Frequently Asked Questions
THE SCIENCE BEHIND SYSTEMIC ENZYME SUPPORT
What is systemic enzyme support?
Systemic enzyme support is a therapy the uses
specific enzyme compounds to increase the enzyme levels throughout
the body, and improve the function of the various body systems,
primarily by modulating, controlling and balancing the inflammatory
and oxidative processes that occur throughout the various body
systems.
This is important because oxidative stress is a byproduct of normal
metabolism, and this oxidative stress can promote inflammation. In
addition, inflammation can occur because of various insults to the
body, including trauma, infections and even the everyday “wear and
tear” that occur with normal activity.
These enzyme compounds – the Wobenzym® formulations - are
specific combinations of enzymes in enteric coated tablets that are
designed that way to they can be absorbed into the bloodstream and
delivered systemically. It is this ability of systemic enzymes to be
delivered to the various body systems that distinguishes the
Wobenzym® formulations from other enzyme supplements.
So, "systemic enzyme support" describes an approach whereby enzymes
are utilized to assist the body's various regulatory and
communication systems, specifically the immune system. A balanced
immune system is a prerequisite for the condition we all want: good
health. In order to make sure that the systemic effect of the enzyme
support succeeds, active enzyme molecules must be available in the
small intestine for absorption.
How
is systemic enzyme support different than the digestive enzymes?
Digestive enzymes are specifically designed to help
digestive system break down
food more efficiently with enzymes. They are primarily used to
help digest proteins –
though they can also help digest carbohydrate and fats. Digestive
enzymes pretty much stay in
the digestive tract are used to
strengthen digestive function
when the body cannot make enough of its own enzymes to properly
digest the food. So, the
activity is primarily on digestion.
True – if we improve digestion other parts of the body benefit. But
digestive enzymes do not do the same thing that Systemic Enzymes do.
Systemic enzymes are quite different. Systemic enzymes are absorbed
into the blood and act primarily on the immune system, and their
action is to balance the immune system. This balance is critical
because so many health conditions are in part because of abnormal
inflammation – inflammation out of control.
We know that inflammation is
important – if we are fighting infection – such as a splinter in
the hand. We see redness, heat, swelling, and pain, as well as
difficulty moving the finger wit with the splinter.
However, when inflammation is
out of control – and we see red, hot, swollen, painful, hard to
move knees and hands with arthritis, we know it is the immune system
that needs to be addressed.
That is what Wobenzym N
does. It is a systemic enzyme formulation that addresses abnormal
immune system function and restores balance in the immune system.
How
does Wobenzym® N control inflammation?
The key to describe how Wobenzym controls inflammation
would have to be the word –
balance. The immune system is very complex – how does it destroy
pathogens but not destroy our own tissue? How do we keep it strong
enough to protect us? Traditionally, therapies that target the
immune system could stimulate it make it more aggressive – such as
Echinacea – or it could suppress the immune system – using
anti-inflammatory herbs such as Salix alba boswellia or ginger
concentrates. Of course we see this carried to the extreme with
powerful chemical antibiotics or with immune-suppressants
(prednisone).
Wobenzym® N does not suppress or stimulate the immune
system. It balances it. So the immune system can do what it was
designed to do.
The immune system is designed to control the infection or trauma,
clean up the debris, and set the groundwork for rebuilding healthy
tissue.
If we approach arthritis with the intent of suppressing the immune
system with prednisone or other immune suppressant then we interfere
with the body’s ability to carry out the other duties of the immune
system, such as cleaning up the debris and setting the ground work
of healing and rebuilding.
What
part of the immune system is actually being balanced?
The immune system has its own method of communication.
Cells close to infection or trauma or degenerated tissue need to
tell other cells that something has to be done. This is done with
chemical messengers are protein-like molecules called
cytokines. Some cytokines increase inflammation – destroy
pathogens or damaged tissue – other cytokines calm down the
inflammation. These two groups of cytokines are typically divided
into two groups –Th1 and Th2.
Th1 include cytokines such as Interferon-gamma and Tumor Necrosis
Factor-alpha, as well as Interleukin-2, 6 and 12.
Th2 include cytokines such as Interleukin-4, 5 & 10, as well as
Tissue Growth Factor-beta.
When the two groups are imbalanced we different types of
inflammation.
If
cytokines are imbalanced, what type of inflammation would we see?
Excessive Th1 can cause an exaggerated response to
inflammation such as too many aches and pains with
everyday activity, or an
excessive amount of inflammation after
sports activity – which could cause people to exercise less.
Long term excessive Th1 ultimately lead to destructive immune
processes such as autoimmune
diseases, including as rheumatoid arthritis, autoimmune thyroid
disease, etc.
Excessive Th2 activity
can cause the allergy syndromes (atopy) such as asthma, eczema and
eyes and nose allergies.
Long term excessive Th2 activity can lead to increased risk of
cancer, or conditions that are a result of immune system suppression
including frequent infections or increased viral outbreak – such as
shingles (herpes zoster).
