs that inhibit its synthesis-i.e. NSAIDs. Two NSAIDs, sodium salicylate (aspirin) and ibuprofen, at drug concentrations similar to those achieved therapeutically in humans, inhibited PGE synthesis up to 70-80 percent. Augmented insulin secretion accompanied the PGE inhibition. Both drugs shifted the glucose-insulin response curves to the left at low glucose concentrations and augmented maximal insulin release at high glucose concentrations.(9)

Other NSAID-induced side effects include kidney damage, blood dyscrasias and cardiovascular effects, complication of antihypertensive therapies involving diuretics or beta-adrenoceptor blockade, and adverse effects in patients with heart failure and cirrhosis.(10) In one instance, a woman treated for rheumatoid arthritis with the NSAID sulindac developed gallstones composed of sulindac metabolites.(11)

Interestingly, NSAIDs have also induced adverse psychiatric reactions. Five psychiatric outpatients-two with major depressive disorders, one with a bipolar disorder, one with a schizophrenic disorder and one with an anxiety disorder-were treated with NSAIDs due to rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, or other painful neuromuscular conditions. All five patients developed moderate to severe depression. Three patients became paranoid, and four either attempted or considered suicide. These psychiatric symptoms disappeared once the patients stopped taking NSAIDs. When the patients re-started the drugs, the symptoms returned.(12)

NSAID’s Roulette

Due to the detrimental effects of NSAIDs on the body, most physicians resort to a game of “NSAID musical-chairs,” taking a patient off one NSAID as soon as side effects become evident or the drug stops working, then treating the patient with another of the 10 most widely prescribed propionic acid-derived NSAIDs.

To provide a more consistent form of treatment, researchers have long searched for a side-effect free anti-inflammatory agent. Researchers have recently focused on selective cyclo-oxygenase (COX-2) inhibitors, more precise versions of NSAIDs. Whereas previous NSAIDs reduced inflammation by inhibiting all cyclo-oxygenase activity, these new selective COX-2 inhibitors differentiate between the two forms of COX: COX-1 appears to regulate many normal physiologic functions and COX-2 mediates the inflammatory response. These selective inhibitors are believed to reduce inflammation without influencing normal physiologic functions by inhibiting only COX-2. By leaving COX-1 alone, the selective inhibitors result in fewer gastrointestinal side effects.

At first glance, these COX-2 inhibitors look like the solution to NSAID complications. Upon further inspection, however, celecoxib, a highly selective COX-2 inhibitor, can cause headaches, change in bowel habits, abdominal discomfort and dizziness in osteoarthritis patients. Fewer adverse effects are reported in rheumatoid arthritis patients, but because the drug is metabolized in the liver by cytochrome P-450 isozyme CYP2C9, serious drug interactions are possible. Fung and colleagues pointed out that more clinical studies are needed before the selective COX-2 inhibitors are put into widespread use.(13)

Another new drug, Enbrel, initially showed promise of treating the pain associated with rheumatoid arthritis. Currently, however, the FDA is advising physicians about safety concerns of the new drug. Thirty of the 25,000 patients treated with Enbrel since the drug’s approval have developed serious infections, including sepsis. Several of those patients died as a result of the infections. Those at greatest risk when taking Enbrel appear to be patients with a history of chronic or recurrent infections, pre-existing infections, diabetes, or other conditions making them more susceptible to infection.(14)

The potentially lethal side effects associated with NSAIDs and other drugs indicate that a superior anti-inflammatory substance is needed.

Serrapeptase : A Natural Anti-Inflammatory

Serrapeptase, also known as Serratia peptidase, is a proteolytic enzyme isolated from the non-pathogenic enterobacteria Serratia E15. When consumed in unprotected tablets or capsules, the enzyme is destroyed by acid in the stomach. However, enterically-coated tablets enable the enzyme to pass through the stomach unchanged, and be absorbed in the intestine. Serrapeptase is found in negligible amounts in the urine, suggesting that it is transported directly from the intestine into the bloodstream.(15,16)

Clinical studies show that serrapeptase induces fibrinolytic, anti-inflammatory and anti-edemic (prevents swelling and fluid retention) activity in a number of tissues, and that its anti-inflammatory effects are superior to other proteolytic enzymes.( 18 )

Besides reducing inflammation, one of serrapeptase’s most profound benefits is reduction of pain, due to its ability to block the release of pain-inducing amines from inflamed tissues.( 18 )  Physicians throughout Europe and Asia have recognized the anti-inflammatory and pain-blocking benefits of this naturally occurring substance and are using it in treatment as an alternative to salicylates, ibuprofen and other NSAIDs.(19)

