If you take part in athletic endeavors, you have to contend with muscle pains or soreness.
While seasoned athletes and fitness enthusiasts view these pains as evidence of a good training session, it still does not erase the fact that muscle soreness impedes one’s ability to get a good workout.
As a result, one of the most researched topics in the fitness world is how to speed up recovery from strenuous workout.
If your research has led you to proteolytic enzymes, we are here to tell you that, yes, they indeed have the ability to enhance muscle recovery.
But how do they do that? Read on, as this article will discuss everything you need to know about these enzymes.
What are Enzymes?
To understand proteolytic enzymes, it is important to get a grasp of what enzymes are and what they do.
Enzymes are protein substances that are the basis of all chemical reactions in the body.
For anything to happen inside your body, a chemical reaction has to occur. And for that chemical reaction to occur, an enzymatic action has to take place first.
Therefore, enzymes control every single process in the body, ranging from breathing to your heartbeat.
I guess you now have a good understanding of how important enzymes are.
Unfortunately, enzyme synthesis – the process through which enzymes are created –decreases as we age. This explains why we become weaker or frail the older we get.
Therefore, if one is to keep their body in top shape, they must add to their enzymes reserves via the foods we consume.
However, cooking destroys enzymes, as they are extremely sensitive to temperature extremes.
The only solution to this issue is to take supplements that contain live enzymes.
What are Proteolytic Enzymes?
These are among the most important enzymes in the body, as they are the basis of numerous processes.
They are also known as proteases, proteinases, or peptidases, and are produced in the stomach and pancreas.
The most important function of proteases is the digestion or breakdown of protein molecules. They hydrolyze the peptide bonds between protein molecules, leaving behind free amino acids.
The body then absorbs those amino acids for muscle building.
Proteases also play a critical role in crucial physiological processes, such as hormone production, immune function, blood clotting, and more.
But how do they help in muscle recovery? That is what the next section is about.
Proteolytic Enzymes and Muscle Recovery
To understand the role of these enzymes in muscle recovery, let us first look into what causes you to feel sore after a workout.
There are two types of pains associated with training: acute muscle soreness and delayed onset muscle soreness.
Acute muscle soreness is the ‘burn’ you experience in your muscle during an exercise.
This pain is usually caused by lactic acid buildup in the muscle and usually ceases once you stop the exercise.
Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS)
Unlike acute muscle soreness, you do not experience delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) during the workout.
Instead, you experience it the next day. For example, after an intense squat workout, your legs feel fine, and you even go about your business with no issues.
However, when you wake up the following morning, you may experience intense pain. That is DOMS.
This is also what you experience the following morning after making your comeback to training, after being away from the gym for a significant period.
According to the American College of Sports Medicine, the symptoms of DOMS start manifesting between 12 and 24 hours after training and can last for up to three days.
The most common DOMS symptoms include:
- Muscle soreness
- Pain during movement
- Limited range of motion
- Muscle fatigue
- Slight swelling
What Causes Direct Onset Muscle Soreness?
Intense exercises create tiny tears in muscle tissue.
The body’s response to that damage is by causing inflammation to that area, which is what usually results in soreness.
So, what does this have to do with proteolytic enzymes?
Proteases and Direct Onset Muscle Soreness
One of the main functions of protease enzymes in the body is to reduce inflammation, with multiple studies proving that true.
In one study, a blend consisting of curcumin and the bromelain proteolytic enzyme was administered to a group of men after their workout.
They were also given a placebo. Findings revealed that they displayed significantly reduced DOMS when they were given the blend, as compared to the placebo.
According to a report from a review of 10 studies involving a proteolytic enzyme known as bromelain, the enzyme proved itself effective at alleviating swelling, stiffness, and pain.
In a study involving rats and proteases, the rats that had the enzymes administered to them displayed a significant reduction in inflammation. In fact, the enzymes had more anti-inflammatory properties than aspirin.
In addition to their anti-inflammatory properties, protease enzymes also promote healing and recovery, according to studies.
In animal studies, the proteases bromelain and papain were found to speed up wound healing, in addition to accelerating the rate of new tissue growth.
In another study, a group of 24 patients had to go through two dental surgery sessions.
In one session, they received the serrapeptase proteolytic enzyme, while in the other, they were given a placebo.
Findings indicated that they experienced much more relief, as well as a significant reduction in swelling after taking serrapeptase.
The Takeaway
Thanks to their ability to alleviate inflammation, these enzymes can help speed up muscle recovery, as studies show that there is a causal link between muscle soreness and inflammation.
Moreover, the fact that enzyme synthesis declines as we age coupled with the fact that we hardly get any enzymes from our food means that recovering from training takes longer since we do not have enough proteases for the job.
Therefore, by taking a proteolytic enzyme supplement, you will be providing your body with the ammunition it needs to deal with your soreness.
Other Benefits of Proteolytic Enzymes
In addition to helping alleviate muscle soreness, these enzymes also have other tremendous health benefits such as:
Enhancing Muscle Gains
The two cardinal rules of building muscle mass is training hard and consuming loads of protein, which is why bodybuilders love their chicken breasts and protein supplements.
