Download DIGESTIVE ENZYMES FOR CHILDREN

DIGESTIVE ENZYMES FOR CHILDREN
NEC White Paper
By: Dr. Devin Houston, PhD, scientific counsultant Getting our kids to eat at all is difficult; getting them to eat right is
even more so. We have all seen them in the grocery store: Parents
combing the aisles trying to find foods that are nutritious and
acceptable to their child’s picky diet. Many parents just give in and
make a stop at a fast-food restaurant to, at the very least, get an
energy-dense, but nutrient-poor, meal into their child. Often this
becomes a routine in the family and may become a habit practiced
by the child in later years1. Children are blitzed by images of sugary
foods and snacks on television and Internet ads. Once enticed with
the high-sugar and high-fat delicacy or brand-name product, the
child demands to have it – now. Reasoning with a child as to the
virtues of a healthy diet is often pointless. Taste and sugar-highs
often trump nutritional value2.
Childhood obesity ranks as one of the top health concerns in the
Western world. Many health problems encountered by adults
are outcomes of eating habits learned during the early years of
childhood. Calcium and magnesium levels in adults are often much
below recommended levels, and it is difficult for many, especially
women, to consume enough in their diet to obtain healthy levels 3,4.
Many start dieting with no guidance or knowledge of food health,
limiting intake of crucial nutrients even more.
Many parents find relief in any amount of healthy nutrients that
children consume, even though the amount may be small in a
child’s diet. Increasing the available nutrition from healthy foods
September 2014
is one way to celebrate the stepping-stones leading to a balanced
diet. Based on a number of studies, one of the best ways to
accomplish better nutritional bioavailability is through the use of
dietary enzyme supplements5,6.
Enzymes are specialized proteins that accelerate chemical
reactions in our bodies. Life cannot occur without enzymes, and
lack or dysfunction of enzymes can compromise healthy systems.
Enzymes produced by the pancreas and small intestine do the
bulk of the work during digestion as the pancreas produces large
quantities of enzymes designed to break down foods once they
enter the small intestine from the stomach.
However, many of today’s foods appear to be more resistant to the work
of pancreatic enzymes. Plant-based enzymes, whether sourced from
foods or supplements, are proteins and are treated by our digestive
system as any other food protein. Enzymes derived from plant sources
differ from pancreatic enzymes in that they are actually acid-stable.
Plant-derived enzymes start the food breakdown process while still in
the stomach. This is much sooner than breakdown normally occurs, as
the digestive enzymes produced by the pancreas are not encountered
until the food mass leaves the stomach and enters the small intestine.
Proteins, peptides and other large molecules, such as starch, are not
absorbed from the stomach. This means that acid-stable enzyme
supplements can work on those foods and degrade them prior to their
entry into the intestinal tract, where absorption does occur.
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Insufficient amounts of certain enzymes may result in food
intolerances. Lactose intolerance is a condition suffered by as
much as 65 percent of the world’s population7. The enzyme
lactase breaks down lactose, a milk sugar, into simple sugars.
Deficiencies of this enzyme can result in bloating, gas and
diarrhea to the extent that dairy products are eliminated from
the diet. Dairy, a food group rich in calcium, magnesium and
proteins, is important to growth and development. Lactose
intolerance and subsequent elimination of dairy in the very
young can result in nutritional deficiencies. Supplemental
vitamins and minerals are then suggested to make up the
shortfall in nutrition but are often not enough to achieve needed
levels for healthy development. While vitamin and mineral
supplements can be useful, most nutritionists believe that whole
foods are the optimal source for obtaining nutrients8.
exert biological effects. Sometimes these effects are beneficial;
peptides generated from salmon and milk proteins by human
digestive enzymes were found to produce anti-hypertensive
effects11,12. Other times, the peptides have resulted in processes
that are not so desirable, such as gliadin production from gluten
protein. Wheat avoidance is a way of life for those suffering with
celiac disease as the production of gliadin by their own digestive
enzymes can result in severe intestinal injury13.