In Germany and other European countries, serrapeptase is a common treatment for inflammatory and traumatic swellings, and much of the research that exists on this substance is of European origin. One double-blind study was conducted by German researchers to determine the effect of serrapeptase on post-operative swelling and pain. This study involved sixty-six patients who were treated surgically for fresh rupture of the lateral collateral ligament of the knee. On the third post-operative day, the group receiving serrapeptase exhibited a 50 percent reduction of swelling, compared to the controls. The patients receiving serrapeptase also became more rapidly pain-free than the controls, and by the tenth day, the pain had disappeared completely.(20)

Cystic Breast Disease

Serrapeptase has also been used in the successful treatment of fibrocystic breast disease. In a double-blind study, 70 patients complaining of breast engorgement randomly were divided into a treatment group and a placebo group. Serrapeptase was superior to the placebo for improvement of breast pain, breast swelling and induration (firmness). 85.7 percent of the patients receiving serrapeptase reported moderate to marked improvement. No adverse reactions to serrapeptase were reported and the researchers concluded that “serrapeptase is a safe and effective method for the treatment of breast engorgement.”( 21 ,19)

Serrapeptase and Sinusitis

Due to its inflammatory properties, serrapeptase has been shown in clinical studies to benefit chronic sinusitis sufferers. In this condition, the mucus in patients’ nasal cavities is thickened and hypersecreted. This thickening causes mucus to be expelled less frequently. Japanese researchers evaluated the effects of serratiopeptidase (30 mg/day orally for four weeks) on the elasticity and viscosity of the nasal mucus in adult patients with chronic sinusitis. Serratiopeptidase reduced the viscosity of the mucus, improving the elimination of bronchopulmonary secretions.(23)

Other clinical trials support serrapeptase’s ability to relieve the problems associated with chronic sinusitis. In one study, 140 patients with acute or chronic ear, nose and throat pathologies were evaluated with either a placebo or the active serratia peptidase. Patients taking the serrapeptase experienced a significant reduction in severity of pain, amount of secretion, purulence of secretions, difficulty in swallowing, nasal dysphonia, nasal obstruction, anosmia, and body temperature after three to four days and at the end of treatment. Patients suffering from laryngitis, catarrhal rhinopharyngitis and sinusitis who were treated with serrapeptase experienced a significant and rapid improvement of symptoms after 3-4 days. Physicians assessed efficacy of treatment as excellent or good for 97.3 percent of patients treated with serrapeptase compared with only 21.9 percent of those treated with a placebo.( 24 )

Respiratory diseases are characterized by increased production of a more dense mucus modified in viscosity and elasticity. Traditionally, in respiratory diseases, muco-active drugs are prescribed to reestablish the physicochemical characteristics of the mucus in order to restore respiratory function. Some of these drugs, however, cause a functional depletion of mucus, whereas Serrapeptase alters the elasticity of mucus without depleting it.(25,10)

A powerful agent by itself, serrapeptase teamed with antibiotics delivers increased concentrations of the antimicrobial agent to the site of the infection. Bacteria often endure a process called biofilm formation, which results in resistance to antimicrobial agents. In an attempt to prevent this bacterial immunity, researchers have experimented with various means of inhibiting biofilm-embedded bacteria. Their search may have ended with serrapeptase. One study conducted by Italian researchers suggests that proteolytic enzymes could significantly enhance the activities of antibiotics against biofilms. Antibiotic susceptibility tests showed that serratiopeptidase greatly enhances the activity of the antibiotic, ofloxacin, and that it can inhibit biofilm formation.( 28 )

Another double-blind randomized study evaluated the effects of administering the antibiotic cephalexin in conjunction with serrapeptase or a placebo to 93 patients suffering from either perennial rhinitis, chronic rhinitis with sinusitis or chronic relapsing bronchitis. The serratia peptidase treated group experienced significant improvement in rhinorrhea, nasal stuffiness, coryza and improvement of the para-nasal sinus shadows.(24)

Researchers witnessed equally impressive results in the treatment of infections in lung cancer patients undergoing thoracotomy. Serrapeptase and cefotiam, an antibiotic with a broad spectrum of activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative microorganisms, were administered to 35 thoracotomy patients with lung cancer. The patients were divided into two groups. A single dose of cefotiam was administered to the 17 subjects in Group I. The 18 subjects in Group II received a combination of Cefotiam and serrapeptase. The level of the antibiotic in the tissues versus the blood was significantly higher in the serrapeptase group than the single dose group.(22)

Cardiovascular Implications

Hans A. Nieper, M.D., an internist from Hannover , Germany , studied the effects of serrapeptase on plaque accumulations in the arteries. The formation of plaque involves deposits of fatty substances, cholesterol, cellular waste products, calcium and fibrin (a clotting material in the blood) on the inner lining of the arteries. Excessive plaque results in partial or complete blockage of the blood’s flow through an artery, resulting in arteriosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, and an ensuing stroke or heart attack. The evidence to support serrapeptase’s role in preventing plaque build-up is anecdotal. Still, further studies are called for in this area as Nieper’s research indicated that the protein-dissolving action of serrapeptase will gradually break down atherosclerotic plaques.(24)

Conclusion

Regardless of whether serrapeptase is used for inflammatory diseases or to prevent plaque build up on the arteries, it is well-tolerated. Due to its lack of side effects and anti-inflammatory capabilities, serrapeptase is a logical choice to replace harmful NSAIDs. Thanks to the tiny larvae of the silk moth, researchers have taken a large step toward finding relief for inflammatory disease sufferers.

