Papain And Bromelain?

[wozzy]

My coach, who reads a zillion articles about everything and knows about everything, mentioned this, but he doesn't know if it would work. Of course, he wouldn't tell me to just eat gluten, but if I were about to go out to eat or encounter a meal that I suspected might have CC or something, it might help.

Quoted from him:

Did you see this one too?

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I just got an idea skimming these papers: It would seem that the

Peptides (not the constituent amino acids) are the problem irritating

The bowel and causing symptoms.

If that's so, then if you ingested enzymes to help break down those

Peptide BEFORE they reached the small intestine, you might be able

To reduce or eliminate symptoms. That's the theory anyway.

If you look in Vitamin World or online at www.puritanspride.com

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They have both bromelain and papain enzyme tablets which help to break down

Protein. If the offending peptides are broken up into constituent aminos by

The time they hit your gut, they might not cause problems (??)

I have a recipe for a marinade that is based on papaya and pineapple and I

Have to tell you this stuff can "digest" chicken breasts in under a 1/2

hour.

(its really yummy tho :-) ) So in the same way that taking enzymes to break

down

Lactose can help the lactose intolerant, I'm wondering if these proteolytic

Enzymes might not help the gluten intolerant.

[Guest Robbin]

Interesting recipe idea. I take v-gest which helps some, but it doesn't "cure" the problem. I take it because so many foods cause problems with me, but the enzymes can't "cure" celiac disease-it is an autoimmune reaction to the gluten containing foods that cause the problems. I think anything that helps to normalize the intestines is a good idea and someone like myself who has had long term D probably has a deficiency of many enzymes. I am sure the constipation sufferers also would get benefits from enzymes. Thanks for the interesting topic.

[trents]

In the media I have seen several times lately the assertion that Celiac disease is caused by the inability to break down gluten, i.e., the lack of an ezyme or something. I'm not sure that is the nature of the disease. My understanding is that it is actually an abnormal immune response to gluten rather than in inability to break it down.

[jerseyangel]

In the media I have seen several times lately the assertion that Celiac disease is caused by the inability to break down gluten, i.e., the lack of an ezyme or something. I'm not sure that is the nature of the disease. My understanding is that it is actually an abnormal immune response to gluten rather than in inability to break it down.

I've noticed that, too. Either that or they say 'unable to digest gluten'. Neither are correct--the body treats gluten as an invader and triggers a reaction. The immune system in turn attacks the lining of the small intestine. You are right

I almost forgot why I posted here in the first place --my local health food store carries it's own brand of Papain and Bromelain. I find it very soothing. I use it instead of things like Tums.

[wozzy]

I didn't think it would work for that reason.

I feel like there's a lot more to celiac disease than we know, though. I don't think it's just that we can't handle gluten, but there's something wrong with us, and gluten-intolerance is a by-product.

[trents]

I didn't think it would work for that reason.

I feel like there's a lot more to celiac disease than we know, though. I don't think it's just that we can't handle gluten, but there's something wrong with us, and gluten-intolerance is a by-product.

I think you may be right about that. Really, Celiac disease seems to be part of a syndrome pattern when you consider all the various spinoffs it has and not all of them can be explained by malabsorption. For a lot of people, there are problems that persist even after they go gluten free.

Steve

[Guest cassidy]

papain and bromelain are digestive enzymes. If you pick up any bottle at the health food store you will see them listed as ingredients. I love digestive enzymes. Sometimes when I eat safe food (more when I was recently gluten-free) my stomach would hurt. Taking one of these before meals really cut down on my stomach aches because they do help you digest your food.

And, the new research out of Stanford is working with some type of enzyme that will digest small amounts of gluten, like from cc, so you don't get sick. That is years away and probably not anything like the enzymes we can buy now. I don't think this research would be in the news if we could just pop any of these gluten-ease or other things in the health food stores that claim they can help you digest gluten. Even those things say they are not for celiacs.

Regular digestive enzymes will help you digest your food better but won't allow you to eat gluten. I have taken them a lot and I have never noticed a reduction in my symptoms from being glutened when I am taking them. I am also very sensitive and I don't think it has helped me be able to tolerate small amounts of gluten.

[mle-ii]

Somehow I missed this topic but I ran across some very interesting research with regards to Bromelain. That leads me to believe that in the right quantity it won't cure, but I'm guessing it can help.

Here's what I posted elsewhere with regards to this.

Anyone tried Bromelain as an anti-inflammitory for MC (Microscopic Colitis)? My naturapath suggested taking this on an empty stomach. Doing some research it sounds promising. It's a digestive enzyme made from pineapple stem. What is of further interest is that it was also shown to help with E. Coli... there we go again with bacteria and links to inflamation.

Here's more:

This just hit me, given that IBD seem to be hitting developed nations more than others. And given that developed nations has so many refined foods, removing everything that is "unappetizing" from our natural food sources (stems, seeds, husks, roots, leaves all the stuff from which these digestive enzymes seem to be created from) that we have removed a source of health/healing for our GI and we get ill. We get sicker as we get cleaner. Hmmmm...

Hell, it looks like enzymes in general can help, not just this particular one.

And more:

Enzymes as effective as a NSAID.

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More goodness:

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What is also interesting about inflamation and bacterial is that they think that IBD is partly due to the body trying to fight off the good bacteria of the gut.

[NicoleAJ]

Bromelain is great. I had to have sinus surgery a few years back, and my doctor suggested I take it for the weeks leading up to my surgery. When I finally had the surgery, I had bruising and swelling on the first day, but they cleared up within a day or so rather than lingering for a week or more.