In this blog post, we take a scientific look at the true role of enzymes—which are gaining attention as health supplements—and address the misconceptions found in exaggerated advertisements.
“Enzymes are that good?” This is a common advertising slogan we often see in newspaper articles or online media. It lures consumers by suggesting that simply taking enzymes will strengthen the stomach and completely heal any ailments. Most people purchase and consume health supplements, such as enzyme products, to improve their health. Enzymes are advertised as if they were a panacea, with claims that they help with fatigue recovery, weight loss, and even anti-aging. While this may seem like an easy solution for consumers seeking to alleviate their health anxieties, there is often a lack of scientific evidence supporting these claims. In reality, simply consuming enzymes that the body needs cannot boost overall bodily functions. Taking enzymes is essentially the same as eating a lump of protein. For enzymes to function properly, chemical reactions must occur at the necessary sites according to specific mechanisms. However, ordinary people who lack this specialized scientific knowledge have no choice but to pay high prices and consume enzyme-based foods without question, simply because they are marketed as being good for the body. This is a problem stemming from the information asymmetry surrounding health in modern society, where consumers are easily misled by exaggerated advertising or misinformation. Therefore, this article aims to explain the functions, mechanisms, and various types of enzymes in an easy-to-understand manner.
As mentioned earlier, enzymes are clearly protein molecules. Enzymes are globulin proteins composed of numerous amino acid residues. Humans possess diverse biological characteristics due to DNA with various nucleotide sequences across 23 pairs of homologous chromosomes. Similarly, enzymes are activated to perform their functions by linking amino acids in a chain-like structure and folding them into a specific shape. For example, a person’s physical appearance is influenced by the genes inherited from their parents. Similarly, the structure of pepsin, a digestive enzyme, is formed to receive amino acid sequences from tRNA and break down proteins in the stomach. The structure and function of these enzymes go beyond their role as simple proteins; they are critically important because they act as essential catalysts in the complex metabolic processes of living organisms.
Enzymes bind to substrates—specific reactants—to form enzyme-substrate complexes, thereby lowering the activation energy of chemical reactions and facilitating their occurrence. Activation energy is the minimum energy required for a chemical reaction to occur; when enzymes lower this barrier, reactants can more easily transform into other substances. Pepsin, which aids in protein digestion as mentioned in the previous example, binds to proteins and breaks them down into smaller units called polypeptide chains. This is akin to an enzyme creating a gentle slope instead of requiring one to climb a steep mountain. Consequently, chemical reactions can proceed more efficiently. However, there are many other types of enzymes present in the body besides pepsin. Through international consensus, the forms of catalytic reactions were selected and criteria established as a basis for classifying enzymes. They are broadly divided into six categories, and the types of enzymes corresponding to each number are as follows: EC 1 is oxidoreductases. EC 2 is transferases. EC 3 is hydrolases. EC 4 is lyases. EC 5 is isomerases. EC 6 refers to ligases, which join two molecules via covalent bonds. Each enzyme plays a significant role in digestion and metabolism and contributes to waste elimination, detoxification, and sterilization. The specific sites where each enzyme is produced and acts are predetermined; if the amount of a particular enzyme in the body is higher or lower than the optimal level, it can cause excess or deficiency symptoms. This is why taking enzymes may not be helpful. If you consume enzymes needed elsewhere in the body in addition to the digestive enzymes required by the gastrointestinal tract, it is difficult for those enzymes to pass through the digestive system and enter the bloodstream. This is because enzymes are proteins, and when absorbed, they are broken down into amino acids.
Each type of enzyme has a distinct structure and catalyzes only one specific reaction or a very similar reaction within the body. This phenomenon is called enzyme-substrate specificity. Depending on the structure of an enzyme, it possesses a specific active site, and the concept is that a substrate compatible with that structural form binds to it, triggering a reaction. In the past, this property was explained using the lock-and-key model. Just as the old saying goes, “Everything has a pair,” the countless “locks” known as substrates each have a corresponding “key” enzyme. However, this concept contained a logical contradiction: while it could explain the specificity of enzyme reactions, it failed to explain how the reaction is catalyzed by lowering the activation energy. Therefore, a new theory emerged: the induced-fit theory. It suggests that although the substrate does not have a structure that fits the enzyme’s active site exactly, when they bind, the enzyme slightly alters the structure of the active site to form a complex. This is much like the meeting of a man and a woman. Suppose a man and a woman share a deep connection and develop mutual affection, leading them to continue their relationship. If they decide to marry and form a marital partnership, we can understand how they achieve this through the analogy of enzymes. As they live together, conflicts may arise due to differences in their upbringing and lifestyle habits. If we think of marriage as a chemical reaction, with the enzyme representing the man and the substrate representing the woman, it is not easy to simply accept each other as they are and live together. However, if they make an effort to understand their differences and slightly adjust their personalities to accommodate each other, they can grow much closer and make marriage much easier. In this way, the interaction between enzymes and substrates plays an indispensable, central role in the vital metabolic processes within living organisms.
However, just as there are unwelcome guests in relationships between men and women, there are enzyme inhibitors in the reaction between enzymes and substrates that reduce the reaction rate. There are two main types of enzyme inhibitors: competitive inhibitors and non-competitive inhibitors, and their names literally describe their functions. Competitive inhibitors compete with the substrate for the enzyme’s active site. Non-competitive inhibitors bind to a different site on the enzyme, altering the shape of the active site and preventing the substrate from binding. This is also easy to understand when applied to human relationships. Returning to the analogy of a man and a woman, enzyme inhibitors act as meddlers who ruin the relationship between them. Two women—the substrate and the competitive inhibitor—compete over one man. This lowers the probability that the female substrate and the male enzyme will fall in love. Furthermore, even if the female substrate and male enzyme are a perfect match, non-competitive inhibitors play a role in severing their relationship through indirect means, such as unavoidable circumstances like emigration. In this way, enzyme inhibitors interfere with enzyme activity and play a crucial role in regulating or inhibiting the rate of specific reactions within the body.
Enzymes are essential substances for maintaining homeostasis and ensuring the body functions normally. As mentioned earlier, enzymes act at specific sites, undergo various competitive reactions, and react with suitable substrates. People can benefit from consuming digestive enzymes as functional foods to aid digestive function. However, I hope this article dispels the misconception that these enzymes will cure all diseases in the body. Finally, it is important to remember that a balanced diet and appropriate exercise are more crucial for maintaining a healthy life than enzyme supplements. Rather than relying on external enzyme sources, it is essential to learn how to manage your health and regulate your physical condition so that your body can produce the enzymes it needs.
