Industrially, papaya enzymes are used to treat more than 80 percent of American beers to make them appear clear once cooled, according to Drugs Online Index. Papaya is a small bushy tree that commonly grows in subtropical and tropical regions. The tree produces melon which is often picked green and used to make several products. When the melon ripens, it is used as a fruit or additive to many foods and juices. The unripe melon is used to make a milky sap or latex from which the digestive enzymes are derived.
Normal Digestion
Your digestive system starts working as soon as food is placed into your mouth. In the mouth, starches start to be broken down. As the food reaches the stomach, natural enzymes such as pepsin start working on the proteins. As the food is released into the small intestine, further work is done breaking down the starches, proteins and finally, fats. Pepsin in the stomach relies on stomach acidity. For many people, too much acidity leads to heartburn. If the body cannot naturally break down the food, supplement help is needed before and during the meal to help break everything down.
Papain
Papain is the main digestive enzyme made from the unripened fruit. It is made by making shallow slices in the green fruit and allowing the sap to ooze out. It is used commercially to help with milk clotting and breaking down proteins in products such as meat tenderizers. Taken as a supplement either alone or with other digestive enzymes helps the stomach break down proteins, meaning it is proteolytic. Papain additionally helps with GI issues such as dyspepsia and gastritis, an uncomfortable swelling of the stomach and intestines.
Chymopapain
Chymopapain is a smaller component of papain, which is a proteolytic enzyme. It has similar qualities to papain and also helps with digestion and issues such as dyspepsia. Not only can it help with digestive issues, but has recently obtained FDA approval for use as an injection for slipped or herniated discs. The enzymes help to break down part of the herniated disc, relieving pain on the nerve.
Precautions
Some people have serious sensitivities and allergies to papaya and taking the enzyme or any part of the plant can lead to allergic side effects. A few people have reported digestive upset from taking the enzyme. Those taking blood thinners such as aspirin or warfarin need to discuss the possibility of taking digestive enzymes first.
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