Please tell me what you know about ENZYME SUPPLEMENTS

August · 08-12-2007, 04:50 PM

Hello Ladies,
I find the subject of Dietary enzymes interesting but also confusing and I would like to know what other Soul Cysters know about it!

I have the impression that at least a lot of the benefits of the RAW DIET are attributed to enzymes in the raw foods (that are not distroyed by the heat of cooking or other processing).

I don't think that the raw diet is for me and so I am sort of interested in enzyme supplements
As I understand it they sell (either individually or in combination) several different enzymes that help digest different kind of foods --

Protease (breaks down Protein)
Lipases (breaks down fat)
Cellulases (breaks down plant matter including fiber and if I understand correctly the outer cell walls of yeasts/candida)
Lactases (aids in the digestion of dairy products)

I think that at least part of the idea is to speed up the process of digestion and elimination and as a result also to prevent food from 'fermenting' or 'rotting' and discourage the overgrowth of the undesirable microorganism that are part of those processes.

The enzyme that I think I am most confused about is --

Amylases (breaks down carbohydrates)

While I can that that it would be beneficial to 'KEEP THINGS MOVING' physically through the digestive and elimination tracks, I also have the impression that it is desirable to 'SLOW DOWN' the BREAKDOWN of carbohydrates into sugars and ABSORPTION of those sugars into the bloodstream. I believe that is sort of the whole point of the GLYCEMIC INDEX!

So, is it beneficial for someone with insulin resistance to supplement the enzyme Amylases? And if it is not is there a combination enzyme that contains all of the other enzymes that you might want except for Amylases? Or do you either have to take an combination enzyme supplement with Amylases or take the enzymes that you want individually??

Also, I have the impression that there is a diabetic drug called Acarbose (Precose) that is actually designed to inhibit the enzyme(s) that breakdown carbohydrates.

There are also over the counter diet products -- starch blockers that claim to help with weight loss by inhibiting the enzyme(s) that break starches down into simple sugars that can be assimilated into the bloodstream so that a high percentage of the starch someone eats while on starch blockers are not broken down and pass out of the body without being absorbed (IN THEORY).

I think that with both of these products there may be the possibility of increased gas.

Anyway please tell me what you know and please also include any benefits to dietary supplements or the raw diet that I missed!

lachicarubia · 08-18-2007, 06:03 PM

Interesting question about inhibiting amylase to help with IR. I hadn't thought of that before.

I can't (nor do I want to) do a 100% raw diet either. I take a full spectrum digestive enzyme supplement with my cooked meals, and it includes amylase. It totally helps with my indigestion and acid refux. In fact, if I make sure to take the enzymes with each meal, I don't even get indigestion or heartburn, even though I am PG.

Of course, I don't think I am insulin resistant any more. My PCOS is in remission. I used to feel the low blood sugar symptoms of IR all the time, before I was Dx'd, before I started my alternative PCOS Tx, but not anymore.

So I may not be a very good person to talk to about using amylase with IR.

I also take an enzyme supplement that is specially formulated to kill yeast, as part of my alternative PCOS Tx, and it also has amylase in addition to cellulase and hemicellulase, along with other enzymes.

I personally think that getting the yeast under control has done the most to put my PCOS, as a whole, into remission, rather than trying to treat, or control individual PCOS symptoms,

help · 08-19-2007, 03:21 AM

Cara,

I'd love to hear what kind of digestive enzyme that is. I also struggle with yeast. What other natural treatments for PCOS are you doing?

Thanks,
Crystal

lachicarubia · 08-24-2007, 02:41 PM

Hi Crystal,

There are 2 different brands of enzyme supplements that are designed to kill yeast. 1 is Candex; it is the one that I have been using. But I recently found out about NSI Candida Yeast Mangement. It has almost the exact same formula at the Candex, but cost a lot less. Since I have run out of the Candex, I just ordered some of the NSI CYM, and I will start taking it as soon as it arrives.

My natural PCOS treatments included anything that kills yeast. I personally believe that candida/yeast overgrowth is the cause of PCOS, and its symptoms, including IR, high cholesterol, infertility, etc. Before I got the BFP, I was using an herbal yeast fighting formula called Yeast Defense. I was also using microcurrent therapy. Now that I am PG I am only using the enzyme formula, and probiotics.

I put more details in my PCOS story, and my TTC program, links in my sig.

saspeabody32 · 08-27-2007, 02:41 AM

Hi guys! I looked at the link in your sig lachicarubia and I found it interesting. It says to take a mix of the things listed there, what effect does taking just Candex, for example, alone? Or just NSI Candida Yeast Management? I was thinking of trying it out, does it interaction with any other meds? Currently, I am taking Spiro but that is just until the bottle runs out. I am also trying Hyponidd, and Cinnamon and Vitex. Do any of those have a countereffect with Candex?

