Understand Enzymes.
Elevate Outcomes.

Enzymes are specialized proteins that speed up (catalyze) chemical reactions in living systems. Without them, most reactions in the body would occur too slowly to sustain life. Every enzyme has an active site—a 3-D pocket that recognizes a specific substrate (the thing it acts on) and lowers the energy needed for that reaction. Because shape matters, enzymes are typically highly specific (e.g., lactase targets lactose; lipase targets fats).

A Quick Tour of Enzyme Science (without the jargon)

• How They Work: Substrate fits the enzyme’s active site (think “hand in glove”), the reaction occurs, and the product releases. Enzymes themselves are not consumed—they can work again and again.
• Conditions Matter: Each enzyme has an optimal pH and temperature. A stomach-active enzyme is designed for acidic pH; a small-intestine enzyme prefers a near-neutral environment.
• Cofactors: Some enzymes (dehydrogenases) need helpers (e.g., minerals) to function efficiently.
• Naming: Most enzyme names end in “-ase” and hint at their job: amylase (starch), protease (protein), lipase (fat), lactase (milk sugar).

A (Very) Brief History

• 1830s–1890s: Early discoveries like diastase (starch-digesting) and pepsin (protein-digesting) show that chemicals—not just “vital forces”—drive digestion.
• 1900s–1930s: Foundational enzyme kinetics (how fast reactions go), plus isolation and crystallization prove enzymes are real molecules with precise shapes.
• Today: We produce enzymes via fermentation (often using non-GMO microbial strains) for food, medicine, and dietary supplements—with consistent purity and activity.

Enzymes in Everyday Life

• In your body: Salivary amylase starts starch digestion; stomach pepsin begins protein breakdown; pancreatic proteases, lipase, and amylase continue the job; brush-border enzymes (like lactase) finish it.
• In foods: Enzymes make cheese (rennet), clarify fruit juice (pectinases), brew beer (amylases), and tenderize meat (papain, bromelain).

Why Take Enzyme Supplements?

Supplemental enzymes are formulated to assist the body’s own enzymes, especially during challenging meals (rich in fat, protein, dairy, or complex carbs) or when typical enzyme output is not optimal. The goal: more complete breakdown of food into smaller pieces your body can absorb and use—and less leftover material that can cause gas, bloating, or discomfort.*

Common Digestive Enzyme Types & What They Support*

• Proteases/Peptidases: Break proteins into peptides/amino acids; useful for protein-heavy meals (meat, dairy, shakes).
• Lipase: Splits fats into fatty acids and glycerol; supports digestion of rich, fatty meals.
• Amylase/Glucosidases: Reduce starches into sugars.
• Lactase: Targets lactose (milk sugar) to help with dairy sugar tolerance.
• Alpha-galactosidase: Acts on gas-forming carbs in beans and some veggies.
• Fiber-degrading enzymes (cellulase/hemicellulase/pectinase): Help unlock plant cell walls and reduce certain fermentable fibers.

What to Look for on an Enzyme Supplement Label

1. Activity units—not just milligrams
   • Enzymes are measured by what they do, not how much they weigh. Look for units like:
   • Protease: HUT, PU, or USP units
   • Lipase: FIP (or LU on older labels)
   • Amylase: DU
   • Lactase: ALU
   • Alpha-galactosidase: GalU or AGU
   • Cellulase: CU
   • Higher activity per serving generally means more work performed—mg alone can be misleading.
2. pH range & where it works

   A good formula shows it works in the stomach (acid) and/or small intestine (near-neutral) depending on the goal. Some use acid-resistant enzymes or enteric technology to protect activity.

3. Source & purity

   Non-GMO microbial fermentation (e.g., Aspergillus, Bacillus), plant-derived (papain, bromelain), or animal-derived (pancreatin). Look for third-party testing, allergen statements, and clear lot traceability.

4. Assays that match real use

   For example, DPP-IV to verify proline-focused protease activity; HUT for general proteolysis under acidic conditions; FIP to confirm lipase potency.

5. Formulation logic

   Multi-enzyme blends aligned to meal patterns (protein/fat/starch/fiber), or targeted formulas (e.g., high-protein shakes, dairy, beans). Synergy with prebiotic fibers and probiotics can support a balanced microbiome.

How to Use Enzyme Supplements (practical tips)

• With meals (most digestive enzymes): Take at the first bites or just before eating so enzymes mix with food.
• Between meals (systemic proteases): Follow the label; commonly taken on an empty stomach with water.
• Start low, adjust: Everyone digests differently—titrate to comfort and meal size.
• Pair wisely:
  • Protein-heavy meal? Emphasize proteases.
  • Rich/fatty meal? Ensure lipase is present.
  • Dairy (lactose) dessert? Include lactase.
  • Beans/Crucifers? Consider alpha-galactosidase.
• Hydration helps: Water supports normal digestive processes.

