What is the Advantage and Disadvantage of Amylase Powder

Amylase, protease and lipase are the three main and most vital digestive enzymes your body utilizes to digest food. A growing number of health problems can be linked to nutrient malabsorption due to a lack of digestive enzymes.

Yulin HB™ are exported all over the world and different industries with quality first. Our belief is to provide our customers with more and better high value-added products. Let's create a better future together.

Amylase has the responsibility of helping your body process carbohydrates into simple sugars while protease breaks down protein and lipase is in charge of fat breakdown.

The role of digestive enzymes is to act as catalysts in speeding up specific, life-preserving chemical reactions in the body. Essentially, digestive enzymes assist in breaking down larger molecules into more easily absorbed particles that the body can use to survive and thrive. Without proper levels of amylase and other digestive enzymes, it really is impossible to have your health be at its best.

What Is Amylase?

By definition, it’s the primary starch-digesting enzyme secreted in the body. To be more specific, it digests carbohydrates (polysaccharides) into smaller disaccharide units, eventually converting them into monosaccharides, such as glucose. Alpha-amylase (α-Amylase) is the major form of amylase found in humans and other mammals and is mainly made the pancreas and salivary glands, but it’s also produced by the small intestine mucosa, ovaries, placenta, liver and fallopian tubes.

The amylase secreted by the salivary glands kicks off the the enzymatic digestion of starches in the mouth as food is chewed and mixed with saliva. It might be surprising, but it’s true that the breakdown of larger, more complex starches into simpler sugars actually starts in your mouth with simple chewing. This is why chewing food thoroughly is truly key to good digestion and optimal overall health.

Amylase is part of a six-step digestive process that begins with chewing in the mouth and triggers the start of a domino effect in firing off mechanisms and secretions:

1. Salivary amylase released in the mouth is the first digestive enzyme to assist in breaking down food into its component molecules, and that process continues after food enters the stomach.
2. The parietal cells of the stomach are then triggered into releasing acids, pepsin and other enzymes, including gastric amylase, and the process of degrading the partially digested food into chyme (a semifluid mass of partly digested food) begins. 
3. The acid also has the effect of neutralizing the salivary amylase, allowing gastric amylase to take over.
4. After an hour or so, the chyme is propelled into the duodenum (upper small intestine), where the acidity acquired in the stomach triggers the release of the hormone secretin.
5. That, in turn, notifies the pancreas to release hormones, bicarbonate, bile and numerous pancreatic enzymes, of which the most relevant are lipase, trypsin, amylase and nuclease.
6. The bicarbonate changes the acidity of the chyme from acid to alkaline, which has the effect of not only allowing the enzymes to degrade food, but also bacteria not capable of surviving in the acid environment of the stomach to break it down further.

At this point, if you don’t have a deficit of digestive enzymes, then most of the work is done. However, for many people digestive enzyme supplementation is needed and helps this whole process take place as it should.

Health Benefits

What are some of the ways that amylase can benefit your health? Well, aside from the most key and central function to properly digest carbohydrates, it also holds a lot of other valuable health benefits that will probably surprise you.

1. Improved Digestion

Your mouth is the place where both the mechanical and chemical breakdown of your food occurs through the combined use of your teeth, jaws and saliva. Amylases are vital to your digestive process because they’re needed to process any starches in your diet, which are a main source from which people derive glucose, the primary sugar molecule the body uses for energy.

It’s key that you combine your body’s natural amylase-producing ability with your natural ability to chew. Why is this important? Because if food is not properly broken down in the mouth, then your body has more work to do in order to digest and extract nutrients and energy from whatever you eat. By chewing thoroughly, you give the amylase more time to process any carbs that you have consumed, and the more time amylase has to work the better and quicker your overall digestion will be.

In addition, cells in your pancreas make another form of amylase called pancreatic amylase, which passes through a duct to reach your small intestine. Pancreatic amylase completes the digestion of carbohydrates.

2. More Energy

Food not only provides your body with nutrients, but it also provides it with the energy it needs to keep you going on a daily basis. Glucose is the primary sugar molecule that the body uses for energy, and while you never want to have high glucose levels (think diabetes), you want to obtain some glucose in your diet from healthy sources.

