Digestive enzymes are proteins that your body uses to break down the food we eat into useful nutrients and waste products. You can only get the full benefit of food and nutritional supplements if your body has enough enzymes to properly digest and absorb the nutrients.

Here's the problem. Many digestive enzymes are found only in raw foods which most people do not eat enough of. Other digestive enzymes are produced by our bodies, but the older we get, the less our bodies produce of them. A lack of digestive enzymes can contribute to a myriad of illnesses including arthritis, obesity, irritable bowel syndrome, heartburn, chronic fatigue syndrome and more.

Many people have begun to take supplements to increase their levels of digestive enzymes and improve their bodies ability to access and use food nutrients for energy, cell growth and repair. By improving one's digestion, supplements will often reduce gas, heartburn, and improve regularity.

Consumers and health professionals can learn how protease and digestive enzyme supplements can effectively treat arthritis. According to Dr. Liz Lipski, nationally-known nutritionist and author of "Digestive Wellness", the cure for arthritis still eludes us and very often just relief from the pain becomes difficult at best. It may involve many joints or just one, and it can vary in severity from very mild to severe pain.

An estimated 15% of Americans suffer from arthritis, which is usually characterized with adjectives for inflammation such as; pain, swelling, stiffness, and redness. However, arthritis is not a single disorder, but the name of joint disease from a number of possible causes.

Dr. Lipski asserts in Digestive Wellness that arthritis has many causes: genetics, infections, physical injury, allergies, stress, and faulty digestion. Clinical work at the Transformation Enzyme Corporation now reveals that most arthritis sufferers respond well to treatment with protease and digestive enzyme supplements because arthritis is related to inflammation and digestion. Several studies have shown protease enzymes to be as effective as the drugs Methotrexate and Indomethacin for arthritis pain relief, but without the negative side-effects. By increasing support of the digestive and immune systems, inflammation is reduced.

"I'm now using the combination of protease and digestive enzymes along with other natural anti-inflammatory supplements, and a low-antigen diet with my arthritis clients, and I'm seeing very positive results," said Dr. Lipski. "Many clients report a significant improvement in five to seven days."

Dr. Lipski gives the following tips to alleviate arthritis:

- Explore a low-antigen diet. For two weeks eat only: fruits, vegetables, rice, olive oil, safflower oil, and fish.
- Get regular exercise to your ability: stretch, yoga, walking, water aerobics, etc.
- Try glucosamine sulfate and chrondroitin sulfate, and vitamin C to repair your joint tissues.
- Take digestive enzymes with each meal
- Take 1-3 protease enzymes twice daily on an empty stomach (these enter the blood stream and help reduce inflammation)

For more information from Dr. Lipski, see her book "Digestive Wellness", listed in our book list below.

I found three excellent sources of both digestive enzyme supplements and information on their use.

1. Transformation Enzyme Corp. (TEC) founded by Dr. DicQie Fuller has been actively involved in oral enzyme therapy for over 20 years. TEC operates an Enzyme Therapy clinic in Houston and supplies pharmaceutical quality, therapeutic enzymes to health professionals throughout the U.S. Enzyme Essentials, LLC was established as a consumer-oriented extension utilizing the proprietary enzyme formulations developed and clinically tested by TEC. Enzyme Essentials maintains a FAQ that will answer many of your questions about digestive enzyme supplements and if your question is not answered, then click on the link which says Don't see your question answered, email us. I have personally sent several questions via that link and all have been promptly and thoroughly answered. Now to save money buying supplements through Enzyme Essentials consider their E-club plan. You are under no obligation and can cancel at any time.
   


2. A second company that focuses exclusively on therapeutic enzyme supplements is Enzymedica.com. While their website is a good place to get information about digestive enzymes, you'll find the most best prices on Enzymedica products at VitaminShoppe.com search on Enzymedica.
   


3. Finally if you prefer a company with information and products on a wider range of alternative health treatments, then consider LifeExtension.com. You can join their membership program and receive discounts and 100+ page monthly publication filled with medical research findings. A recent issue even included an article on digestive enzyme supplements.

Normally, the digestive enzyme, dipeptyl dipeptidase IV (DPP IV) exists in healthy intestines and digests gluten/casein. But some people's bodies do not produce enough DPP IV. Their digestion is compromised, and intermediate gluten/casein peptides accumulate. These accumulated peptides can enter the bloodstream and may elicit an immune response or allergic reaction. To boost the body's ability to digest gluten, new digestive enzymes supplements with DPP IV are now available (Free Shipping on $99 link to Vitamin Shoppe)