References

1. Raskin JB. Gastrointestinal effects of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory therapy. Am J Med. 1999; 106 (5B):3S-12S.

2. No author listed. Regular Use of Pain Relievers Can Have Dangerous Results. Kaleidoscope Interactive News, American Medical Association media briefing. July 24, 1997.

3. Fung HB, Kirschenbaum, HL. Selective cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors for the treatment of arthritis. Clin Ther. 1999; 21(7):1131-57.

4. Geis GS. Update on clinical developments with celecoxib, a new specific COX-2 inhibitor: what can we expect? Scand J Rheumatol Suppl. 1999; 109:31-7.

5. Cheatum DE, Arvanitakis C, Gumpel M, Stead H, Geis GS. An endoscopic study of gastroduodenal lesions induced by nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Clin Ther. 1999; 21(6):992-1003.

6. Tibble JA, Sigthorsson G, Foster R, Scott D, Fagerhol MK, Roseth A, Bjarnason I. High prevalence of NSAID enteropathy as shown by a simple faecal test. Gut. 1999; 45(3):362-6.

7. Dingle JT. The effects of NSAID on the matrix of human articular cartilages. Z Rheumatol. 1999; 58(3):125-9.

8. Murphy PJ, Badia P, Myers BL, Boecker MR, Wright KP Jr. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs affect normal sleep patterns in humans. Physiol Behav. 1994; 55(6):1063-6.

9. Metz SA, Robertson RP, Fujimoto WY . Inhibition of prostaglandin E synthesis augments glucose-induced insulin secretion in cultured pancreas. Diabetes. 1981; 30(7):551-7.

10. Marriott C. Modification in the rheological properties of mucus by drugs. Adv Exp Med Biol. 1982; 144:75-84.

11. Tokumine F, Sunagawa T, Shiohira Y, Nakamoto T, Miyazato F, Muto Y. Drug-associated cholelithiasis: a case of sulindac stone formation and the incorporation of sulindac metabolites into the gallstones. Am J Gastroenterol. 1999;94(8):2285-8.

12. Jiang HK, Chang DM. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs with adverse psychiatric reactions: five case reports. Clin Rheumatol. 1999;18(4):339-45.

13. Fung HB, Kirschenbaum, HL. Selective cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors for the treatment of arthritis. Clin Ther. 1999; 21(7):1131-57.

14. FDA MedWatch: The FDA Medical Products Reporting Program. May 12, 1999. FDA Talk Paper.

15. Moriya N, Nakata M, Nakamura M, Takaoka M, Iwasa S, Kato K, Kakinuma A. Intestinal absorption of serrapeptase (TSP) in rats. Biotechnol Appl Biochem. 1994; 20(Pt1):101-8.

16. Miyata, K. Intestinal absorption of Serratia Peptidase. J Appl Biochem. 1980;2:111-16.

17. Perna L. Osservazionl Clniche sui traitamento in osppio cleco con Serratio peptidasl nella neifre perenna naila ninite cronica nacutizzata con sinusopattia, nella bronchia cronica nacutizzata. Rlv Pat Clin Tuberc Penumol. 1985; 56:509-516.

18. Mazzone A, et al. Evaluation of Serratia peptidase in acute or chronic inflammation of otorhinolaryngology pathology: a multicentre, double-blind, randomized trial versus placebo . J Int Med Res. 1990; 18(5):379-88.

19. Aso T et al. Breast engorgement and its treatment: Clinical effects of Danzen an anti-inflammatory enzyme preparation. The world of Obstetrics and Gynecology (Japanese). 1981; 33:371-9.

20. Esch PM, Gerngross H, Fabian A. Reduction of postoperative swelling. Objective measurement of swelling of the upper ankle joint in treatment with serrapeptase-a prospective study (German). Fortschr Med. 1989;107(4):67-8, 71-2.

21. Kee WH, Tan SL, Lee V, Salmon YM. The treatment of breast engorgement with Serrapeptase (Danzen): a randomized double-blind controlled trial. Singapore Med J. 1989;30(1):48-54.

22. Koyama A, Mori J, Tokuda H, Waku M, Anno H, Katayama T, Murakami K, Komatsu H, Hirata M, Arai T, et al. Augmentation by serrapeptase of tissue permeation by cefotiam (Japanese). Jpn J Antibiot. 1986; 39(3):761-71.