The amylases in your body break starch down into two sugar units, maltose and isomaltose, and then other enzymes, called maltase and isomaltase, hydrolyze these two sugars into the individual monosaccharide glucose. Foods that are high in starch include breads, grains, cereals, pasta, rice, beans, corn, potatoes and peas. If it wasn’t for amylase, your body wouldn’t be able to use foods like these so efficiently to fuel you.

3. Anti-Diabetic

A study published in the Journal of Clinical & Diagnostic Research was designed to determine the serum amylase, blood glucose and the serum lipid profile in 110 type 2 diabetes patients compared to healthy individuals of the same age and sex. The research showed that for the diabetic subjects wherever blood sugar levels were higher, serum amylase activity was found to be significantly lower. This finding was reflective of pancreas malfunction and speaks to the importance of a healthy pancreas producing healthy amounts of amylase.

Another study found that low serum amylase levels are associated with an increased risk of metabolic abnormalities like diabetes as well as metabolic syndrome. Together, these studies show the ability of this digestive enzyme to maintain normal blood sugar levels and help treat or reverse diabetes symptoms.

4. Stress Monitoring

Stress is by far one of the worst things in the world for your health, particularly chronic stress. Research is showing that amylase can be a very helpful and accurate marker of stress levels.

One study looked at the whether or not the salivary enzyme alpha-amylase could indicate stress-reactive bodily changes. Researchers repeatedly measured salivary alpha-amylase and salivary cortisol as well as plasma catecholamines and cardiovascular activity before, during and after 30 young men underwent the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST).

Results indicated that salivary alpha-amylase is sensitive to psychosocial stress and may be a very helpful additional parameter for the measurement of stress in humans.

Amylase Levels

Possible reasons for high amylase levels include:

• Pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas), a pancreatic cyst or pancreatic cancer
• Gallstones that are causing pancreatitis
• Inflammation of the salivary glands, such as mumps
• Bowel obstruction or strangulation
• A stomach ulcer that has caused a hole in the stomach wall
• Diabetic ketoacidosis
• Kidney failure
• A ruptured ectopic pregnancy
• Appendicitis or peritonitis
• Macroamylasemia, an uncommon and harmless condition in which amylase is bound to a protein in the blood

Low amylase levels are also something to be concerned about. The following common health issues could actually be a sign of amylase deficiency:

• Allergies
• Skin rashes
• Gas and constipation
• Mood swings
• Carbohydrate and sugar cravings
• Blood sugar imbalances
• Type 2 diabetes

Testing

Testing can be conducted to measure the level of amylase as well as other enzymes in your blood. Amylase level testing can be done with a blood or urine test. For a urine test, it’s likely a two-hour or 24-hour sampling. For a blood test, blood is taken from a vein in your arm. There is more work involved with collecting your urine over a period of time, but there are also no risks, pain or side effects associated with collecting urine samples. If you don’t like needles then the urine test can be a good option.

Typically, there are only low levels of amylase found in the urine or blood. However, if the pancreas or salivary glands become damaged or blocked then more amylase is often released into the bloodstream and urine. When it comes to blood, amylase levels rise for only a short time. In the urine, amylase may remain high for several days.

Why would a doctor ever test your amylase levels? A test might be conducted for several reasons, including:

• To evaluate the cause of swollen and inflamed salivary glands
• To find out if a patient has pancreatitis or another pancreatic disease
• To determine if a treatment for pancreatitis or other pancreatic diseases is working

If you’re preparing to have your amylase levels tested then you should not consume any alcohol for at least 24 hours prior to testing. If you’re having a blood test then do not eat or drink anything except water for at least two hours before testing. For a 24-hour urine test, make sure that you drink enough fluids during the test to prevent dehydration and to ensure that you collect enough samples.

There are a lot of medications that can affect amylase test results so prior to testing be sure to let your doctor know about any medications or supplements.

A lipase test is often used along with an amylase test to help diagnose and monitor acute pancreatitis, chronic pancreatitis, celiac disease, Crohn’s disease, cystic fibrosis and pancreatic cancer. Increases in the level of lipase may signal the worsening of these diseases. A lipase test along with an amylase test can help monitor treatment effectiveness and outcomes.

