Enzymes Inc., founded in 1985, has a direct link to Edward Howell MD who was the first to recognize the many health benefits of raw food enzymes and the need to supplement the diet with enzymes in order to replace those lost in the cooking and processing of food.  As a young doctor straight out of medical school, Dr Howell spent six years on the staff of Lindlahr Sanitarium, a well-known “nature cure” hospital, where he discovered the importance of raw food enzymes to nutrition and health. Researching this connection between nutritional enzymes and human health became his life-long passion. Dr. Howell quickly realized proper digestion of the typical American diet required enzyme supplements capable of breaking down not just one but all macronutrients – protein, carbohydrates, fat and fiber – in cooked and processed food.  Collaborating with food enzymologists, he developed Genuine N•Zimes®, the first full-spectrum digestive enzyme supplement, and then, in 1932, formed National Enzyme Company (NEC) to manufacture and distribute it to his patients and the public.  By the mid-80s, Dr. Howell had amassed substantial clinical and scientific research on applications for non-animal enzymes in health and wellness, all of which was archived at NEC shortly before his death in 1988. 

NEC’s proprietary access to Dr. Howell and his research coupled with advancements in enzyme extraction technology in the early 1980s allowed NEC to produce innovative, professional-strength enzyme supplements from non-animal sources.  In 1985, the first complete line of vegetarian enzyme-based nutritional supplements was introduced to licensed healthcare practitioners as NESS® (Nutritional Enzyme Support System).  These cutting-edge formulations were not merely combinations of enzymes but included probiotics and herbal/whole food concentrates to maximize their clinical effectiveness.  Enzymes Inc. (formerly International Enzyme Foundation) was established that same year to facilitate the development, manufacture, marketing and distribution of NESS® products as well as other enzyme products for well-known companies in the health industry. Shortly thereafter, Vet•Zimes™ was launched, a line of enzyme products developed by a prominent, holistic veterinarian to be sold exclusively through veterinary clinics.  During the next decade, Enzymes Inc. focused its efforts on increasing awareness in the healthcare community of the positive outcomes realized when the right digestive and/or systemic enzyme-based supplements are included in patient treatment protocols. The company sponsored educational seminars presented by different types of healthcare practitioners successfully using NESS® and Vet•Zimes™ supplements in their practices. 

Lynn Greaves joined Enzymes Inc. in 1987 and NEC in 1990, rising rapidly to Vice President of both companies.  With 10 years of management experience in product development, technical services and marketing for a leading nutritional supplement company plus a solid educational background in biochemistry and business, Greaves contributed greatly to the growth and success of both companies in subsequent years.   Enzymes Inc. began its first of three clinical trials in 1998 on the effectiveness of InflammEnz™ (formerly EnzAid), a proprietary blend of anti-inflammatory proteolytic enzymes, in reducing the bruising, edema and discomfort associated with post-operative healing.  All three clinical trials yielded positive results and were accepted for publication in peer-reviewed medical journals.

By the late-90s, the demand for enzyme products in the nutritional supplement industry had substantially increased and Enzymes Inc. had established a reputation for its expertise in formulating highly-effective, enzyme-based supplements.  In 1999, Sam Lingo brought his strong analytical chemistry and operations background in the food industry to Enzymes Inc. becoming Director of Operations with primary responsibility for expediting the manufacturing of enzyme products for the company’s brands and the growing number of private label customers.  Later that year, a team of physicians and biochemists created a comprehensive, clinically-effective line of professional-strength formulations to be sold exclusively to licensed health care practitioners, eventually under the ProSol™ label.  Building upon the earlier success of the NESS® product line, ProSol™ supplements continue to provide broad-spectrum digestive and systemic enzymes from non-animal sources expertly combined with herbal extracts, antioxidant phytonutrients, all-natural vitamins and bioavailable minerals to effectively address a wide range of health concerns.  Over the next nine years, Enzymes, Inc. embarked on an extensive seminar and convention schedule educating healthcare practitioners on the therapeutic use of the ProSol™ formulations.

In 2000, Enzymes Inc. moved into a larger facility in Parkville, Missouri. That same year, Lynn Greaves and her husband, Jim, acquired Enzymes Inc. and Dr. Howell’s Genuine N•Zimes® product line, forming a strategic alliance with NEC in the process.  Jim quickly became an integral part of Enzymes Inc.’s technical team, with more than 25 years of experience in research and development. Bombarded by requests for a consumer line of enzyme-based products, Enzymes Inc. added a full line of digestive and systemic supplements under the Wellzymes® brand in 2001.  That same year, the company launched its first branded ingredient, pHysioProtease®, a clinically-proven combination of anti-inflammatory proteolytic enzymes.  Years of clinical research on pHysioProtease® culminated in a 2004 study conducted by the University of Texas Southwest Medical School, published in a prestigious medical journal, further substantiating the effectiveness of pHysioProtease®- a key component of InflammEnz™ in significantly accelerating wound healing and soft tissue repair.

Outgrowing its facility, Enzyme, Inc. relocated its operations to Ambassador Drive in Kansas City, Missouri in 2010, purchasing a 36,000 sq. ft. building in 2012. Under the direction of Enzymes Inc.’s Vice President, Bryan Greaves, who joined the company in 2012, a state-of-the-art packaging facility was completed in 2017, offering a variety of bottling options. Since its inception, Enzymes Inc. has remained committed to producing innovative, enzyme-based supplements of the highest quality and efficacy for a given therapeutic purpose.  Through collaborations with different types of healthcare practitioners, research conducted in clinical settings as well as laboratories, and knowledge of the latest technological advancements in natural ingredient applications, Enzymes Inc. will continue to be at the forefront in providing safe and effective health solutions for people and their pets.