Protease: benefits, dosage, contraindications

Proteolytic enzymes are a family of enzymes that hydrolyze peptide bonds in proteins or peptides. Proteolytic enzymes are present in all tissues, in cell membranes, the cytoplasm, and individual organelles. These enzymes can be endopeptidases, which hydrolyze the peptide bonds within the protein, or exopeptidases, which cleave the terminal amino acids. Proteolytic enzymes differ by the size of the substrate they degrade, the number and types of amino acids they cleave, their optimal pH of activity, and their location in the body. In the body, proteolytic enzymes perform many roles, including the degradation of intracellular proteins, the control of physiologically active peptides, the presentation and recognition of antigens as part of the cellular immune response, muscle remodeling and function, collagen renewal, digestion, blood coagulation... Pathological changes in the activity of proteolytic enzymes result in inflammation, injury, and muscle wasting. Furthermore, changes in the activity of proteolytic enzymes are at least partially responsible for developmental changes in muscle that occur as both benefits and side effects of certain medications. The activity of many proteases is controlled by cellular inhibitors. Inappropriate or pathological activity plays a role in various disorders, including joint inflammation, muscle degradation, including cachexia and sarcopenia, lung disorders, and dementia. Proteolytic enzymes, as enzymes that break down proteins present in the body or on the skin, are consumed to promote digestion or the breakdown of proteins involved in pain and inflammation.