Amylase Test Results

Testing results are usually available within 72 hours. Normal value ranges can vary slightly among different laboratories. For a urine test, the normal range is typically 2.6 to 21.2 international units per hour (IU/h). For a blood test, the normal range is usually 23 to 85 units per liter (U/L).

Food and Supplement Sources

Natural dietary sources of amylase include raw fruits and vegetables, along with sprouted seeds, nuts, legumes and whole grains. Both short- and long-term sprouting helps the body regulate amylase-enzyme activity that’s needed to properly digest glucose, which is especially helpful to diabetics. Royal jelly is also another excellent source.

When it comes to supplements, you’ll find amylase in a general digestive enzyme supplement that includes the other key digestive enzymes as well. A common variety is a full-spectrum enzyme blend for general digestive improvement. You can opt for a supplement that is vegetarian or animal-based.

Risks and Side Effects

Digestive enzymes are essentially nontoxic and typically don’t cause side effects. Occasional side effects of digestive enzymes can include mild gastrointestinal distress, diarrhea or allergic reactions. If any of these effects persist or worsen, you should discontinue use of the supplement and speak with your health care provider.

If you take a supplement that includes the digestive enzyme bromelain, then you should know that it has possible cross-reactivity and can provoke allergic symptoms in people who are sensitive to wheat, celery, papain, carrot, fennel, cypress pollen and grass pollen, as well as the plant family that includes ragweed, chrysanthemums, marigolds, daisies and echinacea. If you’re allergic to any of these foods or plant, then you may find that you’re allergic to bromelain and vice versa.

Digestive enzymes should only be combined with blood-thinning drugs like warfarin (Coumadin) under a doctor’s supervision. Combining bromelain and papain with blood-thinning prescriptions can further increase the risk of bruising and bleeding. Some evidence also suggests that bromelain may increase the absorption of certain antibiotics, specifically amoxicillin and tetracycline. Digestive enzymes may also enhance absorption of sedative medicines like benzodiazepines so digestive enzyme supplements should not be combined with sedatives.

Tell your doctor immediately if you have any serious side effects after taking digestive enzymes, including severe abdominal discomfort, joint pain, frequent or painful urination, or allergic reaction.

Want more information on Amylase Powder? Feel free to contact us.

Final Thoughts

Sign up for CNN’s Eat, But Better: Mediterranean Style. Our eight-part guide shows you a delicious expert-backed eating lifestyle that will boost your health for life.

When people eat foods they love, sometimes those treats don’t love them back, causing digestive discomfort that has them reaching for a remedy.

At times, that’s in the form of digestive enzyme supplements — but whether people should take them and how well they work depends on how you’re getting the products, your health status and more.

The digestive enzymes naturally occurring in the body “break down our food so that we can absorb the nutrients required for our bodily functions,” said Dr. Caroline Tuck, a dietitian and senior lecturer in dietetics at Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne, Australia, via .

Digestive enzymes are made in the pancreas, small intestine and stomach, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. The main enzymes produced by the pancreas are amylase, which breaks down complex carbohydrates; lipase, which digests fats; and proteases, which break down fats. The enzymes lactase and sucrase, made in the small intestine, break down dairy sugar and sugar, respectively. Pepsin, made in the stomach, is the main enzyme involved in the digestion of protein.

Most manufactured digestive enzymes, on the other hand, are derived from hog pancreas, Dr. Deborah Cohen, an associate professor in the department of clinical and preventive nutrition sciences at Rutgers University in New Jersey, said via .

But there are some plant-based alternatives, such as bromelain from pineapple or papain from papaya, and enzymes extracted from various microbes or yeast, Cohen added.

Despite the body’s ability to produce digestive enzymes, research has shown the market for these products is booming, estimated at nearly $700 million in and expected to hit $1.6 billion by , said Dr. Akash Goel, a clinical assistant professor of medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City.

Here’s what you should know to determine whether these supplements are worth it.

Prescription vs. over-the-counter digestive enzymes

A key difference between prescription and over-the-counter digestive enzymes is that the US Food and Drug Administration regulates the former as drugs, “so they undergo a rigorous approval process including extensive testing with safety and efficacy data,” Goel said via .

