Amylase and Amylase Inhibitors: A Digestive Aid and a Weight Loss Tool

Amylase is a digestive enzyme naturally occurring in saliva and pancreatic juices. Its function is to break down polysaccharides, or long-chain carbohydrates, such as starch. Amylase is also found in nature as the constituent that turns the starch in many fruits into sugar, making them sweet and ripe. Grain Amylase is involved in germination, and is used in the production of malt.

The Amylase produced by the pancreas differs from that produced by the salivary glands. Imbalances in either of these forms of Amylase, detected through blood tests, can indicate a number of disorders, including pancreatitis, mumps, salivary gland trauma due to intubation, and renal failure.

As a supplement, Amylase is sold as a digestive aid for those whose Amylase production is impaired due to natural aging or disease. Amylase deficiency can lead to stomach upset and gastrointestinal discomfort. It is manufactured from a variety of sources, including pig pancreas, barley malt, and a fungus known as Aspergillus oryzae. Amylase inhibitors are the so-called 'starch blockers' that are sold as a weight loss supplement. Amylase inhibitors prevent Amylase from breaking down starches in the diet, so that they will not be metabolized. Early Amylase inhibitors were not very effective, but in recent years highly concentrated forms of the supplement have become available, and show some promise.

In addition to preventing starches from being absorbed and converted to stored fat, Amylase inhibitors prevents Amylase from turning starches into glucose in the blood. This may prove useful for maintaining lower blood glucose levels in diabetics. At this time, however, the Amylase inhibitors available are still not very effective. The Amylase inhibitors that are available on the market are usually derived from legumes, such as white kidney beans, or wheat. There are no known drug interactions with Amylase inhibitors. Some report diarrhea from undigested starches in the diet.

Recommended Amylase Supplement

We have stumbled upon a company that produces a product that provides the highest quality of Amylase is Xtend-Life Natural Products from New Zealand. Xtend-Life has one of the strictest regulatory environments in the world for the manufacture of dietary supplements, far exceeding U.S. FDA standards.

Their flagship product, Total Balance, contains standardized Amylase, along with many other potent herbal supplement extracts, numerous vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and other speciality nutrients, many of which are documented in this site.

We here at www.InstantHealthSecret.com personally take Xtend-Life's Total Balance as the foundation of our own health regimen and have achieved excellent results: we have noticed an increase in energy, mental acuity, and general sense of well-being.