What are digestive enzymes? Digestion is a key physiological process, during which food that is eaten is broken down into a simple form that can be absorbed by the body. The mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, rectum and anus are the bodily organs that comprise our digestive system. The process begins in the mouth with chewing of food, carries on in the stomach and small intestine where the food is chemically broken down by the digestive enzymes and juices and ultimately gets completed in the large intestine. The gastrointestinal or digestive tract is made up of these digestive organs that take in food, digest it to absorb vital nutrients and energy and ultimately expel the remaining waste. Digestive enzymes are complex proteins that stimulate chemical changes in other substances, are present in the digestive tract and are engaged by the body to break down food into nutrients which are then digested. You might be surprised to learn that the human body produces around 22 different digestive enzymes, each of which acts on a different class of food. They operate optimally at a specific temperature and pH. They are secreted by particular glands in the body, including the salivary glands, the stomach and pancreas glands and the glands in the small intestines. These enzymes also have certain sites of action, including the oral cavity, the stomach, the duodenum and the jejunum. Without digestive enzymes, we could not exist. Our body's reactions would be too slow for life to be viable, because they are involved in almost everything that occurs in the body. As well as enzymes that are manufactured by the body, enzymes also occur naturally in foods, including fruits, vegetables and meat. A number of these enzymes are sold as food form supplements and are used to help support the symptoms of a varied selection of digestive system complaints, including Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Leaky Gut Syndrome, indigestion, bloating and heartburn. Therefore, digestive enzymes come from two sources: internal and external. Internally, the digestive system secretes the enzymes found in saliva, the stomach, pancreas and intestines. Externally, raw food is arguably the best source. Unprocessed, whole foods contain most of the enzymes needed for digesting that particular food. This is one reason why it's so important to include many raw foods in our eating plans. It lessens the stress on the body having to produce all the digestive system enzymes needed for food digestion. Chewing the raw food releases these enzymes and digestion begins. Our own enzymes then assist in this process. How do digestive enzymes work? The human body produces around 3,000 kinds of enzymes that accelerate chemical reactions and save energy. Digestive enzymes, which are only a few of the thousands of known enzymes, break down the foods we eat into rudimentary building blocks that our body then absorbs and reassembles to build cells, tissues, organs, glands and body systems. These enzymes are made by the body to help break down food into nutrients and waste. The nutrient molecules must be digested into small enough particles to be absorbed through the lining of the small intestines. When we don't produce enough digestive enzymes to complete this process efficiently, gas, bloating and more significant health issues may take place. What are the potential benefits of digestive enzymes? Caffeine, alcohol, illness, pregnancy, stress, severe weather and exercise can all take their toll on our enzyme reserves. Notably, our bodies also produce less as we age. By age 35, the production of enzymes in the stomach, pancreas and small intestines begins to decline. Enzyme production in the body decreases by 30% in most adults over 50. But, one of the main reasons we don't digest food properly is due to the processed food in our diets. Our diets don't contain as much raw food as they once did and modern food processing techniques and cooking destroy virtually all of the enzymes naturally contained in food. Even raw food doesn't hold as many enzymes as it once did, because of environmental factors, depleted soil and preservation techniques. The body tries to compensate by producing more internal digestive enzymes. Enzyme-deficient food puts pressure on the digestive system that it wasn't designed to handle. Incomplete digestion can lead to incomplete nutrient absorption, tiredness, digestive upset, food allergies  and other health problems. Partially digested food particles escaping from the gut can cause an immune response, influencing the immune system. The body may also "steal" enzymes from the immune system, compromising it even further. Digestive enzymes play a vital role in supporting the systems of the body, including the digestive system and colon, to function properly. Many people find that digestive enzyme supplements are particularly beneficial during full body cleanse and detox programmes. 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