This strict process ensures the products are pharmaceutical or prescriptive grade, Cohen said, and that the dose of the active ingredient is therapeutic enough to treat a patient’s symptoms.

Studies have shown the effectiveness of prescribed pancreatic enzyme supplementation, Goel said.

But over-the-counter supplements are regulated as food, so “there is much less standardization and quality control in terms of ingredients,” Goel said.

As a result, the source and dose of an active ingredient — or whether the product even actually contains the active ingredient in the first place — are up for grabs, Cohen said. The supplements also tend to have less of the active ingredient than prescriptions do.

“That’s the issue with supplements and digestive enzymes,” she added. “(Brands) can say whatever they want on TV ads, on magazine ads or on (social media) … and it’s perfectly legal. But whether or not it’s true is a whole different story.”

Because supplements don’t undergo FDA approval, those that have been tested by a third party are safer bets, experts said. These could include the NSF — which says it holds the only national standard that establishes requirements for the ingredients in dietary and nutritional supplements — the US Pharmacopeia or ConsumerLab.com.

Whether over-the-counter enzymes have what’s called an enteric coating also matters.

“Enteric coating protects the enzymes, which are proteins, from being digested by the acid contained in, and secreted by, the stomach,” Cohen said, so “the enzyme can safely get to the small intestine where it does its main work.”

A couple of commonly used over-the-counter enzymes have long been known to work. These include Lactaid and Beano, used by people who are lactose intolerant or who have gas or bloating after eating legumes, respectively. “Beano contains alpha galactosidase, an enzyme that our body does not produce,” Tuck said.

Regardless of whether you’re taking a prescription or over-the-counter digestive enzyme, a professional’s counseling on the timing and dosage is critical, Cohen said.

When is it OK to take digestive enzymes?

On its own, the body should produce levels of digestive enzymes sufficient for assimilation of nutrients, Goel said. But when it doesn’t, due to deficiencies evidenced by a stool test a doctor performs, prescription digestive enzymes are the primary treatment.

“Prescription enzymes are used primarily by individuals diagnosed with cystic fibrosis and exocrine pancreatic insufficiency,” Cohen said. Cystic fibrosis is a disease that damages the lungs, digestive tract and other organs, while exocrine pancreatic insufficiency is a condition in which the small intestine can’t thoroughly digest food due to problems with pancreatic enzymes.

Signs of digestive enzyme deficiencies include diarrhea, stomach pain, bloating, inexplicable weight loss and fatty, oily poop that floats, experts said.

People with those diagnoses are really the only people with a clinical or legitimate need for digestive enzyme products, Cohen said — particularly prescribed ones as, again, those are more likely to have the precise dose needed.

“If there are no medical issues or established food intolerances, then digestive enzyme supplements are not required,” Tuck said.

Some healthy people take digestive enzyme supplements after eating a heavy meal, thinking they’ll have trouble digesting the food. But the body can digest a heavy meal perfectly fine, Cohen said. It’s just that the contents may slow the process and cause bloating or gas, she added — so not overdoing it is a better choice than taking a supplement.

If you take them anyway, she added, most of the danger lies in the possible waste of your money.

But if you’re consuming them for digestive issues you’re experiencing on a regular basis, you should see a gastroenterologist or your doctor since you may be masking symptoms and delaying a diagnosis in need of supervised treatment, experts said.

Can digestive enzyme levels be improved naturally?

If you have enzyme deficiencies, nothing can be done to improve levels naturally, Cohen said. Consequently, the only options are to take prescription digestive enzymes or avoid the foods you can’t digest because of your deficiencies.

But if you’re a healthy person, you can improve your digestive health overall, including by not eating meals that are so taxing on your system.

“Something we registered dietitian nutritionists hear a lot is ‘I have trouble digesting food’ or ‘I have slow digestion’ when what they actually have is constipation,” Cohen said. “Digestive enzymes will not help with constipation.”

What can help is avoiding processed and heavily refined foods and consuming a diet rich in whole plant-based foods, with fish and lean meats in moderation, Goel said.

Goel also recommended meeting the national exercise guidelines and the guidelines for fiber intake as well as regularly getting restful sleep, being exposed to nature and spending time with loved ones.

For more information, please visit Amylase Enzyme Powder.