Digestive and Systemic Enzymes

[panacea]

I'm trying to collect science-based ideas or facts on digestive and systemic enzyme supplementation. There are widespread 'he said she said and it makes sense this would be right' on the internet for both sides (they're good or bad for us).

For example, some sites claim that digestive or systemic enzymes (they are talked about seperately) can cause the pancreas to stop producing as much enzymes when you stop taking the supplements, especially with long term use. Of course there's never scientific research to back this, just copy pasting ideas from another part of the human body to this one (if you lay in bed all day and don't use your legs, they will atrophy and become super weak, so if your pancreas isn't getting exercised either, it also does the same).

Of course this is not scientific at all, since different areas of the body work differently sometimes.

Then, there are sites saying this is a myth, ALSO without any research to back it up.

So, it would be helpful to find some research that suggests an answer, without jumping on a bandwagon of 'natural is best' or 'supplements are best' to answer the question without really finding the answer. Of course, I'm sure it would be optimal to just get all of the enzymes we need from natural fruits and other raw foods, picked fresh from natural gardens without pesticides or any other toxins, grown in rich, unabused soil which has never been misused before, with ultra-advanced scientific monitoring to make sure the food is suitable for the hypothetical gods mouth, but this isn't reality. We live in a world where we have to compromise what is ideal and find 'actual solutions'. I propose that this area (enzyme supplementation) warrants our attention because cooking destroys enzymes and raw food is often, in many places, unripe and toxic, or too expensive.

[overkees]

I think the body can do it perfectly well and supplementing would be unnecessary. I think there is no research done here, because eating raw has just been rediscovered. So you have to grab your own logic or take others anecdotal experiences as guideline.

I think you can see if you lack certain enzymes, or have a floral imbalance in your GI by looking at your fecal matter. I have had a very bad stool when I went on wai. Maybe 1 time in the week I didn't have too soft feces. But still I needed to whipe my ass more than 2-3 times. I learned about buteyko and read alot about restricting omega 6s. My omega 3:omega 6 ratio is between 1:1 - 1:2. I chew alot more (also with juice). I have now (MCP= around 33 and CP = 44) had 4 weeks in which I used more than 1 whipe for 5 times. Normally I only use one whipe to check if I need more toilet paper. I have added some more fiber to my diet which seemed to help with this. It barely stinks. I think this indicates that I have a good gut that is restoring with the required enzymes to break it better down.

Artour from normalbreathing says he is wrting a book about restoring the GI tract and he's got a lot of experience with people who want to break the 40s barrier, which almost always has to do with an imbalanced flora or not having the right amount of enzymes. So I hope he has some tips to do this without being +40s CP the whole day, because that would make it a lot easier to break this barrier. I must add that I now do physical work for 8 hours with 1 hour of cycling a day. I also do barefoot/invisible shoes running 2-3 times a week for 40 minutes. So yeah, if that is what it takes to break it and restore the GI tract then it's impossible for most people.

Im sorry for not providing a scientific answer, but I don't think you're going to find it. So just try to increase your CP and chew well, it took me 2 months of being around 40 CP for it to even begin to restore.

[dime]

Enzymes are proteins and they get denatured as soon as they come to the acidic stomach, unless it's some enzyme like pepsin or sucrase which specifically work in acidic environment.
So natural enzymes from food don't have much impact on digestion.
Supplemental enzymes may be able to do some work if they are protected from the acid so they can somehow get to the intestines.

For research you should probably look into how people with messed up pancreas, salivary glands or production of pepsin in the stomach, manage to digest food.
For example:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3987214
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18714412
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8224569

[Kasper]

As it comes to digestion, GI tract, gut flora etc.
I think the GAPS diet has quite some good testimonials, and intersting theory/model, that at least is worth reading.

[dime]

This GAPS diet just looks so complicated.. what are the basic principles of it? Avoid grains right?