A GUT FEELING ABOUT ENZYMES... Devin B. Houston, Ph.D. President Houston Nutraceuticals, Inc AUTISM ONE CONFERENCE CHICAGO, IL MAY 2008.

A GUT FEELING ABOUT ENZYMES...

Devin B. Houston, Ph.D.President

Houston Nutraceuticals, Inc

AUTISM ONE CONFERENCECHICAGO, ILMAY 2008

Devin Houston: BA, BS, PhD

•PhD Biochemist - enzyme research since 1981

•NIH-funded researcher at UVa and SLU med

schools

•Director of Research for enzyme manufacturer

•Enzyme product formulator and inventor

•Started own company in 2001

Why we need “digestion”...

Autism can disrupt digestion...

•Gut inflammation (injury) from mercury, yeast, toxins,

etc.

•Malabsorption syndromes

•Developmental delay

•Food allergies, other immune system problems

Some foods are not well-tolerated in autism...

•Wheat (gluten)

•Dairy (casein)

•Soy protein (soymorphin)

•Certain carbohydrates

•Polyphenolic compounds, salicylates, oxalates

•Others

Restoring gut health is important...

•Restore “good” flora of GI tract (pre- and pro-

biotics)

•Reduce inflammation (“leaky gut”) caused by

foods

•Eliminate potential future allergens

Food restriction can be helpful...

•Gluten-free casein-Free diet

•Specific carbohydrate diet

•Low oxalate diet

•Body ecology diet

...but diets may not be practical or possible.

•Nutritional insufficiency?

•Family lifestyles

•Cost and/or availability

Enzymes may be an alternative to diets...

•Achieves same goal as diet: reduction of food offender

•Used as alternative to or with diets

•Targets only the offending food component: peptide, carb,

etc.

•Faster results observed

•Less costly, more convenient

Observed effects of enzymes:

•Speech may start or improve

•Better focus, eye contact and attention

•Less stimming

•Improvements often noted by “blinded” third-parties

•Bowel movements improve

•More interest in trying other foods; increased weight

gain

•Positive benefits noted even in those already on diet

What are enzymes?

ProteaseEnzyme

ProteinSubstrate

Activesite

Active Site

Amino acids

Substratebinds to

enzyme withinduced fit

Substrate isconverted to

products

Products arereleased

Enzymes keep working as

long as substrate is

available and conditions are favorable for

enzyme function.

How do plant-based enzymes help?

•Break down foods more thoroughly

•Work in stomach before food moves into intestine

•Prevent formation of offending peptides

•Body gains more nutrition from food

•Better gut function, complements pancreatic function

•Some enzymes are anti-inflammatory

Are enzymes safe?

•Plant-based enzymes used for centuries

•No record of any toxicity observed in animals or humans

•FDA considers these enzymes as food additives

•Safest supplements on the market

Which enzyme(s) do I need?

Identify Problem

Behavioral GI related

Protein?

High ProteasePeptidase

Loose stools?

LactaseAmylase

GlucoamylaseGalactosidase

Constipation?

XylanaseGlucanaseCellulase?

Carbs?

LactaseAmylase

Glucoamylase

Phenols?

Xylanase

Specific enzymes for specific problems...

•DPP IV peptidase for exorphin peptides

•Certain carbohydrases for firming stool

•Other carbohydrases for softening stool

•Some enzymes address phenols (natural

food colorings, flavors, some artificial

compounds)

•May help anti-fungal compounds work

better

Exorphin peptides...

•Derived from food protein: casein, gluten, soy, blood

•Result from normal digestive process

•Are opiates: interact with opiate receptors, induce analgesia,

etc

•May act differently in those with ASD compared to “normal”

Exorphin peptides...

•Reduction often produces observable positive effects in

behavior

•May be reduced through elimination diet, OR...

•May be prevented by appropriate enzyme use

-tyr-pro-phe-pro-glu-pro-ile-

(1) Pepsin

(2) Elastase

Bovine Casein

Casomorphin

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Digestive formation of casomorphin

-tyr-pro-phe-pro-glu-pro-ile-

Dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP IV)

•Only known enzyme to degrade casomorphin

•Found in the cells lining the interior GI tract

•DPP IV found in fungal enzyme blends (Houston, 1999)

•Very specific, but slow, enzyme•

DPP IV

tyr-pro-phe-pro-glu-pro-ile

DPP IV effect on casomorphin

phe-pro-

(1) Pepsin

Bovine Casein

DPP IVIn Stomach

Casein amino acid sequence affected by DPP IV

x-x-x-x- -x-x-x-xtyr-pro-

glu-pro-

ile

No casomorphin formed!

Dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP IV)

•Only known enzyme to degrade casomorphin

•Found in the cells lining the interior GI tract

•DPP IV found in fungal enzyme blends (Houston, 1999)

•Very specific, but slow, enzyme

(1) Pepsin

(2) Elastase

tyr-pro-phe-pro-glu-pro-ile

Bovine Casein

Casomorphin

Protease 4.5Protease 6.0

XX

Blocked peptide formation by multiple proteases...

-x-x-x-xpro-glu-

pro-ile

x-x-x-x-tyr-pro-phe-

Enzyme dosing:

•Experimentation encouraged, no toxicity, safe dosing

•Try taking enzymes at beginning of meal

•Base dosing on size of meal, not body weight or age

•May be taken with most medications or other supplements

•Effective with first dose for digestive results

Reasons to try enzymes...

•Results often seen faster than with diets

•Inexpensive

•No special medical attention or testing required

•May be a better fit to family’s lifestyle

Contact information -

Devin Houston, PhD

O: 866-757-8627

E: [email protected]

Web: www.houstonni.com