Recommended dose:

Adults: Take 2 delayed release capsules daily with food, one in the morning and one in the evening, or as directed by a healthcare practitioner. Swallow whole/Do not crush or chew.

Recommended duration of use:

• Consult a health care practitioner for use beyond 6 weeks.

Recommended use or purpose:

• Digestive enzyme, digestive aid.

Cautions and warnings:

• If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, do not use
• Consult a healthcare Practitioner prior to use if you have:
  a) a gastrointestinal lesion/ulcer
  b) are taking an anticoagulant/blood thinner or an anti-inflammatory
  c) are having surgery
  d) have an allergy to latex or fruits (such as avocado, banana, chestnut, passion fruit, fig, melon, mango, kiwi, pineapple, peach, and tomato)
  e) have diabetes
• Hypersensitivity/allergy has been known to occur: in which case discontinue use
• Nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea have been known to occur, in which case discontinue use (and consult a healthcare practitioner.
• Store in airtight container, protect from light.
• If seal around cap is broken or missing, do not use.

DIGESTIVE ENZYMES

Our food is mainly composed of proteins, carbohydrates, fats, fibre, water, vitamins, minerals and trace elements. The exact mechanisms of their assimilation (digestion, absorption and utilization) are very complicated, and digestive enzymes play an essential part in this process.

FUNCTION OF DIGESTIVE ENZYMES

Digestion begins in the mouth, where chewing grinds larger pieces of food into smaller pieces and mixes it with saliva containing amylase, to begin the breakdown of starch into glucose.
The second stage of digestion begins in the stomach, where secretions of hydrochloric acid and other low pH enzymes begin the digestion process of breaking down larger molecules of food into smaller ones so they can be absorbed from the small intestine.
Next, the liquefied, pre-digested food enters the duodenum (upper part of the small intestine) from the stomach. Here the pancreas secretes pancreatic juice into the duodenum to complete the digestive process. Pancreatic juice contains three main classes of enzymes:

1. Carbohydrase enzymes (Amylase): digest carbohydrates: simple mono-saccharides (glucose, fructose and galactose), disaccharides (sucrose, lactose and maltose) or complex polysaccharides (starch and fibres): End products are monosaccharides.
2. Protease enzymes (chemotrypism, trypsin, carbozypeptidase, and proelastase): digest proteins to proteases, peptones, polypeptides, dipeptides and amino acids.
3. Lipase enzymes (phospholipase, triacylglycerol lipase): (digest fats that are composed of triglycerides, phospholipids and cholesterols. The main end products of the digestion of fats are fatty acids and glycerides that are not water-soluble. Bile is also secreted from the gallbladder for emulsification of the fat particles in food so that the lipases can perform their job properly.

Pancreatic juice is alkaline; the enzymes in the small intestine work best in an alkaline environment (i.e., with high pH). This is why enteric coated tablets or the new DRcaps are necessary as they prevent the supplemental pancreatic enzymes from being broken down by stomach acid.
The control of secretions from the gall-bladder, pancreas and small intestine is both hormonal and neurological. Enzymes for each class of food are specific: The function of digestion is to break down the components of food into simple sugars, (glucose, fructose and galactose), amino acids, fatty acids and glycerides.

USE OF DIGESTIVE ENZYMES

Digestive enzymes are significant because digestion of food is impossible without them.
Normally, our body is able to manufacture sufficient enzymes to metabolize our ingested food. Exogenous food enzymes are required only when there is a deficiency of such enzymes in our body. In cases of malabsorption due to pancreatic insufficiency, physicians often prescribe pancreatic digestive enzymes (e.g. Pancreatin) as a replacement therapy.
Food enzymes are necessary in order to break down large food components into smaller ones that the body can absorb. Each enzyme has a specific job and can only break down certain components. The heat of cooking and food processing can destroy the enzymes found naturally in food. Ageing and some illnesses such as diabetes and pancreatic problems can decrease internal enzyme production. Since supplemental enzymes have been shown to work synergistically with internal enzymes to enhance digestion, it is prudent to supplement meals with pancreatic enzymes when there is a need.

Vita-Zyme is a systemic enzyme formula (consisting of combinations of proteolytic enzymes such as bromelain, papain, rutin, amylase, protease and lipase) designed to enhance digestion necessary for healthy joints and muscles, healthy circulation, a healthy immune system and to minimize the effects of ageing.
Vita-Zyme is a vegan alternative to a German popular enzyme formula: Featuring DRcaps technology and eliminating unnecessary tablet excipients, substantial improvements in function, dissolution and absorption are obtained.
Enteric coated tablets required to deliver the German enzymes directly to the small intestine for absorption have many drawbacks: The tablets themselves require several excipients in order to bind the tablet together. These include calcium phosphate, corn polysaccharides, microcrystalline cellulose, crospovidone (Polyvinylpolypyrrolidone) macrogol 6000 (polyethylene glycol), vegetable stearate and talc (silicon dioxide). These excipients have no nutritional or therapeutic value but are required in order to make the tablets hold together.
Enzymes are destroyed by heat and stomach acid, therefore the tablets must be enteric coated to allow them to resist stomach acid and to dissolve in the small intestine where the pancreatic enzymes can began to function. Enteric coating is a complicated and expensive process which uses plasticizers such at Phthalates to resist stomach acid. The use of heat and organic solvents is required to allow the spray dried enteric coating to be applied evenly to the tablets.
DRcaps eliminate the need for tablet excipients and enteric coating: DRcaps need no excipients or enteric coating. DRcaps are made from plant based hypromellose polymer and are formulated to dissolve in the higher pH of the small intestine, and not in the acid pH of the stomach.
Vita-Zyme is formulated to provide the daily effective dose in two DRcaps rather than in six enteric coated tablets. This is made possible by eliminating the tablet excipients, so that the capsules contain only the active ingredients.

