TRUE Protein digestion and assimilation!

Drveejay11

Community Veteran
We have all read that Ginger is an excellent supp to take to fascilitate absorption of Protein/Amino Acids. Although there is SOME merit to these claims, I think there's a BETTER more SOUND cocktail ;)

PROTEIN digestion starts with stomach enzymes (proteases) such as pepsin that break apart specific links in the amino acid chains that comprise proteins. These chains are reduced to much shorter lengths, called peptides and peptones. The partially digested proteins move onto the small intestine where pancreatic protease continues digestion, breaking the peptides and peptones into individual amino acids which are absorbed directly or attached (chelated) to minerals, thus allowing mineral absorption.

1) Protease
Protease is a VERY important enzyme that helps digest proteins.

Click Here to read more

MORE....

2) Bromelain
this proteolytic (protein-digesting) enzyme available. While most enzymes are generally considered to be poorly absorbed, bromelain is one of the most bioavailable of all enzymes and has been the subject of numerous studies worldwide. Although Bromelain is derived from pineapple, supplementation is necessary to achieve optimum levels of this enzyme. Encapsulated in VCapsTM for 100% vegetarian formula.*

GDU = Gelatin Digesting Units - a measure of proteolytic (protein digesting) activity.

Bromelain (from Pineapples) and Papain (Papaya Enzyme) are the strongest protein digesting enzymes known to exist, and should be used in combination with protein containing meals.*

3)Pepsin
Is a proteolytic enzyme that breaks down proteins into peptides. Can digest 3500 times its weight in proteins.

Here

4)Papaya extract
Papaya Enzyme lozenges have a refreshing taste and are excellent after meals. The tablets are made from whole, unripe, spray-dried papaya powder, and contain 40 mg papaya per lozenge. Other enzymes are added to supplement the papaya.*

Papain (Papaya Enzyme) and Bromelain (from Pineapples) are the strongest protein digesting enzymes known to exist, and should be used in combination with protein containing meals.*


For the Nerdy reading type:

"Solving The Gas Crisis:
Supplements For Digestion © VRM 10/01
By Lisa Schofield

Some of us eat to live; others, live to eat. Either way, proper digestion is imperative for health maintenance.

As our leisure time dwindles to near non-existence, we pile more on our plates, literally and figuratively. Very few of us ingest a diet of mostly raw whole fruits and vegetables, very lean meat and fiber.

Convenience dictates innovation in the massive food industry, and consumers are buying in: Open the can or box, dump it into some sort of container, add water, stick in microwave, plop the glop on a plate and eat the instant "meal."

By getting our sustenance in packaged form, we are also ingesting too many chemicals - preservatives, chemical colors and pseudo-flavors in a pre-cooked, dehydrated, practically embalmed mass with all the once-existing, long-ago nutrients cooked out and killed.

Add to this increased levels of psychological and physical stress, and this equates to - digestive disorders and chronic digestive diseases and syndromes.

Some Gut-Wrenching Facts
Plop, Plop, Fizz, Fizz, oh what big business heartburn is: A study conducted by the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA), Bethesda, MD, shows that gastrointestinal diseases present a monumental burden of more than 283 million cases with a cost of $42 billion each year.

This study, conducted by the Lewin Group, analyzed major national and local databases to assess prevalance and cost of 17 digestive disorders - including gastroesophageal reflux diseease (GERD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), peptic ulcers, and Crohn's disease. Besides gastroenteritis and gallbladder disease, which topped the list, the most prevalent GI conditions are: GERD (18.6 million), IBS (15.4 million) and peptic ulcer disease (6.7 million).

Direct costs include visits to physicians' offices, inpatient, outpatient and emergency visits to hospitals, as well as the costs of prescription and OTC medications. Indirect costs measure the cost of time away from work. Overall, GERD is the most expensive in total cost with $10 billion each year. (For more information, visit www.gastro.org).

Popular OTC and pharmaceutical solutions to problems caused by excessive digestive acid include Pepcid AC, Tums, Zantac, Maalox, Prilosec, and Mylanta. And their parent pharmaceutical companies spend lots of money promoting them. According to The Tan Sheet (June 18, 2001), direct-to-consumer spending for Prilosec in 2000 amounted to $107.5 million - a 34 percent increase from the prior year. In comparison, the combined spending for Pepcid AC, Tums and Zantac 75 amounted to $93.4 million.