23. Majima Y, Inagaki M, Hirata K, Takeuchi K, Morishita A, Sakakura Y. The effect of an orally administered proteolytic enzyme on the elasticity and viscosity of nasal mucus. Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 1988;244(6):355-9.

24. Brewer Science Library website. 1999.

25. Tomoda K, and Miyatam K. Some information on the composition of trachael secretions before and after the administration of Danzen. Exper Ther. 1972; 477:9-16.

26. Kase Y, et al. A new method for evaluating mucolytic expectorant activity and its application to two proteolytic enzymes, serratiopeptidase and seaprose . Arznelrnitteltorachung. 1982; 32:374-378.

28. Selan L, Berlutti F, Passariello C, Comodi-Ballanti MR, Thaller MC. Proteolytic enzymes: a new treatment strategy for prosthetic infections? Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 1993; 37(12):2618-21.

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A preliminary trial of serrapeptase in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome.
Panagariya A, Sharma AK

Dept. of Neurology, SMS Medical College and Hospital, Jaipur. J Assoc Physicians India 1999 Dec;47(12):1170-2

OBJECTIVES: This study was planned to assess the response of serrapeptase in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS).

METHODS: Twenty patients with CTS were evaluated clinically. After baseline electrophysiological studies, these patients were given serrapetase10 mg twice daily with initial short course of nimesulide.  Clinical and electrophysiological reassessment was done after 6 weeks.

RESULTS: Mean age was 43.9 years with male to female ratio of 1:2.33. Sixty five percent cases showed significant clinical improvement which was supported by significant improvement in electrophysiological parameters. Recurrence was reported in four cases. No significant side effect was observed.

CONCLUSIONS: serrapeptase therapy may proved to be a useful alternative mode of conservative treatment.  Larger study may be further helpful to establish the role of serrapeptase in CTS.

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Proteolytic enzymes: a new treatment strategy for prosthetic infections?
by Selan L, Berlutti F, Passariello C, Comodi-Ballanti MR, Thaller MC

Istituto di Microbiologia, Facolta di Farmacia, Universita La Sapienza, Rome, Italy.
Antimicrob Agents Chemother 1993 Dec;37(12):2618-21

Among the different mechanisms of bacterial resistance to antimicrobial agents that have been studied, biofilm formation is one of the most widespread.  This mechanism is frequently the cause of failure in the treatment of prosthetic device infections, and several attempts have been made to develop molecules and protocols that are able to inhibit biofilm-embedded bacteria.  We present data suggesting the possibility that proteolytic enzymes could significantly enhance the activities of antibiotics against biofilms.  Antibiotic susceptibility tests on both planktonic and sessile cultures, studies on the dynamics of colonization of 10 biofilm-forming isolates, and then bioluminescence and scanning electron microscopy under seven different experimental conditions showed that serrapetase greatly enhances the activity of ofloxacin on sessile cultures and can inhibit biofilm formation.

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A New Method for Evaluating Mucolytic Expectorant Activity and its Application

II. Application to two proteolytic enzymes, serrapeptase and seaprose*
By Y. Kase, H. Seo, Y. Oyama, M. Sakata, K. Tomoda, K. Takahama, T. Hitoshi, Y. Okano, and T. Miyata

Arzneim.-Forsch . / Drug Res. 32 (1), Nr. 4 (1982)

From the Department of Chemico-Pharmacology. Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kumamoto University , Kumamoto (Japan)

Summary: Using our new method described in a preceding paper, in vivo effects of two proteolytic enzymes such as serrapeptase and seaprose (SAP) on sputa collected from bronchitis rabbits were examined. Serrapeptase (20 mg/kg) and SAP (30 mg/kg) significantly reduced the viscosity of sputum (P < 0.05) at the 1-3-h periods and the 4-6-h periods, respectively, after intraduodenal administration. 50 mg/kg of serrapeptase also significantly decreased not only viscosity (P < 0.001) but also amount of freeze-dried substance (P < 0.05) of sputum at the 1-3-h periods, but SAP did not affect the amount of dried substance. Both enzymes significantly increased the volume of sputum, probably as the result of liquefaction. Thus, mucolytic expectorant activity of both enzymes can be demonstrated first by the reduction in viscosity and next by the increase in volume of sputa. However, the decrease in amount of freeze-dried substance is not always in accord with the reduction in viscosity.

