Pepsin Enzyme Function
Pepsin is an enzyme -- specifically, it's a proteolytic enzyme, meaning it helps digest proteins. Cells in the stomach secrete pepsin to help you digest the protein that you consume in food.
Read more →Digestive Health Guide: Enzymes, Probiotics & Intolerance
Digestive health depends on a balance of enzymes like pepsin and beneficial bacteria. Understanding lactose intolerance and how pH affects digestion can help alleviate common issues like bloating, fatigue after eating, and chest discomfort.
The Differences Between Probiotics & Digestive Enzymes
The human digestive tract relies upon many different chemicals -- and in some cases, organisms -- to function normally. Probiotics are organisms, many of them native to the human intestine, that help your digestive tract function.
Read more →
Digestive Juices & Enzymes
Your digestive tract has the responsibility of breaking the food you eat down into smaller pieces, both mechanically and chemically, so that your intestine can absorb the nutritional molecules from the food. Doing this requires the use of digestive juices and enzymes secreted by various organs of the digestive tract.
Read more →
Sudden Lactose Intolerance in Humans
If you've always been able to eat dairy and suddenly find that you can't do so anymore, you may be lactose intolerant. While sudden lactose intolerance isn't common or likely, it's certainly possible.
Read more →
Lactose Intolerance in Pregnancy
During pregnancy, women often notice a variety of digestive sensations and discomforts. Because pregnancy changes the rate at which your digestive tract processes food, you may experience symptoms that lead you to believe you've become lactose-intolerant.
Read more →
Do Digestive Enzymes Help With Constipation?
You may have heard that your digestive woes -- constipation or diarrhea, digestive discomfort or heartburn -- are all related to digestive enzyme insufficiencies, and that you can treat them with supplemental enzymes. The fact is that digestive enzyme deficiencies are very rare.
Read more →
Lactose Intolerance & Probiotics
Probiotics are bacterial species that don't cause infection in humans, but instead provide some sort of benefit to the digestive tract or other organ systems.
Read more →
Digestive Enzymes & Pregnancy
Digestive upset, constipation, acid reflux and other gastrointestinal complaints are common during pregnancy. If you're pregnant and experience any of these symptoms, you might find yourself wondering if supplemental digestive enzymes could help alleviate your discomfort.
Read more →
Macromolecules in the Human Digestive System
When you eat food, you take in large molecules called macromolecules that are made up of building blocks that you can absorb into the bloodstream, and that your cells can burn for energy. Your digestive tract breaks down these macromolecules to liberate their building blocks so that the small intestine can absorb them.
Read more →
Digestion of Peas
Peas, in addition to containing vitamins and minerals, are healthy sources of vegetarian protein. They also contain plenty of complex carbohydrate, fiber and a small amount of fat.
Read more →
How the Digestive System & Muscular System Work in Conjunction During Digestion
The human digestive system is the organ system responsible for extracting nutrition from consumed food items and absorbing the nutritional molecules into the bloodstream. Doing this requires breaking food into smaller pieces mechanically and chemically, so that nutritional molecules are isolated and can be absorbed.
Read more →
Lactose Intolerance and Weight Gain in Adults
There's a common misconception in the general public that weight gain is a result of digestive disorders and, more specifically, of digestive enzyme deficiencies. This is not the case; if anything, such a disorder would have the opposite effect.
Read more →
What Are the Functions of Lipase Enzymes?
Lipases are a general class of enzymes that break down fat molecules. Fats, also called lipids, exist in many forms; different kinds of fats require different lipases to break them down. Your body uses lipases to digest fat and also depends on lipases to help move cholesterol in the body.
Read more →
Lactobacillus and Lactose Intolerance
Lactobacillus acidophilus is a strain of bacteria that can digest lactose, the sugar in milk and other dairy products. If you're lactose intolerant and experience digestive complications upon consuming dairy, you may be wondering whether supplemental Lactobacillus can help alleviate your symptoms.
Read more →
What Pork Does to the Digestive System
If you're a fan of pork but have heard that it has negative effects on the digestive tract, you needn't worry -- clean, well-cooked pork meat doesn't have detrimental effects on health. Instead, you digest it as you would any other animal protein.
Read more →