Quality Methods and Measures of Enzyme Activity

There are a number of enzyme supplement products on the market today. Only by analyzing the content labeling to compare products can you be sure you are getting the best product available. However, eighty percent of the enzyme supplements sold in health food stores today are plant-based. The other 20% is made up of glandular (animal sourced such as pancreatin, trypsin and chymotrypsin), and plant (bromelain and papain). It is important to understand that the assays used to measure each of these materials are different. There is no comparison of the active units used to determine how much protein, fat or carbohydrates an enzyme can break down in a matter of minutes of a plant or glandular enzyme verses a plant based enzyme, as the active units are very different. As a rule of thumb, one active unit of a plant based enzyme can equal anywhere from 10 to 100 active units of the plant and glandular enzymes. Therefore, on a unit per unit basis, plant based enzymes are 10-100 times more active than other choices.

Theramedix products contain the highest activities available. No other company uses such high active units in a multiple enzyme line. In addition to a comprehensive digestive enzyme (DGX) that is on average ten times stronger than our competitors, Theramedix has a high amylase (AMS), a high protease (PRX), and a high lipase (LPS) product. They are one of a kind. We take enzyme activity seriously, and we measure this activity using real and valid units, as recognized by the FDA and nationally recognized standards.

There are various methods for measuring activity of enzymes, and Theramedix uses the methods recommended by the Food Chemical Codex (FCC), an accepted standard of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The FCC, published by the National Academy Press, is the system for determining enzyme potency used by the American food industry. This is the ONLY National Standard for evaluation of plant-based enzymes, and they establish activity levels and potency for enzymes. Whereas most supplements state the activities in weights, such as milligarms, enzymes are concerned with bioactivity. There is no direct relationship between weight and units of activity.

THE FCC UNIT MEASUREMENTS ARE EXPRESSED AS FOLLOWS:

• Alpha-Galactosidase-GalU (Galactosidase units)
• Amylase-DU (Dextrinizing Units)
• Bromelain - GDU (Gelatin Digesting Units) or FCCPU
• Catalase - Baker Units (Named after the Author)
• Cellulase - CU (Cellulase unit)
• Glucoamylase - AG (Amyloglucosidase Units)
• Hemicellulase - HCU (Hemicellulase Units)
• Invertase - INVU (Invertase Activity unit)
• Lactase - ALU (Lactase unit)
• Lipase - FCCFIP (Federation Internationale Pharmceutique)
• Maltase - DP (Degrees of Diastatic Power)
• Nattokinase - FU (Fibrinolytic Units)
• Pectinase - AJDU (Apple Juice Depectinizing Units)
• Phytase - PU (Phytase Units)
• Protease-HUT (Hemoglobin Unit Tyrosine base)
• Xylanase - XU (Xylanase Units)

It is important when comparing enzyme products to make sure measurements are listed using FCC standard codes. There are a number of different methods used by companies who sell enzymes as part of a line extension, but who do not adhere correctly to quality assurance nor do they indicate this on a label. For this reason, some products on the market may state enzyme amounts in milligrams, or other non-recognized units. Because of the variety of labeling formats used it is important to read carefully and make sure you are comparing labels and activity appropriately.