Key words: Bromhexine . Bronchitis . Mucolytic expectorants . Proteolytic enzymes . Seaprose . serrapeptase

1. Introduction

In this previous paper [1], we reported a new method which seems to be applicable to examine the in vivo effect of mucolytic expectorants. By the use of this method, the expectorant effect of a drug can be evaluated from the changes in both quantity and quality of sputa, which were quantitatively collected from the rabbits suffering from subacute bronchitis caused by long-term exposure to SO2 gas. The purpose of the present study is to ascertain whether this method is well applicable to the evaluation of mucolytic expectorant effect of the reference drugs as was expected, whose clinical efficacy was already well established. Two proteolytic enzymes, serrapeptase and seaprose, were chosen for such a purpose. Though their chemical properties differ, both enzymes have so far been used as the effective mucolytics in the treatment of various disorders related to viscous sputum or pus, and their efficacies have been war-ranted to be more potent and reliable than those of a-chymotrypsin and others. Therefore, they have widely been used not only in Japan but also in. some other countries. Nevertheless, the pharmacological evidence which sub-stantiates their clinical efficacies, in particular, mucolytic expectorant effect, is insufficient, though they exhibit potent mucolytic activity in in vitro experiments [2, 3]. Bromhexine, a representative of the expectorants, was used as a control drug, because its mechanism of action is quite different from that of proteolytic enzyme, that is, it does not exhibit in vitro mucolytic activity and its main effect is known only by the increase in the volume of respiratory tract fluid (RTF) when it was examined by Perry and Boyd’s method [4-7] using normal healthy rabbits. Further pharmacological study, for instance, the acting mechanism of mucolytic expectorant effect of intraduodenally administered enzymes will be described in the subsequent paper.

2. Materials and methods

2.1. Animals and drugs

Male rabbits of New Zealand White-strain, weighing 1.8 to 2.5 kg, were used. Serrapeptase (Danzen*, hereafter abbreviated as SER), a proteolytic enzyme (endopeptidase) prepared from the culture broth of. genus Serratia sp. E-15 (one of enteric bacilli in silkworm) which comes as grayish powder, was provided

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Evaluation of Serratia Peptidase in Acute or Chronic Inflammation of Otorhinolaryngology Pathology: a Multicentre, Double-blind, Randomized Trial versus Placebo

A. Mazzone1, M. Catalan2, M. Costanzo3, A. Drusian4, A. Mandol5, S. Russo6, E. Guarini7 and G. Vesperini8

1Institute of Clinical Otorhinolaryngology, University of Naples, Naples, Italy;
2Ear, Nose and Throat Department, ‘Gradenigo’ Hospital, Turin, Italy;
3Ear, Nose and Throat Department, ‘Villa Sofia’ Hospital, Palermo, Italy;
4Ear Nose and Throat Department, Treviso Regional Hospital, Treviso, Italy;
5Ear, Nose and Throat Department, ‘E. Fornaroli’ Hospital, Magenta, Italy;
6Ear, Nose and Throat Department, Lucca Hospital, Lucca, Italy;
7Ear, Nose and Throat Department, Civil Hospital, Lecce, Italy;
8Ear, Nose and Throat Department, ‘Madonna del Soccorso’ Hospital, San Benedetto del Tronto, Italy

The efficacy and tolerability of Serratia peptidase were evaluated in a multi-centre, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 193 subjects suffering from acute or chronic ear, nose or throat disorders. Treatment lasted 7 – 8 days, with the drug or placebo being administered at a rate of two tablets three times a day. After 3-4 days’ treatment, significant symptom regression was observed in peptidase-treated patients. There was also a significant reduction in symptoms after 7 -8 days for patients in both treatment groups but the response was more marked in those patients receiving the active drug. Statistical comparison between the two groups confirmed the greater efficacy and rapid action of the peptidase against all the symptoms examined at both stages. Tolerance was found to be very good and similar for both groups. It is concluded that Serratia peptidase has anti-inflapimatory, anti-edemic and fibrinolytic activity and acts rapidly on localized inflammation.

Received for publication 2 January 1990; accepted 16 January 1990.

Address for correspondence: A. Mazzone, MD, Institute of Clinical Otorhinolaryngology , University of Naples , Via Pansini 5, 80131 Naples , Italy .

INTRODUCTION

The use of enzymes with fibrinolytic, I proteolytic and anti-edemic activities has gained increasing support in recent years for the treatment of inflammatory ear, nose and throat (ENT) conditions1. Included among these enzymes is the Serratia peptidase (Danzen® ), a protease obtained from non-pathogenic enterobacteria of the genus Serratia. This proteolytic enzyme, which is available in tablet form to enable it to be absorbed from the intestinal lumen, has been shown lo induce intense fibrinolytic. anti-inflammatory, and anti-edemic activity in a number of tissues and results suggest that its anti-inflammatory activity may be of particular use for the treatment of localized or ‘closed’ forms of inflammation, such as those frequently found in ENT pathologies.’ ^ Another important feature of Serratia peptidase is its effect on pain, the enzyme acting by inhibiting the release of pain-inducing amines, such as bradykinin, from inflammed tissue.1.7