This is because protein is the building block of muscles. As such, if you are looking to increase the rate at which you are building muscle mass, you must increase your protein intake.
However, simply increasing your protein intake does not necessarily result in rapid muscle gains. This is because your body does not absorb protein in its raw form; it first needs to be broken down into amino acids.
What breaks down proteins into amino acids? That’s right, our good friends the proteolytic enzymes.
Unfortunately, if your protease reserves are insufficient, your body’s ability to break down protein becomes compromised.
Consequently, the amount of amino acids that your muscles will be receiving is not going to be proportional to your protein intake.
As a result, you will have a difficult time making progress despite your efforts.
Therefore, by adding to your proteolytic enzyme reserves, you will be enhancing your body’s muscle-building efficiency.
Boosting Cardiovascular Health
The proteolytic enzyme papain has been shown to be helpful towards the prevention of cardiovascular ailments such as diabetic heart disease and atherosclerosis, thanks to its powerful antioxidant properties.
Papain is derived from the papaya fruit, which is rich in vitamin A and vitamin C. These vitamins are powerful antioxidants.
Through its antioxidant properties, papain prevents the oxidation of cholesterol. This is because cholesterol usually sticks to the walls of blood vessels when it is oxidized.
As this continues, it forms plaques that obstruct the flow of blood, which increases the risk for strokes and heart attacks.
Boosting Energy Levels
These enzymes are natural energy boosters. By helping the body get rid of excess proteins, as well as pathogens from the blood, proteases facilitate the role of red blood cells.
If you can remember your biology basics, red blood cells are responsible for the transportation of oxygen in the body, which is what your cells use to make energy.
Therefore, by boosting your proteolytic enzyme reserves, you will no longer have to rely on endless cups of coffee or energy drinks for energy.
Boosting the Immune System
According to Nutrition Review, proteases boost the potency of your white blood cells tremendously.
White blood cells are also known as lymphocytes or killer cells and work to fight against disease-causing pathogens.
Therefore, by enhancing their potency, proteases give your immune system greater fighting ability against pathogens.
Potential Side Effects
While proteases are considered safe, they have the potential to cause side effects in some individuals.
For starters, taking doses that are higher than what is recommended can result in several digestive issues, such as vomiting, nausea, and diarrhea.
There is also the potential for allergic reactions.
If you are allergic to pineapples, there is a good chance that you might be allergic to the bromelain proteolytic enzyme, which can result in reactions such as skin rashes.
Research also indicates that papain and bromelain may compromise the functioning of blood-thinning medication such as warfarin.
Papain is also thought to increase the concentrations of certain antibiotics in the blood.
As such, make sure that you consult a physician before taking a proteolytic enzyme supplement.
Proteolytic Enzyme Sources
So, which are the best sources of these enzymes?
As mentioned, your body produces proteases naturally in the stomach and pancreas.
However, that production wanes over time, which means that you will have to utilize outside sources to boost your enzyme reserves.
You can source your proteases from either food or supplements.
Food Sources
As a rule of thumb, raw and fermented foods have the highest concentrations of enzymes.
As mentioned, cooking usually destroys enzymes, which is why raw foods are rich in enzymes.
Fermenting, on the other hand, reduces enzyme inhibitors, which is why yogurt is recommended for gut health, as it is rich in these substances.
The best proteolytic enzyme food sources are pineapples and papayas. Pineapples contain the bromelain proteolytic enzyme, while papayas are rich in papain.
Supplements
Proteolytic enzyme supplements come in all forms, ranging from tablets and capsules to powders, chewables, and gel caps.
While most supplements consist of a blend of several types of proteolytic enzymes, some consist of only one type. Therefore, your needs are what are going to determine your choice.
Proteolytic enzyme blends typically consist of bromelain, pancreatin, papain, chymotrypsin, and trypsin.
Manufacturers of these supplements source their enzymes from both animal and plant sources.
For instance, chymotrypsin and trypsin are sourced from cows and pigs and are arguably the most common animal-based proteases in supplement blends.
As mentioned, bromelain and papain are derived from fruits.
Therefore, when buying a proteolytic enzyme supplement, make sure that it fits your dietary habits.
For example, if you are vegan, you might want to avoid supplements containing trypsin or chymotrypsin.
When you begin using these supplements, start with the lowest dose possible, gradually increasing it to allow your body time to get used to the substance.
Pay attention to the guidelines as well since different brands often recommend different dosages.
Experts recommend taking your dose before or during meals so they can assist with digestion.
Final Thoughts
Proteolytic enzymes play several important roles in the body, ranging from improving digestion to improving cardiovascular health and boosting the immune system.
When it comes to muscle recovery, these enzymes can be incredibly beneficial towards hastening that process, thanks to their anti-inflammatory properties.
They also increase your energy levels, in addition to enhancing the rate at which you build muscle.
Therefore, if you are an athlete or fitness enthusiast looking to take your game to the next level, proteases might just give you the edge that you have been looking for.
