Digestive enzyme

Digestive Enzymes are a group of enzymes that break down polymeric macromolecules into their smaller building blocks, in order to facilitate their absorption by the body. Digestive enzymes are found in the digestive tracts of animals (including humans) and in the tracts of carnivorous plants, where they aid in the digestion of food, as well as inside the cells, especially in their lysosomes, where they function to maintain cellular survival. Digestive enzymes are diverse and are classified based on their substrate, for example lipases split fats into three fatty acids and a glycerol molecule.

Types of Digestive Enzymes

There are three main types of digestive enzymes:

• Proteases and peptidases split proteins into small peptides and amino acids.
• Lipases split fat into three fatty acids and a glycerol molecule.
• Amylases split carbohydrates such as starch and sugars into simple sugars such as glucose.

Function of Digestive Enzymes

Digestive enzymes, primarily produced* in the pancreas and small intestine, break down our food into nutrients so that our bodies can absorb them. If we don't have enough digestive enzymes, we can't break down our food—which means even though we’re eating well, we aren’t absorbing all that good nutrition.

Digestive Enzyme Supplements

Some people may need to take digestive enzyme supplements to help their body properly break down and absorb nutrients from food. These supplements can be particularly helpful for people with certain health conditions, such as pancreatic insufficiency or cystic fibrosis.

See Also

• Pancreas
• Small Intestine
• Cystic Fibrosis
• Pancreatic Insufficiency

References

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  Diagram showing various digestive enzymes and their functions.

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  Illustration of major digestive enzymes involved in the human digestive process.

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