THE FORMULA: (2 DRcaps)

Protease (Aspergillus oryzae) (50 mg) [40,000 FCC HUT units of protease activity]:

Protease is derived from the fermentation of A. oryzae. It demonstrates both exo-peptidase and endo-peptidase activity with high substrate specificity. The exo-peptidase enzymes hydrolyze the protein molecule at the terminus of the peptide chain liberating amino acids, while the endo-peptidase enzymes hydrolyze the protein molecule at an interior peptide bond liberating peptides of various lengths.

Amylase (Aspergillus oryzae) (400 mg) [40,000 FCC DU units of amylase activity]:

Alpha Amylase is an enzyme produced by the fermentation of the fungal organism A. oryzae. Alpha Amylase hydrolyzes starch into smaller subunits called dextrins.

Lipase (Aspergillus niger) (134 mg) [2,000 FCC FIP units of lipase activity]:

Lipase is a lipolytic enzyme produced from the fermentation of A. niger. Vitex used a highly concentrated form of lipase. Lipase catalyzes the hydrolysis of fats and oils, yielding monoglycerides, diglycerides, glycerol and free fatty acids, It has broad substrate specificity on dietary fats from both animal and vegetable sources.

Papain (Carica papaya) (100 mg) [4,000,000 FCC PU]

Papain is a proteolytic enzyme isolated from immature papaya fruit. Vitex uses a potent concentration of Papain containing 40 million PU per gram. Papain demonstrates both exo-peptidase and endo-peptidase activity with a broad pH range. It can play a significant role in the breakdown of toxins and is a powerful antiseptic, digestive aid, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent which is shown to boost the immune system. Papain is a vegetarian alternative to pepsin (prepared from hog mucosa) and exhibits comparable activity.

Bromelain (Ananus comosus) (100 mg) [4,500,000 FCC PU]:

Bromelain is a sulfhydryl proteolytic enzyme extract from the stem of the pineapple, A. comosus. Vitex uses a potent concentration of Bromelain containing 45 million PU per gram (3,000 GDU per gram). Bromelain demonstrates both exo-peptidase and endo-peptidase activity with a broad pH range. Bromelain has many benefits in addition to its protein digesting abilities. Bromelain relaxes smooth muscles, relieves sinusitis, enhances wound healing and acts on blood platelets. Bromelain offers significant support for a wide variety of disorders from impaired digestion, sinusitis and allergies to its antibiotic and anti-inflammatory properties. Due to its ability to block harmful prostaglandins that can cause pain and inflammation, and to its positive effect on beneficial prostaglandins, Bromelain is an effective nutritional supplement to help maintain healthy joints. Bromelain also possesses natural appetite suppression properties and shows great promise as a weight control aid. The Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database suggests bromelain, in conjunction with trypsin and rutin is as effective as some prescription analgesics in the management of osteoarthritis.

Rutin (150 mg) (Rutoside trihydrate):

Rutin is a citrus flavonoid glycoside related to quercitin and is found in many plants. Rutin has antioxidant activity and inhibits platelet aggregation as well as decreasing capillary permeability, making the blood thinner and improving circulation. It shows anti-inflammatory activity. Recent studies show that rutin could help prevent blood clots.

Note: The Pancreatin in the German product is obtained primarily from porcine sources although there are some bovine sources available. For those who have allergic reactions to pork, for those who for religious reasons do not eat pork, and for those who follow the vegan or vegetarian discipline a suitable alternative is available. Vitex uses Protease, Amylase and Lipase, the principle pancreatic enzymes which are produced in bacterial and fungal cultures (Aspergillus) through fermentation. This is a pure animal-free product (Vegan) and many healthcare practitioners prefer the fermented source over the animal source.

NOTE: For maximum benefit, take the SOURCE Optimum, SONA based vitamin/mineral/enzyme formula and VEGAN Omega 3-6-9 to provide the body with optimum levels of other essential nutrients necessary to help maintain long term good health.

Packaging: Packed in light & oxygen resistant recyclable PETE (Bisphenol A free) bottles.
100% pure: contains no animal substance, additives, binders, fillers or other excipients.
DRcaps: Hypromellose polymer, gellan gum (designed to dissolve in the small intestine). Ingredient details can be read here.
DRcaps is a reg. trademark of Capsugel.