This peptidase induces fragmentation offibrinose aggregates and reduces the viscosity of exudates,”^ thus facilitating the drainage of these products of the inflammatory response and thereby promoting the tissue repair process, and clinical trials have confirmed that the use of Serratia peptidase resulted in fast resolution of the inflammatory process.” ~ ‘° The aim of the present placebo-controlled multicentre study was to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of the Serratia peptidase in the treatment of ENT inflammatory conditions.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patients

Patients, who were recruited from ENT clinics throughout Italy , were all suffering from inherent acute or chronic inflammatory conditions. Any patients with serious concomitant conditions, such as severe renal and/or hepatic impairments, or who required additional drugs were excluded from the tnal, as this could interfere with evaluation of the parameters under examination, and the use of steroids, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and/or anti-inflammatory/analgesic agents was prohibited. Antibiotics were permitted when deemed necessary.

Treatment

Indistinguishable tablets containing 5 mg Serratia peptidase or a placebo were provided in blister packs and patients were randomly assigned to receive two tablets of either drug, which they were instructed to take three times daily after meals for 7 -8 days.

Evaluation of treatment

Clinical signs and symptoms were assessed on days 0, 3-4 and 7-8 of treatment on a scale of O-3 (0, absence of the symptoms: 3, maximum severity). Clinical parameters recorded were as follows: pain; quantity of secretion; difficulty in swallowing; nasal obstruction; anosmia; and body temperature. The appearance of the secretion was also recorded on a scale ofO-3 (0, normal; I, mucoid; 2, mucopurulent: 3, purulent). All evaluations were performed by an ENT specialist unaware of the treatment given.

Evaluation of tolerability

Tolerability of Serralia peptidase was evaluated on the basis of the presence, absence or severity of side-effects, recorded on the patients’ data-collecting forms.

Statistical analysis

All data were analysed by the most appropriate statistical tests (^-test and Student’s f-test).

RESULTS

A total of 193 subjects (96 males, 97 females), aged between 12 and 77 years (mean ± SD 38 ± 15.7 years), with acute or chronic ENT pathologies were recruited to the trial. Of these 193 cases, 97 (43 males, 54 females; mean ± SD 37.3 ± 15.2 years) were placed in group A and 96 (53

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The treatment of breast engorgement with Serrapeptase (Danzen): a randomised double-blind controlled trial.
Kee WH, Tan SL, Lee V, Salmon YM.

Singapore Med J 1989 Feb;30(1):48-54

We evaluated an anti-inflammatory enzyme drug Danzen (Serrapeptase: Takeda Chemical Industries, Ltd.) on 70 patients complaining of breast engorgement. These patients were randomly divided into 2 groups, a treatment group and a placebo group. A single observer, unaware of the group the patients were in, assessed the severity of each of the symptoms and signs of breast engorgement before treatment was commenced, and daily for 3 days, during which therapy was administered. Danzen (Serrapeptase) was noted to be superior to placebo for improvement of breast pain, breast swelling and induration and while 85.7% of the patients receiving Danzen (Serrapeptase) had “Moderate to Marked” improvement, only 60.0% of the patients receiving placebo had a similar degree of improvement. “Marked” improvement was found in 22.9% of the treatment group and 2.9% of the placebo group. These differences were statistically significant (P less than 0.05). No adverse reactions were reported with the use of Danzen (Serrapeptase). Danzen (Serrapeptase) is a safe and effective method for the treatment of breast engorgement.

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A multi-centre, double-blind study of serrapeptase versus placebo in post-antrotomy buccal swelling.
Tachibana M, Mizukoshi O, Harada Y, Kawamoto K, Nakai Y.

Pharmatherapeutica 1984;3(8):526-30

A multi-centre, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was carried out to investigate the clinical efficacy of the anti-inflammatory enzyme serrapeptase in a total of 174 patients who underwent Caldwell-Luc antrotomy for chronic empyema. Eighty-eight patients received 10 mg serrapeptase 3 times on the day before operation, once on the night of the operation and 3 times daily for 5 days after operation; the other 86 received placebo. Changes in buccal swelling after operation were observed as a parameter of the response to treatment. The degree of swelling in the serrapeptase-treated patients was significantly less than that in the placebo-treated patients at every point of observation after operation up to the 5th day (p less than 0.01 to p less than 0.05). Maximal swelling throughout all the post-operative points of observation was also significantly smaller in size in the serrapeptase-treated group than in the placebo-treated group. No side-effects were reported.

If the enzymes are taken on an empty stomach there isn’t enough HCL present to deactivate them, therefore providing they are not enterically coated they are immediately more bio-available once they reach the intestinal tract. Furthermore, if the enzymes are taken away from food, their potential isn’t used on digesting food but is allowed to pass into the body and focus on other systemic processes.

