A bodybuilder requires large amounts of nutrients to provide and maintain energy and muscle mass production. These include the building blocks of protein — amino acids and polypeptides. They also include sugars from carbohydrates and glycerol and fatty acids from fats.

Digestive enzymes break down food so nutrients are small enough to be absorbed by the body. It’s also broken into the right form to be distributed and used by the body.

For example, protein is broken into amino acids. Amino acids assist the body in building new protein, like muscle. The average body builds about 250 grams of new protein daily. It does this by taking apart 250 grams of protein that already exists in the body. If bodybuilding requires more new protein, digested amino acids can make up the difference.

The same holds for digestive enzymes. The body produces them but sometimes they run out. This is why bodybuilders turn to supplements to ensure effective digestion and absorption of nutrients, particularly in protein digestion.

Digestion of Nutrients

Food must be broken down into smaller molecules to be absorbed and distributed. These molecules provide energy, build body structures, and aid in bodily functions. This process begins as soon as food is ingested.

Digestive Enzymes in the Stomach

The breakdown of food begins with chewing. Saliva helps move food into the stomach.

There, digestive enzymes further breakdown the molecules. For protein, the key digestive enzyme is pepsin. It is released by cells in the stomach lining.

Pepsin breaks protein into smaller bits. The stomach churns and creates chyme, a mixture that includes protein fragments.

Protein takes longer to digest than carbohydrates. Fats take longer than protein.

Because of this, a bodybuilder’s high-protein diet creates longer satiety than a high-carb diet.

Once complete, the chyme enters the duodenum or top of the small intestine.

Digestive Enzymes in the Small Intestine

Most protein and other digestion takes place in the small intestine.

The pancreas plays a part too. It releases digestive enzymes called trypsin, elastase, and chymotrypsin. The small intestine releases the digestive enzymes secretin and CCR.

These enzymes break proteins into amino acids and dipeptides. They are sent to the intestinal lumen, lower in the small intestine.

The lumen absorbs the amino acids and dipeptides into the blood. Blood takes them to the liver using ATP and transport proteins.

The small intestine releases other digestive enzymes to breakdown other types of foods.

For example, it releases lactase to breakdown lactose in milk products. Lactose is broken down into two sugars: glucose and galactose. If it’s not broken into two sugars, it can’t be absorbed and the sugar energy can’t be used.

People that can’t tolerate lactose lack the digestive enzyme lactase.

Amino Acid Building Blocks

Most protein doesn’t get broken down further than amino acid molecules. Amino acids enter the body through the blood and are used for protein synthesis.

They are the building blocks needed for muscle.

They also create energy and build other structures. They help build tendons, ligaments, hair, nails, hormones, RNA, DNA, chemicals and enzymes. They even help build digestive enzymes.

Amino acids also help repair muscle and other tissue.

In the liver, amino acids can be turned into energy, fats or carbs.

Digestive Enzymes Essential for Bodybuilding

The body needs digestive enzymes for the uptake and synthesis of the nutrients that support bodybuilding effectively. But natural digestive enzymes can become depleted.

Overeating processed foods—like binge eating burgers or nachos—deplete enzymes. The same goes for overcooking a steak.

Fresh, raw fruits and vegetables, on the other hand, provide their own digestive enzymes. This fully supports the digestive process.

Without enough digestive enzymes, nutrients remain too large to be absorbed. They pass into the large intestine.

There they can cause inflammation, bloating and gas. These are all signs of a shortage of digestive enzymes and a need for supplementation.

Even without these signs, bodybuilders supplement regularly. This ensures the effective use of all nutrients consumed. Proteins and energy used in excess during training can be replenished as needed to rebuild muscle fibers.

Primary Digestive Enzyme Supplements for Bodybuilding

Nucleases break down nucleic acids. Lipases break down fats. Carbohydrases break down carbohydrates. Peptidases and proteases break down proteins.

Supplementation for bodybuilders should focus on protein breakdown since there is such an extreme demand on the body to continuously and exhaustively rebuild muscle fibers.

A bodybuilder’s high-protein diet can deplete natural pepsin. Natural pepsin is the primary peptidase in breaking protein down in the stomach.

Supplements that contain natural pepsin replenish this digestive enzyme. They allow the digestive process to continue efficiently and uninterrupted. This makes the maximum use of digested protein.

Fresh, raw fruits and vegetables contain their own natural digestive enzymes. The body uses them to digest fruits and vegetables.

Eating plenty of uncooked foods daily supplements a bodybuilder’s diet with the necessary enzymes to support the efficient digestion of carbohydrates and fat. For example, avocados provide healthy natural fats. They also contain the digestive enzyme lipase to aid in their digestion.

Key Bodybuilding Digestive Enzymes

A high-quality premium digestive enzyme supplement that includes pepsin is critical to ensuring efficient protein synthesis for bodybuilders. All-natural pepsin supplements also promote increased free testosterone levels and nitrogen retention.