The unique ability of the
Wobenzym® N is best summed up by saying it has the
ability to balance the immune system – it restores normal function.
It is not control inflammation through immunosuppression. It is not
an immune-stimulant. It balances the immune system, so that it can
do what it was designed to do.
How
does Wobenzym® N balance the cytokines?
By increasing systemic enzyme levels, Wobenzym®
N increases the activation of
alpha-2-macroglobulin,
a protein that is “found abundantly in plasma and
interstitial fluids”. (Interstitial fluid is the fluid found the
cells of the body.
Alpha-2-macroglobulin
acts a chaperone to remove excessive cytokines, damaged parts of
cells (cellular debris - garbage) and damaged or dangerous protein
molecules form the blood.
This protein, called
alpha-2-macroglobulin, is typically decreased and is not as
activated, with age and with certain diseases, so the body’s ability
to clean itself of unwanted proteins is diminished. Wobenzym®
N activates alpha-2-macroglobulin, and enhances the body’s ability
to maintain alpha-2-macroglobulin production.
The activated
alpha-2-macroglobulin restores normal immune function – allows
it to go back to a balanced healthy state. The relationship between
activated alpha-2 macroglobulin and immune system health is critical
for prevention and control of both acute and chronic disease.
The ability of Wobenzym® N to restore immune system
health - through restoration of normal balanced function – is why
Wobenzym® N is so effective in such as wide range of
inflammatory conditions.
What
does the activated alpha-2-macroglobulin help remove from the blood
stream?
In addition to
excessive cytokines, activated alpha-2-macroglobulin is able to
bind to, and promote the clearance of:
various antigens such as
bacteria, viruses, yeast, pollens and other allergenic substances.
Excessive antibodies, such as
those seen in autoimmune disease, can also be removed.
Circulating immune complexes
– which are formed when antigens and antibodies stick together – can
be removed.
It is important to note that
circulating immune complexes may be quite elevated in autoimmune
disease and can cause disease when they become imbedded in tissues.
CICs are very pro-inflammatory
As I mentioned, enzyme activated alpha-2 macroglobulin facilitates
the removed of cellular
debris and damaged proteins. These damaged proteins may be the
result of increased oxidative stress, or of
glycosylation – the damage caused by excessive blood sugar.
The enzyme activated alpha-2-macroglobulin also facilitates the
removal of other proteins such as
excessive fibrin, amyloid
and c-reactive protein by
binding to these proteins so they can be eliminated from the
circulation.
The net result is an improved removal of the
substances that promote inflammation - from both the circulation and the
fluid between cells, by binding them to the activated
alpha-2-macroglobulin.
How
is the activated alpha-2-macroglobulin with all of the bound
cytokines, antigens and proteins removed from the circulation?
The enzyme activated a2M, with the bound cytokines,
antigens and proteins actually initiates its own removal (and the
removal of the inflammatory substances) from the blood stream and
uptake by macrophages. These macrophages are already in the
circulatory system and in the spaces between cells. The enzyme
activated alpha 2-macroglobulin promote macrophage locomotion and
chemotaxis (movement initiated by a chemical message). The enzyme
activated alpha 2-macroglobulin- complexes are cleared from the
circulation very quickly by macrophages.
The macrophages engulf, and then digest the
cellular debris, excessive cytokines, bacteria, yeast, viruses, pollen,
other allergens, excessive antibodies, excessive circulating immune
complexes &
other unwanted proteins that have been captured by the activated
alph-2-macroglobulin.
It is important to understand that if the
cellular debris,
excessive cytokines,
bacteria, yeast, viruses,
pollen, other allergens, excessive antibodies and the excessive
circulating immune complexes were allowed to stay in the
circulatory system, and allowed to become attached to tissues
throughout the body we would see increased inflammation with a
decreased function and decreased health of various body systems.
These imbalanced substances
promote inflammation and are involved with the pathogenesis –
with the actual beginning – as well as the progression - of most
diseases.
Noting that Wobenzym® balances the immune system, what
other body systems are affected by taking these systemic enzyme
formulations?
They will see that by balancing the immune system – and
the controlling of inappropriate inflammation that can affect every
system in the body - they can improve the function of any body
system that has not been working properly due to inflammation.
Now keep in mind; inflammation can adversely affect every system in
the body: the cardiovascular system, the nervous system, the
musculoskeletal system, the endocrine system, the urinary system,
and so on. Any system that can be damaged by inflammation – and that
is every system – can
function better when the inflammation is controlled.
Because Wobenzym® induces the anti-inflammatory
affect on the whole body – because it supports the enzyme activated
clearing of inflammatory substances - its actions are appropriately
called systemic.
The medical science is quite clear:
by controlling systemic
inflammation, we improve the function of every body system.
And by improving the function of every body system Wobenzym®
is used to treat quite a large number of diseases and health
conditions.
Again, the science shows this – with hundreds of published studies
that were done on Wobenzym®.
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