This bio-availability of the enzymes is of particular benefit for people who are taking a systemic enzyme for inflammation and pain control, as it prevents a delay in the activation of the enzymes. Therefore, when chosing a systemic enzyme it is good to question whether the supplement is enterically coated but not for the reasons you might previously have thought.

• Metal toxicity

Water fluoridation
Excessive cooking
High fat diet
Pasteurisation
Use of hormones in meat products
Use of pesticides and other chemicals
Microwaving or exposure to radiation or electromagnetic fields
Stress or long term illness
Amalgam dental fillings

A systemic enzyme supplement, when taken in conjunction with a healthy diet rich in vegetables and fruits can help readdress enzyme depletion. The benefits of this type of enzyme therapy are varied but include the following:

Support the promotion of a healthy cardiovascular system
Aid the reduction in fibrin or scar tissue which is known to cause inflammation and in extreme cases fibrosis
Aid the reduction of inflammation and help with pain control
Boost the immune system and help fight infection particularly viral infections

The word systemic means body wide. Systemic enzymes are those that operate,not just for digestion, but throughout your body in every system and organ.But let’s take first things first, what is an enzyme?

An enzyme is a biocatalyst – something that makes something else work or work faster. Chemical reactions are generally slow things, enzymes speed them up. Without enzymes, the chemical reactions that make up our life would be too slow for life as we know it. (As slow as sap running down a tree in winter). For life to manifest, as we know it, enzymes are essential to speed up the reactions.

We have roughly 3000 enzymes in our bodies and over 7000 enzymatic reactions. Most of these enzymes are derived or created from what we think of as the protein digesting enzymes. But while digestion is an important part of what enzymes do, it’s almost the absolute last function. First and foremost, these body-wide protein-eating enzymes have the following actions:

Natural Anti-Inflammatory.

Enzymes are the first line of defense against inflammation. (1,2,3). Inflammation is a reaction by the immune system to an irritation. Let’s say you have an injured right knee. The immune system, sensing the irritation in the knee, creates a protein chain called a Circulating Immune Complex (CIC for short), tagged specifically for that right knee. (The Nobel Prize in biology was won in 1999 by a scientist who found the tagging mechanism). This CIC floats down to the right knee and causes pain, redness and swelling – the classic earmarks for inflammation. This, at first, is a beneficial reaction; it warns us that a part of ourselves is hurt and needs attention. But, inflammation is self-perpetuating, it creates an irritation that in response, and the body makes CIC’s for!

Aspirin, Ibuprofen, Celebrex, Viox and the rest of the Non Steroidial Anti Inflammatory Drugs all work by keeping the body from making all the CIC’s. This ignores the fact that some CIC’s are vital to life, like those that maintain the lining of the intestine and those that keep the kidneys functioning! Not to mention the fact that they, along with acetaminophen, are highly toxic to the liver. Every year 20,000 Americans die from these over the counter drugs and another 100,000 will wind up in the hospital with liver damage, kidney damage or bleeding intestines from the side effects of these drugs. (4,5).

Systemic enzymes, on the other hand, are perfectly safe and free of dangerous side effects. They have no LD-50, or toxic dose. (6). Best of all, systemic enzymes can tell the difference between the good CIC’s and the bad ones. This is due to the fact that hydrolytic enzymes are lock and key mechanisms and their “teeth” will only fit over the bad CIC’s. So instead of preventing the creation of all CIC’s, systemic enzymes just “eat” the bad ones and in so doing, lower inflammation everywhere. With that, pain is also lowered.

Anti Fibrosis

Enzymes eat scar tissue and fibrosis. (7). Fibrosis is scar tissue and most doctors learn in anatomy that it is fibrosis that eventually kills us all. Let me explain. As we age, which starts at 27, we have a diminishing of the body’s output of enzymes. This is because we make a finite amount of enzymes in a lifetime and we use up a good deal of them by the time we are 27. At that point, the body knows that if it keeps up that rate of consumption we’ll run out of enzymes and be dead by the time we reach our 40’s. (Cystic Fibrosis patients who have virtually no enzyme production to speak of, even as children usually don’t make it past their 20’s before they die of the restriction and shrinkage in the lungs from the formation of fibrosis or scar tissue).

So our body begins to dole out our enzymes with an eyedropper instead of with a tablespoon. Result: the repair mechanism of the body goes off balance and has nothing to reduce the over abundance of fibrin it deposits in nearly everything from simple cuts, to the inside of our internal organs and blood vessels. It is then when most women begin to develop things like fibrocystic breast disease, uterine fibroids, and endometriosis. We all grow arterial sclerotic (meaning scar tissue) plaque, and have fibrin begin to spider web its way inside of our internal organs, reducing their size and function over time. This is why as we age our wounds heal with thicker, less pliable, weaker and very visible scars.