Healthy Digestion: The Path of Least Resistance

By Tom Bohager

Digestion begins in the mouth where the act of chewing breaks down and grinds the food into smaller pieces to be swallowed. Think of the mouth as a food processor where mixing and grinding take place. Here is where three different types of amylase are secreted to digest the carbohydrates. We then swallow the food; it travels down the esophagus, which transports it to the stomach.

There are two sections of the stomach. The Cardiac section (upper) is where the majority of the carbohydrate digestion occurs due to the activity of the amylase found in the saliva. Nothing else is secreted here. Other than the small amount of carbohydrate digestion that occurs here, only the foods we eat that have not been cooked or processed are digested. This is because these foods contain the enzymes that nature provides to break down the proteins, fats and carbohydrates contained in that particular food. The food stays here about 30 to 45 minutes then enters the lower section of the stomach.

The Pyloric section (lower) of the stomach is where pepsin and HCL are secreted for protein digestion. The amount of protein consumed and the efficiency of the individual's digestive system will dictate the duration the food remains in this portion of the stomach. It is usually about two hours. The combined activity of hydrochloric acid, pepsin and muscular movement result in a thoroughly mixed watery solution called chyme. Chyme leaves the stomach through the pyloric sphincter and enters the small intestine.

When the chyme enters the small intestine (duodenum) it is mixed with lipase from the pancreas and bile secreted by the gallbladder for fat digestion. The acid is neutralized by bicarbonate ions, which the pancreas also manufactures and secretes.

It is at this point that the body takes a type of inventory of what we have eaten and what has been digested. It then determines the additional amount of enzymes that will be needed to finish the process. The pancreas will continue to manufacture and secrete them as needed. This is called the law of adaptive secretion. The body will only make the amount of enzymes required to digest, assimilate and transport the fats, proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals found in the foods we consume.

As the mass continues to travel through the intestinal tract it finally enters the large intestine. The large intestine is basically responsible for absorbing water and electrolytes (ionic compounds). Much of this is actually re-absorbing what the body has provided in the way of gastric juices. The large intestine is also home to a variety of probiotics. These beneficial bacteria live off of some of the foods that make it this far without being digested.

Finally the waste is eliminated. This entire process normally takes three to 10 days. The more raw foods and less processed (junk) foods one eats, the less time the entire digestion process takes.

As The Stomach Churns
"The four most common simple digestive problems are gas, bloating, indigestion and heartburn," said Tom Bohager, director of education for Punta Gorda, FL-based Enzymedica. "If these are allowed to continue without proper intervention and adjustments, such as diet and lifestyle changes, they can lead to more serious issues such as ulcer, acid reflux, colitis, IBS or Crohn's Disease," he pointed out.

Excessive flatulence is frequently caused by matter that is fermenting in the intestines, notably in the colon. As Stephen Holt, MD, author of Natural Ways to Digestive Health, explains, "Various bacteria, molds or yeasts occupy the colon in states of health. These microorganisms can use a variety of agents in the diet (especially undigested food) as substrates to form gas."

Other causes of excessive gas are naturally occurring air in foods, such as certain fruits and vegetables, swallowing air while eating and drinking, and stress. Note that a certain amount of gas is normal and healthy, and is not really noticeable, as it is a consequence of food interacting with digestive juices.

Steer your more bubbly customers to carminatives - herbs that contain specific volatile oils that calm and soothe the stomach. Examples of carminatives include peppermint leaf, ginger root, fennel seed and chamomile flowers.

Gastric acid is needed for the disintegration of food into its various nutritive components and for the eventual evacuation of waste matter. However, certain factors compel the stomach to produce too much acid or upset the delicate balance of the pH within the stomach. Thus, after eating a meal already abundant in acid, excess acid in the stomach often gets pushed up through the esophagus. This causes a burning sensation in the back of the throat that is much more pronounced while the sufferer is lying down.

In his book, Complete Guide to Symptoms, Illness & Surgery, H. Winter Griffith, MD, describes GERD as, "A reflux (backward or return flow) of fluid of gastric or intestinal contents into the esophagus. Normally, the esophagus transports food from the pharynx to the stomach by coordinated contractions. Heartburn (pyrosis) is a symptom of this disorder."

