Presenter: Mahmane Mamadou, PhD
Format: Video of slides with synchronized audio

Some specific orally-administered hydrolytic enzymes have been used for enhancing the digestive function, maintaining cardiovascular health, and controlling various inflammatory conditions.  Although the use of enzymes as digestive aid as well as therapeutic agents has a long history, there is still some controversy about their effectiveness, usefulness, and supporting scientific data.  The main argument against the use of enzymes taken orally is the possibility of their hydrolysis/degradation by the contents of the gastric fluid, namely hydrochloric acid and pepsin.  In general, pancreatic enzymes have been used to treat digestive insufficiencies.  These pancreatic enzymes, due to their susceptibility to the gastric fluid, are enteric-coated to help sustain the conditions in the stomach.  However, recent advances in fermentation technology and downstream processing of the enzyme products have resulted in commercial production of safe and effective plant, fungal, and bacterial enzymes that could be taken orally by humans and still maintain their function within the gastrointestinal tract as well as systemically in the body. This presentation will discuss the gastric stability of some of the enzymes commonly used as dietary supplements, their digestive benefits, as well as their effects in controlling inflammatory conditions.  Furthermore, the importance of supporting good nutrition and health through effective enzyme supplementation will be discussed.

Learning Objectives
- Introduction to the relevant scientific and medical evidence supporting the use of orally-administered enzymes as supplements as well as therapeutic agents,
- Scientific evidence underlying the gastric stability of some enzymes when taken orally as supplements while maintaining their functionality,
- Up-to-date data on the mechanisms of action of supplemental enzymes and explain why enzymes do not generally induce immunological reactions when taken orally,
- Specific cases of enzyme applications in nutrition and health.