Enzyme FAQs (quick answers)

Bottom Line
Enzymes are nature’s precision tools. In supplementation, smartly designed formulas can support more complete digestion, reduce meal-related discomfort, and—in specialized contexts—support balanced physiological processes.* The best products are those with verified activity, thoughtful pH coverage, clean sourcing, and labels that specify what the enzymes actually do.

SUPPLEMENTAL FUNGAL ENZYMES ARE NOT A SOURCE OF AFLATOXINS

At Enzymes Inc we use highly-purified fungal enzymes primarily derived from the fermentation of two fungal species, Aspergillus oryzae and Aspergillus niger, which do not produce any substances toxic to other living organisms. There are, however, two other strains of Aspergillus, A. flavus and A. parasiticus, well-known for producing a group of mycotoxins called "aflatoxins" which contaminate improperly stored food crops such as corn, peanuts, rice and wheat. When ingested, these aflatoxins pose a serious health threat to humans and their pets. Before a fungal organism is used in fermentation, the specific strain is extensively screened to ensure the organism is not capable of producing any type of mycotoxin under fermentation conditions. Both Aspergillus oryzae and niger have a long history of safe use by the food and pharmaceutical industries in the production of fungal enzymes.

FUNGAL ENZYMES CANNOT CAUSE FUNGAL INFECTIONS

During the fermentation process, enzymes are secreted by fungal organisms onto a medium. These enzymes are then extracted by a technique that thoroughly separates and removes the enzymatic proteins from all surrounding material which includes the fungal organisms. The isolated enzymes are highly purified to ensure no living fungal cells remain; therefore, they cannot initiate fungal colonization or infection in the body. No cases of fungal infections attributed to the consumption of purified fungal enzymes have ever been documented.

ALLERGIC REACTIONS TO FUNGAL ENZYMES

Most people with mold and/or yeast allergies can take supplements containing fungal enzymes without any adverse reaction. Mold and yeast are different types of fungus and there are many varieties of each in our environment. The enzymes found in our supplements are primarily derived from three types of mold (Aspergillus, Trichoderma and Rhizopus) and one type of yeast (Saccharomyces). Although the enzymes are highly purified, meaning any residue of the fungus has been removed, the fact remains that the enzymes themselves are fungal proteins and it is generally the protein fraction of a substance that elicits an allergic reaction. For this reason, if someone has been tested and is found to be sensitive to Aspergillus, Trichoderma, Rhizopus or Saccharomyces, or does not know which type of mold or yeast produces their allergic reaction, any fungal enzyme-based supplements should not be recommended.

Digestive enzyme supplementation is a generally accepted way to assist the body’s own enzymes in the break down and assimilation of food nutrients. Supplemental systemic enzymes, which are not as well known, show tremendous promise in addressing many common health concerns. Both digestive and systemic supplements provide the same types of enzymes from the same sources. However, they differ in the time of day the product is taken and the blend/potency of the enzymes found in the product.

Enzymes taken with food are completely dedicated to digesting that food, releasing nutrients that can be absorbed and utilized by the body. Enzymes taken on an empty stomach can pass intact into the bloodstream, where they help restore and maintain healthy blood and tissue functions. Substantial research has shown proteolytic enzymes or proteases taken between meals, preferably one hour before and two hours after, can have a beneficial effect on immune, inflammatory and cardiovascular processes. There is limited research on the systemic use of amylase and lipase, however, there is clinical evidence supporting the use of amylase to help maintain normal cardiometabolic function and immune response to allergens, and lipase for healthy triglyceride metabolism and weight management.

Enzymes Inc uses different blends of acidic, neutral and alkaline protease, depending upon the intended purpose of the supplement. Although it is well-documented that protease acts differently in the tissues of the body than it does in the digestive tract, most systemic protease products on the market contain the same protease blend found in digestive products. In addition, the amount of protease needed to be effective systemically is often much greater than that needed for digestion.

Based upon decades of clinical and scientific research, a precise combination of proteolytic enzymes has been developed that provides optimal activity in the physiological conditions of the blood and tissue fluid of the body. This highly-effective blend of proteolytic enzymes is called pHysioProtease®. A recent study comparing pHysioProtease® with three commercially-available protease blends recommended for systemic use revealed pHysioProtease® delivers up to 52 times more systemic activity. pHysioProtease® is a specialty blend of proteases found exclusively in select brands of products distributed by Enzymes Inc.

Many digestive and systemic enzyme supplements on the market today contain enzymes derived from animal sources. Examples of these animal enzymes include pepsin, pancreatin, trypsin and chymotrypsin. However, dietary supplements containing enzymes obtained from non-animal, vegetarian sources have become increasingly more popular. These vegetarian enzymes are derived from either plant or microbial sources. The two plant-derived enzymes most frequently used are bromelain and papain extracted from pineapple and papaya, respectively. The microbial enzyme category contains several highly-purified enzymes concentrated from non-genetically modified microorganisms, primarily Aspergillus oryzae/niger, with a long history of safe and effective use.

