Enzymes are the tools of nature, they speed up all vital biological processes. Whenever one substance needs to be transformed into another, nature uses enzymes to speed up the process. They have a great deal of importance when it comes to keeping our bodies active and healthy; they are necessary for the digestion of food, for stimulating the brain, providing cellular energy, and for repairing all tissues, organs, and cells. There are three types of enzymes: metabolic enzymes, digestive enzymes, and food enzymes. Metabolic enzymes are primarily in charge of energy production in the body, they help detox the body on a cellular level, and help our sensory system respond appropriately. Digestive enzyme benefits include assisting the body break down and assimilate food into nutrients. Digestive enzymes include amylases which digest carbohydrates, proteases which digest proteins, and lipases which digest fats. Lastly, food enzymes primarily come from plants. Our bodies do not produce these enzymes, so we intake them through the food we eat. All three essential enzymes are essential and work together to help your body and cells function. Enzymes can be obtained from plant and animal sources, as well as from certain micro-organisms.

It is not only important for each individual person to get their daily amount of enzymes, but it is crucial for high-performance athletes to intake them as well. Athletes need sustained energy for endurance at which they obtain from nutrients. However, food must be digested before the nutrients are available. Digestion of food relies on enzymes, and lack of enzymes usually and generally leads to poor digestion. Because enzymes are so crucial to the health and performance in athletes, taking a daily enzyme supplement may be a smart thing to do. Several studies have shown that supplementation of enzymes can improve the digestibility and utilization of nutrients. Every enzyme has a specific function. One of the unique things about enzymes is that they have one function and one function only. For example, Amylase is one of the most important enzymes for athletes, whose purpose is to break down carbohydrates. Amylase is found in our saliva and begins to break starch down into sugar while we are chewing our food. The pancreas uses amylase to convert dietary sugar into glucose. Glucose is what gives our cells, our muscles, and our brains energy.

Each athlete should take into consideration their health more than anything before performing and taking on strenuous cardio and muscular work out. It is so crucial for high-performance athletes to get the right natural enzymes they deserve. Endurance athletes who participate in rigorous training rely on food as fuel. Enzymes have the ability to increase the rate at which nutrients are broken down, thus helping increase blood glucose. Supplementation of enzymes may be the key to benefiting an athlete's overall digestion of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.