Many of today’s foods appear to be more resistant to the work
of pancreatic enzymes, and grains, such as wheat and soy,
are particularly resistant to pancreatic enzymes. Often the
enzymes required for proper digestion of these grains are too
deficient and may lead to development of food sensitivities,
intolerances and allergies. Allergies can run the gamut from
mild reactions, such as skin rash, to full-blown anaphylaxis;
The addition of a lactase supplement can allow dairy to be
however, many more suffer from non-anaphylactic
added back to the diet without the unpleasant effects of
disturbances that cause cramping, gassiness, and even mood
9,10
intolerance . Enzyme supplementation of lactase that begins and behavior changes.
in childhood may allow inclusion of dairy products to a child’s
diet and reduce the less-than-desirable experiences associated Incomplete break down of starches can be problematic, as well.
with lactose intolerance. With no interruption in this crucial
Normally starches are quickly broken down by carbohydrase
source of calcium and magnesium, a child can be better
enzymes, such as amylase and glucoamylase, into simple sugars
that are then rapidly transported out of the intestinal tract.
assured of developing healthy bone density and support for
However, if those enzymes are present in insufficient quantity, such
the immune system.
that the amount of starch consumed is not quickly and efficiently
digested, then starches become a feed station for gut bacteria
Other intolerances caused by incomplete digestion of food
and yeast. Starches will actually begin to ferment in the gut
proteins may also be problematic. Food proteins are normally
broken down into amino acids during the digestive process
and change the gut environment. Just as a dirty household may
attract unwanted pests, a dirty gut may encourage the growth of
through the action of specific enzymes called proteases.
Incomplete digestion of food proteins results in the formation
unwanted microbes that may crowd out the good bacteria.
of smaller proteins called peptides. These peptides are often
A healthy diet is essential in supplying healthy nutrition but will
small enough to be absorbed from the gut into the circulatory
system or interact with other cell proteins, called receptors, and not help if digestion is incomplete and negatively affects the
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®
©2014 National Enzyme Company. All Rights Reserved.
balance of gut flora. Enzyme supplements provide support for
more thorough digestion of all foods. This results in increased
bioavailability of food nutrition for absorption, less fermentation
within the gut, a more supportive gut environment and a
decreased likelihood of developing food intolerances or nutrient
deficiencies during the childhood years.
Unlike most other food proteins, enzymes are less susceptible
to proteolytic degradation, which explains their ability to stay
active within the gastrointestinal tract. Enzyme supplements are
considered safe for consumption as no level of dosing has been
found to harm or negatively affect humans or animals. Humans
have consumed enzymes in various forms for centuries; thus, the
historical record for enzyme safety is very strong14.
Many enzyme products are available to the consumer, but not all
are formulated for the specific needs of children. Most enzyme
supplements are in capsule form that many children cannot
swallow. Others may be bottled as a powder to be added to
drinks or foods during meals but may impart a taste not pleasing
to children. BioCore® Kids is targeted to the dietary needs of
children. This blend offers enzymes for breakdown of starches,
carbohydrates, proteins and fats as a fruit-flavored chewable
tablet. By starting the breakdown of foods while in the stomach,
nutrients derived from meals can be accessible for gut absorption
much quicker – often as soon as the food moves out of the
stomach into the small intestine. Another benefit to children
taking BioCore® Kids is better maintenance of gut flora through
the reduction of undigested food in the intestinal tract. More
importantly, the regular use of BioCore® Kids may allow children
to add back some foods to which they exhibit intolerance. The
amount of enzymes necessary to fully breakdown the food and
deliver the nutrients varies depending on meal size. The serving
size of BioCore® Kids should follow the recommended dosing
while also considering the size of the child’s meal–not body
weight or age since the enzymes do not distribute outside of the
gut in significant amounts.
Dr. Devin Houston, PhD, an accomplished researcher and entrepreneur, is
most notably recognized as a pioneer in enzyme-based research for children.
Even in the early beginnings of his medical career, Dr. Houston was focused
on enzymes in the body. In fact, his graduate work focused on how the aging
process affected certain enzyme systems. Since March of 2000, Dr. Houston has
been a scientific consultant to the dietary supplement industry.
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1.800.825.8545 // nationalenzyme.com // [email protected]
®
©2014 National Enzyme Company. All Rights Reserved.
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1.800.825.8545 // nationalenzyme.com // [email protected]
®
©2014 National Enzyme Company. All Rights Reserved.