If we replace the lost enzymes, we can control and reduce the amount of scar tissue and fibrosis our bodies have. As physicians in the US are now discovering, even old scar tissue can be “eaten away” from surgical wounds, pulmonary fibrosis, kidney fibrosis even keloid years after their formation. Medical doctors in Europe and Asia have known this and used orally administered enzymes for such for over 40 years!

Blood Cleansing.

The blood is not only the river of life; it is also the river through which the cells and organs dispose of their waste. Enzymes improve circulation by eating the excess fibrin that causes blood to sometimes get as thick as catsup or yogurt, creating the perfect environment for the formation of clots. All of this material is supposed to be cleaned off by the liver on “first pass” or the first time it goes through. Given the sluggish and near toxic or toxic states of everyone’s liver these days, that seldom happens. So the waste remains in the blood, waiting for the liver to have enough free working space and enough enzymes to clean it. This can take days or in some people, weeks! (8).

When systemic enzymes are taken, they stand ready in the blood and take the strain off of the liver by;

• Cleaning excess fibrin from the blood and reducing the stickiness of blood cells. These two actions minimize the leading causes of stroke and heart attack: blood clots. (8).
• Breaking dead material down small enough that it can immediately pass into the bowel. (8).
• Cleansing the FC receptors on the white blood cells, improving their function and availability to fight off infection. (9).

And here we come to the only warning we have to give concerning the use of Vitalzym or any other systemic enzyme – don’t use the product if you are a hemophiliac or are on prescription blood thinners like coumadin, heparin and plavix. The enzymes cause the drugs to work better, so there is the possibility of thinning the blood too much.

Immune System Modulating.

Enzymes are adaptogenic, seeking to restore a steady state to the body. (9). When the immune system is running low, we become susceptible to infectious disease. When it’s cranked up too high, then the system creates antibodies that attack it’s own tissues, as are seen in the autoimmune diseases of MS, Rheumatoid Arthritis, and Lupus. Here the Vitalzym will tone down immune function and eat away at the antibodies the immune system is making to attack its bodies own tissue.

When the immune system is run down too low, the enzymes increase immune response, producing more Natural Killer cells, and improving the efficiency of the white blood cells, all leading to improved immunity.

Virus Fighting.

Viruses harm us by replicating in our bodies. To do this, a virus must bond itself to the DNA in our cells through the medium of its exterior protein cell wall. Anything that disrupts that cell wall inhibits the ability of viral replication by rendering individual viruses inert. (10,11). Systemic enzymes can tell the difference between the proteins that are supposed to be in your body and those that are foreign or not supposed to be there (again the enzyme lock and key mechanism). Vitalzym has the strongest protein eating effect of any enzyme due to its Serrapeptase content and can be of help in combating viruses.

Related Links

• Systemic Enzyme Blends
• Vitalzym Systemic Enzyme Blend( Serrapeptase, Bromelain etc )
• Zymitol Systemic Enzyme Blend( Serrapeptase, Bromelain etc )

References:

1. Carroll A., R.: Clinical examination of an enzymatic anti-inflammatory agent in emergency surgery. Arztl. Praxis 24 (1972), 2307.
2. Mazzone A, et al.: Evaluation of Serratia peptidase in acute or chronic inflammation of otorhinolaryngology pathology: a multicentre, double blind, randomized trial versus placebo. J Int Med Res. 1990; 18(5):379-88.
3. Kee W., H. Tan S, L., Lee V. Salmon Y. M.: The treatment of breast engorgement with Serrapeptase: a randomized double blind controlled trial. Singapore Med J. 1989:30(l):48-54.
4. Celebrex article Wall Street Journal 19 April 1999.
5. No author listed: Regular Use of Pain Relievers Can Have Dangerous Results. Kaleidoscope Interactive News, American Medical Association media briefing. July 24, 1997.
6. Enzymes – A Drug of the Future, Prof. Heinrich Wrba MD and Otto Pecher MD. Published 1993 Eco Med.
7. Kakinumu A. et al.: Regression of fibrinolysis in scalded rats by administration of serrapeptase. Biochem. Pharmacol. 31:2861-2866,1982.
8. Ernst E., Matrai A.: Oral Therapy with proteolytic enzymes for modifying blood rheology. Klin Wschr. 65 (1987), 994.
9. Kunze R., Ransberger K., et at: Humoral immunomodulatory capasity of proteases in immune complex decomposition and formation. First International symposium on combination therapies, Washington , DC , 1991.
10. Jager H.: Hydrolytic Enzymes in the therapy of HIV disease. Zeitschr. Allgemeinmed., 19 (1990), 160.
11. Bartsch W.: The treatment of herpes zoster using proteolytic enzymes. Der Informierte Arzt. 2 (1974), 424-429.