The OTC and pharmaceutical arenas have a host of products for both heartburn and GERD. In summary, the sufferer can choose to use antacids, histamine H2 blockers, which are taken prior to meals and which reduce stomach acid production before ingestion; and proton pump inhibitors, which temporarily shut down the Ôpump' that supplies the acid to the stomach, thereby suppressing stomach acid.

Assiduous Natural Antacids
The natural products industry has several strong acid-fighters to offer your customers who suffer from occasional or frequent heartburn. The concept of these natural remedies is to neutralize the acid on the food or in the beverage before ingesting.

Gastro-AD, from American Health, Holbrook, NY, is a remedy in the form of a chewable tablet that the company touts as being clinically proven to halt heartburn before it begins. It is produced from the fermentation of soy by a specific probiotic strain, Lactobacillus delbrueckii.

Pleasantville, NJ-based AkPharma, Inc. offers its Prelief calcium glycerophosphate. This is used to take acid out of acidic foods and beverages for more comfortable consumption, according to the company. Prelief tablets are formulated to be swallowed with the first bite or drink of the bothersome food/beverage, while the granulate is added to the serving prior to consumption.

Tamer Nutraceuticals, Seattle, WA, offers a family of acid-busting natural remedies. "As we age, our bodies become more and more acidic," explained Bill Spencer, president of the company. "That's why low tolerance to acidic foods and beverages generally occurs in older adults."

Each product in the Tamer line features a patented combination of the same natural actives - calcium carbonate, potassium and magnesium hydroxy. "As such, they are 11 times more potent than Tums, 16 times more than Maalox, and three times more than Mylanta - without many of the nutritional negatives that you find in those products like aluminum, sodium, gelatin, etc.," he explained.

The Tamer line includes Coffee Tamer, Food Tamer and Tummy Tamer. "The ingredients in these three products are all GRAS," said Pam Ruzic, vice president of Tamer Nutraceuticals. "Juice Tamer will be available soon. And Wine Tamer will be available in a small dropper-bottle; this clear liquid will not affect the taste of wine, it will only neutralize the acid within it."

Both Prelief and the Tamer products are said to also be beneficial for a painful urinary tract/bladder condition known as interstitial Cystitis (IC). According to AkPharma, 70 percent of IC sufferers reported a reduction in pain and discomfort when using Prelief prior to consuming acidic foods; and 61 percent of IC sufferers reported reduction in urinary urgency following use.

Spencer noted that a survey of IC patients who used the Tamer products reported significant relief of symptoms such as pain in the bladder and urinary urgency (50 percent and 32 percent, respectively).

Both products are reported by the manufacturers to also provide relief for those who suffer from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), as well, which Spencer noted is related to IC.

Calming The Colon
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) has received much recognition and numerous diagnoses in the past few years. Once called "spastic colon," this condition is not harmful to the intestines, but it is excruciatingly painful. Symptoms include painful abdominal cramps, bloating, frequent diarrhea or constipation and the urgent need relieve one's self.

IBS, explained Donald Snyder, PhD of Proper Nutrition, Reading, PA, is a common digestive tract disorder that is suffered by one out of five Americans. Women are three times more likely than men to develop IBS.

Proper Nutrition has developed Intestive, a dietary supplement to promote intestinal health and address Irritable Bowel Syndrome. The supplement combines Seacure fish protein concentrate, bovine colostrum and Boswellia serrata.

"The process used to prepare Secure hydrolyzes the fish protein to 60 percent bioactive peptides and 40 percent biogenic amines," explained Snyder. "Peptides appear to serve as growth factors in the maintenance of healthy intestinal tissue and function," he said.

Putting It All Together
"In the digestive health section of health food stores there are five basic choices," said Enzymedica's Bohager. These five sub-groups are: soothing herbs called bitters (herbs that promote the production of HCL and lipase), plant enzymes (papain, bromelain), glandular enzymes (pancreatin, trypsin, chymotrypsin), and plant-based enzymes (protease, lipase, amylase, cellulase from Aspergillus), and blends of these.

Bohager said that Enzymedica offers Digest, an enzyme blend that "provides all the necessary enzymes" that are typically cooked and processed out of foods. Also from the company are more specialized digestive enzyme products - Carbo, an amylase product geared for those who eat a lot of carbs; Purify, a protease product for those on high-protein diets; and Lipo, a lipase product geared for people who have a tough time digesting fats.