Enzymes derived from microbial (fungal or bacterial) sources are often designated as plant or plant-derived enzymes because company marketing departments perceive “plant” sounds better to the consumer than “microbial”. Yet, for many years, the scientific classification of organisms has been divided into distinct kingdoms for animals, plants, fungi and bacteria. This means fungal and bacterial enzymes are definitely not plant enzymes. By definition, vegetarian or vegan is synonymous with non-animal so plant, fungal and bacterial enzymes can all be considered vegetarian. Vegetarian enzymes from microbial sources have several major advantages over animal enzymes and, in some cases, even plant enzymes.

Vegetarian enzymes can be concentrated more than animal enzymes, so more activity can be included in each capsule or tablet. In general, this means vegetarian enzymes require fewer capsules or tablets than animal enzymes to provide equivalent enzymatic activity. This is of particular importance in the use of proteolytic enzymes for systemic purposes where it could take five tablets or capsules containing the highest concentration of pancreatin to provide the same enzymatic activity as one capsule providing high-potency vegetarian proteases.

Vegetarian enzymes from microbial sources provide a broader spectrum of digestive activity working on all of the main food components (protein, carbohydrates, fat and fiber) for more complete digestion. Animal enzymes focus primarily on digesting protein with minimal (pancreatin) or no (pepsin, trypsin and chymotrypsin) starch and fat-digesting capabilities. In addition, animal enzymes provide no sugar-digesting or fiber-digesting activity. Plant enzymes are also limited to protein digestion, offering no assistance with carbohydrate, fat and fiber digestion. Besides the four main digestive enzymes (protease, amylase, lipase and cellulase), there are vegetarian enzymes from microbial sources available to break down gluten (DPP-IV peptidase) in grain-containing foods, sucrose (invertase) in high-sugar foods, lactose (lactase) in dairy foods, raffinose sugars (alpha-galactosidase) in beans and other gas-forming vegetables, and specific complex carbohydrates or fibers (hemicellulase, pectinase, beta-glucanase, xylanase) in fruits, vegetables and whole grains. For more information about gluten-digesting and dairy-digesting enzymes, check out our specialty blends.

Vegetarian enzymes, in the right combination, are active over a broad pH range (pH 2.0 to 10.0) so they are capable of working throughout the entire digestive tract. One of the animal enzymes, pepsin, is optimally active only in the acidic conditions found in the stomach (pH 2.0 to 3.0), requiring the body to produce or obtain adequate HCl for it to work. The other animal enzymes, pancreatin, trypsin and chymotrypsin, are optimally active only in the alkaline environment of the small intestine (pH 7.0 to 9.0). Individuals who produce too much acid in the stomach or are taking HCl supplements may not achieve this alkaline pH until the food is well past the absorption sites in the small intestine meaning these animal enzymes will have minimal beneficial effect.

Vegetarian enzymes are stable in the acidic environment of the stomach and some of the microbial proteases are even optimally active in gastric acidity. However, pancreatin, trypsin and chymotrypsin can be destroyed in the acid conditions of the stomach before ever reaching the small intestine. For this reason, manufacturers of products containing these animal enzymes will often enteric-coat either the enzymes themselves or the entire tablet. This process makes the enzymes/tablet resistant to stomach acid with the intention that the coating will dissolve in the alkaline pH of the small intestine releasing the enzymes. As indicated before, some people may never reach the alkaline pH required to release the enzymes from the enteric coating or reach it too late for the enzymes to have any real benefit. Of equal concern, the primary ingredient in most, if not all, of these enteric-coatings is a synthetic polymer such as methacrylic acid copolymer or polyvinyl acetate phthalate which is similar to those used in the plastics industry.

Vegetarian, microbial enzymes spare the body from producing excess acid and digestive enzymes. Because these vegetarian enzymes begin digesting food almost immediately upon entering the stomach, some of the food will have already been digested as it passes certain feedback receptors in the digestive process. Since the body makes acid and enzymes in response to the food composition and state of digestion, the pre-digestion of the food in the first 45 minutes to 1 hour after ingestion will signal the body to produce less acid and fewer digestive enzymes. This means less energy and materials will be expended by the body on digestion. Since the most commonly used animal enzymes (pancreatin, trypsin and chymotrypsin) don’t even begin working until the intestinal tract, the body will already have wasted resources on producing stomach acid and pancreatic enzymes.

Vegetarian enzymes from microbial sources are cultivated in a controlled environment, free of contaminants including pesticides. Animal enzymes are commercially obtained from slaughterhouse pigs or cows, which have received steroids, antibiotics, etc. and have been fed pesticide-containing, genetically-altered feed. Commercially-grown pineapple and papaya are generally exposed to environmental contamination, including pesticides, preservatives and growth-enhancers. Considering the many advantages of microbial enzymes over animal enzymes and even plant enzymes, a dietary supplement providing these vegetarian enzymes is the best choice.