Just What Are EnzymesWritten by Loring A. Windblad
This compilation of information is Copyright 2005 by http://www.organicgreens.us and Loring Windblad. The references for this series of articles is author’s personal knowledge and experience, book “Enzymes for Autism and other Nurological Conditions” and web site enzymestuff dot com. This article may be freely copied and used on other web sites only if it is copied complete with all links and text, including this header, intact and unchanged except for minor improvements such as misspellings and typos.First, we need to have an understanding of just exactly what enzymes are and what they do for us. Enzymes are proteins made by cells in our bodies and by all living organisms. They are specialized proteins that do work, such as synthesizing chemicals, rearranging molecules, adding elements to compounds, and breaking down compounds. Enzymes are protein catalysts. They cause biological reactions to occur under conditions that sustain life. Many types of enzymes exist and each type does one specific function. For an enzyme to work, material it works upon must be present. If no such material is available to enzyme, enzyme performs no function. There are also metabolic enzymes in our body, but this discussion is limited to digestive enzymes that help break down food. We see in this description of enzymes that they break down compounds. In our gut – stomach and intestines – they help to break down food into basic nutritional bits our bodies can use for nourishment. Without this enzymic activity our bodies could not extract nutrition from food and we would wither and die. Let’s see exactly how enzymes work. In general, enzymes work as catalysts of biochemical reactions. A catalyst increases or accelerates rate of a reaction. The thousands of chemical reactions that occur in our body every second could not happen without enzymes to speed up these reactions. For example, a protein can be broken down into amino acids in lab without use of an enzyme, but to do so requires extreme temperatures, high pressure, or very strong acids; conditions not compatible with life. Even with these conditions, it often requires hours to complete reaction in lab. Enzymes, in this case a mixture of proteases, can complete this reaction within minutes in water at normal temperatures. Another unique aspect of enzymes is that they facilitate reaction without being destroyed or changed in process. Because of this, one enzyme molecule could theoretically change an infinite amount of substrate if given an infinite amount of time. Increasing amount of enzyme decreases time required for completing process. If you double number of enzyme molecules, you decrease time for reaction by half.
| | Hair Loss in WomenWritten by Karen Brown
When people think of hair loss, most often it is balding men that come to mind. However, women lose hair as well. Although hair loss is less known in women, there are many options for prevention and treatment as with men. Sometimes cause for hair loss is heredity – in both men and women – and other times causes differ. Most often with women, hair loss occurs due to hormonal changes. A few months after giving birth, starting birth control pills, or ending menopause are various ways in which hormonal levels in women change. These changes lead to symptoms, including hair loss. Even though not all women suffer hair loss due to hormonal fluctuations, there are enough cases that triggered markets to provide hair loss prevention and treatment options for women. In fact, hair loss in women is relatively common and more and more of these women are choosing to take action against hair loss by purchasing products that help prevent and/or treat hair loss. On market, there are products for hair loss geared toward men and women. For example, a hair loss prevention product for men, like an oral pill, may be offered to women in a lesser dosage. Hair loss vitamin supplements are available and are generally same for men and women, considering that nutrients that produce hair productivity – growth, repair, and healthiness – are similar in both men and women. Often times, if cause of hair loss for a women is a change in hormones, altering hormonal level may stop hair loss. For example, when taking birth control pills, after a few months, women may notice hair loss. By not taking those pills, or switching to a brand with lower amounts of hormones, hair loss may be prevented. This may also work for women who lose hair after having a baby. Once body adjusts to hormonal changes after a pregnancy, hair loss may naturally stop. However, preventing hair loss, sometimes even in these cases, may not occur naturally. This is when hair loss prevention products help or hormonal regulations, such as pills and vitamins.
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