"I believe the best way to set this section of the store is to acknowledge the separate purposes of each and put them in to separate groups. Many of the stores I visit mix all of these on several shelves, causing the average consumer to wonder what's what." VR"

:afro:
 
Last edited:
When protines are broken down in the stomach (digested) they are broken apart and released as amino acids, i think this is a very important part alot of BBers do not understand, the protien intake that you take in is not what is converted to protein for muscle growth, amino acids make the protiens that the body can use.

Quick Q, why not just take in amino acids instead of protein...also, what do amino acids convert to when ingested and/or digested......topics to generate convo :)

great post doc
 
Johnny Cut said:
When protines are broken down in the stomach (digested) they are broken apart and released as amino acids, i think this is a very important part alot of BBers do not understand, the protien intake that you take in is not what is converted to protein for muscle growth, amino acids make the protiens that the body can use.

Quick Q, why not just take in amino acids instead of protein...also, what do amino acids convert to when ingested and/or digested......topics to generate convo :)

great post doc

During the process of digestion the proteins in our food are broken down into their constituent amino acids which are in turn absorbed by the blood capillaries and transported to the liver. The amino acids are then synthesized into proteins or stored as fat or glycogen for energy. Each gram of protein produces approximately 4 kcal.

Many proteins function as enzymes and others:

Form the structural framework of various parts of the body - Keratin in skin and hair
Function as hormones - Insulin
Serve as antibodies
Transport vital substances throughout the body - hemoglobin
Serve as contractile elements in muscle tissues - actin & myosin


As far as your body is concerned, there are two different types of amino acids: essential and non-essential. Non-essential amino acids are amino acids that your body can create out of other chemicals found in your body. Essential amino acids cannot be created, and therefore the only way to get them is through food. Here are the different amino acids:

Non-essential

Alanine (synthesized from pyruvic acid)
Arginine (synthesized from glutamic acid)
Asparagine (synthesized from aspartic acid)
Aspartic Acid (synthesized from oxaloacetic acid)
Cysteine
Glutamic Acid (synthesized from oxoglutaric acid)
Glutamine (synthesized from glutamic acid)
Glycine (synthesized from serine and threonine)
Proline (synthesized from glutamic acid)
Serine (synthesized from glucose)
Tryosine (synthesized from phenylalanine)
Essential
Histidine
Isoleucine
Leucine
Lysine
Methionine
Phenylalanine
Threonine
Tryptophan
Valine

Protein in our diets comes from both animal and vegetable sources. Most animal sources (meat, milk, eggs) provide what's called "complete protein," meaning that they contain all of the essential amino acids. Vegetable sources usually are low on or missing certain essential amino acids. For example, rice is low in isoleucine and lysine. However, different vegetable sources are deficient in different amino acids, and by combining different foods you can get all of the essential amino acids throughout the course of the day. Some vegetable sources contain quite a bit of protein -- things like nuts, beans, soybeans, etc. are all high in protein. By combining them you can get complete coverage of all essential amino acids.
The digestive system breaks all proteins down into their amino acids so that they can enter the bloodstream. Cells then use the amino acids as building blocks.

:afro:
 
Protein is complete, amino acids are "pieces" so by raw I take to mean lowest common denominator, like an atom to an element. So aminos come together to form protein.
 
Johnny Cut said:
is protein the rawest form of amino acids that one can succsessfully take?

From proteinfactory:

The faster amino acids are absorbed, the faster protein synthesis can take place and an positive nitrogen state develops creating an anabolic condition.

Hydrolyzed whey protein is the most digestible source of protein developed for human consumption. A hydrolyzed whey is partially digested to make them more accessible for human digestion. The protein molecules are split into smaller groups called peptides. The amino acids are called peptide bonded. Described as a highly purified protein enzymatically hydrolysated to form whey peptides. The benefits of whey protein isolate are combined with the hydrolysated whey peptides extremely solubility and nutrition benefits.

Drinking the powder the peptides are actually by-passing the stomach and are being absorbed right through the small intestine and into the blood stream. Up to 80% of whey peptides can pass quickly through the stomach intact to be absorbed by the lower intestines. Small di-and tri-peptides are also absorbed faster than free-form amino acids. You want a product that possess the lowest molecular weight average. Taste will be very bitter due to the high degree of hydrolysis.

RB
 
Back
Top