Ella831 · 08-27-2007, 12:09 PM

The only thing I know about enzyme supps. are that if you take what is called plant enzymes before you eat then it helps your food to break down and digest better. You can also take plant enzymes if you have an upset stomach or nausea and they help to settle your stomach. I have tried them and they do work. I was told by doc.to take them before I eat then I won't get upset stomach's.I tend to get nausea,upset tummy very easily. They have worked.

lachicarubia · 08-27-2007, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by saspeabody32

Hi guys! I looked at the link in your sig lachicarubia and I found it interesting. It says to take a mix of the things listed there, what effect does taking just Candex, for example, alone? Or just NSI Candida Yeast Management? I was thinking of trying it out, does it interaction with any other meds? Currently, I am taking Spiro but that is just until the bottle runs out. I am also trying Hyponidd, and Cinnamon and Vitex. Do any of those have a countereffect with Candex?

Hi SueAnn,

I think that taking a variety of different things can help get the yeast in the body under control faster. The more you do to get the yeast under control, the better your chances of success.

Taking just one thing will help, but it might take longer to get results. I have noticed, that a few cysters have tried just one yeast control thing, but then stopped, and moved on to try other things, I think because they didn't get the results they wanted right away. How fast you get results might depend on how long the PCOS has been present, and how severe the PCOS symptoms have been.

My PCOS symptoms were mild, and didn't start until after the birth of my first DS. So I only had PCOS for about 4 years before I started Candida control the first time, and even with me, it took 4 months before I got my BFP.

I have a friend who started using just the Yeast Defense, the herbal formula, and she started with one a day, and then gradually 2 a day, then eventually to 4 a day, and she finally started to get AF again (AF had stopped coming 15 years ago, and her PCOS symptoms were pretty advanced) but she started off having short 2-3 day, light cycles. A few months ago, she started taking both the YD, and the NSI CYM and she finally got 2 regular length, regular flow AF's. They were 60 days apart, but as she continues to take them both, she continues to see more improvements. In fact, this last week, she has noticed breast tenderness, so she might have even started Oing.

The Candex and the NSI CYM are pretty much the same thing. Right now, at Vitacost.com, the Candex costs $39 for 1 month supply, the NSI CYM costs $30 for 2 months supply.

I am not sure about interactions with other things. The NSI CYM is taken on an empty stomach, before bed, and first thing after waking, so it shouldn't have any effect on other things that are taken at a different time.

I am no expert, but because they are made of digestive enzymes, they digest the cell walls of the yeast, and if taken with hyponidd, cinnamon, or vitex, it might help digest their cell walls too, which might actually help those things to get digested, and absorbed even better.

I take a digestive enzyme supplement with my meals, to help with the digestion and absorption of the nutrients in the food, so enzymes would probably even help with the digestion and absorption of the nutrients in plant based supplements.

Many supplements are actually formulated with enzymes included, in order to improve absorption, to help make them more effective. For example, my whole food multivitamin supplement also has digestive enzymes in the mix.

So taking a few different supplements, along with doing candida control, might actually increase your chances of success. Like fighting a battle on more than 1 front at the same time increases your chances of success at winning the war.

saspeabody32 · 08-29-2007, 12:59 PM

I was looking to buy NSI CYM and then started to look at the probiotics...does it make a difference which ones I get? There is a 15-35 blend or a 10-10 blend. The 10-10 is cheaper...

lachicarubia · 08-29-2007, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by saspeabody32

I was looking to buy NSI CYM and then started to look at the probiotics...does it make a difference which ones I get? There is a 15-35 blend or a 10-10 blend. The 10-10 is cheaper...

The 15-35 blend looks like it is higher quality, plus has a few extras to make it even more effective, so it is probably worth it to pay more:

Quote:

NSI® Probiotic 15-35 contains NutraFlora® FOS, a highly-concentrated complex of fructooligosaccharides, or naturally-occurring carbohydrates (also known as "prebiotics") that are indigestible by humans but serve as food/an energy source for friendly bacteria in the intestines, helping to increase their numbers in the body.

NSI® Probiotic 15-35 is manufactured using the patented LiveBac® process for an improved probiotic shelf life, even at room temperature.

In addition, we utilize Viablend™ Gastric Acid Bypass Technology. Unlike enteric coated capsules, which can become brittle and crack or chip, rendering probiotics ineffective when exposed to gastric acids, our capsules deliver more viable organisms to the intestinal tract.

There is quite a bit of a price difference... maybe if you are first starting to re-establish your intestingal flora, it might be good to start with the more potent formula, and then later, switch to the cheaper formula for maintenance. HTH

August · 08-29-2007, 04:34 PM

Cara, I just noticed on your signature that you had a son earlier this month! Congratulations! I knew you were expecting -- but I thought the big day was off in the future. Again Congratulations and good health to you both!

Also Thank you for all of the very good information on this thread and elsewhere!

lachicarubia · 08-29-2007, 06:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by August

Cara, I just noticed on your signature that you had a son earlier this month! Congratulations! I knew you were expecting -- but I thought the big day was off in the future. Again Congratulations and good health to you both!

Also Thank you for all of the very good information on this thread and elsewhere!

Hi August,

Thanks for the congrats, but my sig must have gotten messed up... somehow. It is supposed to say that we had the U/S on 8/7 and found out we are having a boy. He is still in there. Kicking like crazy, but he hasn't kicked his way out yet. He is still due Nov 29.

Thanks for bringing it to my attention, I fix that sig right now.