Begin supplementing with digestive enzymes for the most effective protein synthesis to support your bodybuilding. Add pepsin to your routine and focus on consuming as much raw, fresh digestive-enzyme complete foods for excellent results.

Your body is a finely tuned machine that works with a perfect balance and rhythm. You will get a lot more out of it physically and mentally when you give your body what it needs to thrive.

The digestive process is happening on a 24-hour basis and dictates how your body operates.

When you feed your body supplements like pepsin and digestive enzymes, you will be able to enjoy a plethora of benefits.

Read below to learn more about pepsin and natural digestive enzymes, and how they are useful to you.

The Health and Lifestyle Benefits of Natural Digestive Enzymes

First and foremost, you should start to learn why digestive enzymes are so useful. There are several blends of digestive enzymes that you can take in capsule, powder or other forms.

Here’s why digestive enzymes are beneficial to your health and lifestyle:

1. It Helps You Burn Fat and Build Muscle

By taking natural digestive enzymes, one of the perks is that your body will be better able to burn fat and build muscle.

When your body is burning fat and building muscle, you will enjoy your physique, get much better sleep, a better sex drive, and incredible hormonal balance and production.

You will feel more comfortable in your skin and able to make use of your body’s systems and internal organs.

2. You Can Clear up Heartburn and Indigestion Issues

Right now, up to 30 percent of people deal with acid reflux and other indigestion issues.

Since these enzymes help your body’s natural digestive system, it will also allow you to keep heartburn and indigestion at bay. You will be better able to eat the foods that you love and will feel more comfortable in your skin.

3. You Will Have More Energy in Your Everyday Life

Digestive enzymes boost your body’s ability to break down food and turn it into energy. This energy allows you to metabolize nutrients effectively so you can use them accordingly.

For instance, you will have more energy for your workouts and will have excellent cardiovascular health and muscle endurance. When you have incredible energy in the gym, you will begin to receive massive gains that can take your fitness to the next level.

4. Digestive Enzymes Assist With Stress Relief

When you use digestive enzymes, you will also enjoy incredible stress relief.

Since your body reaches homeostasis better when your digestive system is cared for, it allows you to de-stress and avoid anxiety and depression. Taking these enzymes regularly will help to boost your mood and your sense of wellness.

5. They Are Great for Detoxing

Most impressively, digestive enzymes get rid of waste as opposed to letting it linger and toxify your body.

If you’ve been eating poorly or drinking a lot of alcohol, digestive enzymes will be helpful. Since so much food is processed and packed with additives, you can’t go wrong adding these enzymes to your intake.

The Health and Lifestyle Benefits of Pepsin

When it comes to digestive enzymes, pepsin is the primary one that is produced in your stomach. By taking it externally in the form of supplements, you will improve your health and lifestyle to the fullest.

Here are some things that pepsin can do for you:

1. You Will Improve Your Gut Health Balance

Today, a lot of scientists and nutritionists are beginning to discuss gut health balance and why it is so vital.

Your gut and your brain are intrinsically linked and affect each other. When your digestive health is sound, your thoughts will be clearer and you will enjoy a lot of mental health.

The key to this is to strike a proper balance with your gut bacteria. By adding pepsin to your intake, you will continuously have excellent gut bacteria health, which helps with your everyday life.

2. It Improves Your Body’s Ability to Absorb B12 and Other B Vitamins

B Vitamins are incredibly important to your body’s health. Particularly, people should be mindful of their B12 intake, since it helps to regulate your mood, nurtures your blood cells and has neuroprotective properties.

Taking pepsin can help your body better use and absorb B12, which can prevent B12 deficiency and improve your health as a whole.

3. Pepsin Will Help Your Body Metabolize and Use Protein

When you’re constantly in the gym improving your body and your health, you need to be mindful of your protein intake.

With pepsin, your body will make better use of protein, which can help you with muscle gains and durability. Whether you’re a weight lifter, a runner or martial arts practitioner, taking pepsin can be crucial.

4. You’ll Be Able to Better Purify Your Liver

Pepsin is excellent because it helps to purify your liver. Since your liver is responsible for purifying your blood, you will reap the rewards of several health benefits.

It is essential for detoxification and circulating pure, clean blood throughout your entire body.

5. It’ll Assist You in Preventing and Healing Nausea, Vomiting and Other Issues

Finally, pepsin is a must if you are constantly dealing with nausea, vomiting and other digestive discomfort issues. Since your digestive system is more relaxed and productive, you won’t feel sick or queasy in your regular life.

This is particularly useful if you’re going through dietary changes, are pregnant or are dealing with other issues that are causing nausea and vomiting.

Stock up on Pepsin and Digestive Enzymes

As you can see, pepsin and digestive enzymes are crucial to the way your body works and can supercharge each and every process. These digestive enzymes are naturally produced in the body, but supplementation can take your health and wellness to the next level.

Keep checking back for more info on boosting your testosterone and getting the absolute best from your body and mind.