The supplement marketed under the brand name Wobenzym or Zymactive is a type of proteolytic enzyme that’s most commonly used to assist in proper digestion, but it’s also sometimes recommended to treat inflammation and pain, as well as other health problems. Because certain people might be deficient in digestive enzymes, Wobenzym could help. Consult your doctor before you start taking Wobenzym to talk about potential health risks and drug interactions.
History
Wobenzym and other treatments using proteolytic enzymes have only recently become popular, though they were introduced in Germany during the 1960s, according to the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. During this time, proteolytic enzyme products were most often recommended for treating autoimmune diseases, viral infections and inflammatory conditions, in addition to their traditional use in treating people who have difficulty digesting proteins. The proteolytic enzymes were derived from animal and plant sources, notes the University of Michigan Health System.
Uses
You might take Wobenzym and other brands of proteolytic enzymes to help in treating hepatitis C, shingles and certain other viral or yeast infections, cancer, and pancreatic disorders such as pancreatic insufficiency and pancreatitis. Wobenzym might also help to relieve chronic pain in the back, neck and other body areas, as well as gastrointestinal ailments such as indigestion, food allergies, Crohn’s disease and acid reflux. No widely accepted medical research supports Wobezym for any of these purposes, however.
Function
Wobenzym is made of proteolytic enzymes that help in the digestion and absorption of proteins in foods. These enzymes might help to modulate your immune system by affecting leukocytes and reactive oxygen species or “ROS” release, explains the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Proteolyitc enzymes are digestive enzymes that enable proper digestion and are normally made by the pancreas, and they also appear to have anticancer effects. You might be deficient in these enzymes if you have pancreatic insufficiency, celiac or Crohn’s disease, indigestion, or cystic fibrosis, says the University of Michigan Health System.
Scientific Evidence
Studies in mice have found that the same proteolytic enzymes in Wobenzym support proper immune-system function and have antitumor and anticancer actions, according to reports in the journals Oncology in 1990, Cancer Biotherapy in 1994 and In Vivo in 2005. An epidemiological study of postoperative patients published in Cancer Chemotherapy Pharmacology in 2001 found that taking proteolytic enzymes helped in treating breast cancer, says the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Taking proteolytic enzymes helped somewhat to relieve chronic neck pain, according to a 1996 double-blind clinical trial conducted in Germany. Another German study in 1996 discovered that proteolytic enzyme was as effective as the medication diclofenac in treating osteoarthritis inflammation and pain, notes the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
Warnings
The most common side effect of taking Wobenzym is mild gastrointestinal upset. Proteolytic enzymes could be harmful for people with malabsorption disorders because Wobenzym can destroy lipases that help break down fats, says the University of Michigan Health System. Also, case reports have occurred in which children with cystic fibrosis suffered fibrosing colonopathy, or intestinal damage, after taking high amounts of these enzymes. The proteolytic enzyme called pancreatin can block proper absorption of folate and the enzyme papain could increase your bleeding risks if you take blood-thinning medications like Coumadin or aspirin, warns the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
