Enzyme Series 9: Serrapeptase Enzyme

Michael:

Looks like serrapeptase is up next. This is one that I generally haven’t seen in many blend and systemic enzyme blended products or combo products. I’ve always acquired it on my own. I know Serragold from Enzymedica is a really popular serrapeptase product. I think this might be one that there is a little bit more dramatic research and information out there about, so can you share with us some of the information with serrapeptase?

Kiran:

Sure. So serrapeptase is actually interesting, because it’s somewhat of a controversial enzyme in the enzyme world itself. There are groups of people that are huge proponents of it and groups of people that really feel like it hasn’t been studied well enough. Serrapeptase can be made in the gut, so it can be natural. There is a bacteria called entero-bacterium serratia that can exist in the gut and make serrapeptase for you, but it’s typically found in silkworms.

And it’s really the enzyme that the silkworm baby makes to break out of the cocoon. It’s what digests the cocoon when it comes out, and it’s actually, I believe serrapeptase is a prescription drug in Japan, and it’s known to have anti-inflammatory, antiedemic effects, if you’re familiar with edema. So it improves vascular fluid retention. And then, the last thing is analgesic effect. So some people use it for pain, as well.

This probably, if we look at the literature, I’ve looked at review literature on serrapeptase; there’s probably about 48 studies done on serrapeptase. A lot of people question some of the studies. There are, certainly, studies show benefit. I actually think serrapeptase is a good enzyme to have. It has enough systemic benefit to it. There’s certainly no harm in it, so it could be that it’s a good supportive enzyme to have in a systemic enzyme blend.

Michael:

Cool. Yeah, that was actually the first systemic enzyme I was ever introduced to, was that Serragold product from Enzymedica, and a lot of the combo products of systemic and proteolytic enzymes are very expensive.

Kiran:

Yeah.

Michael:

And when someone’s looking, if I work with someone that has chronic joint pain, aches and pains, inflammation, arthritis, stuff like that, if they’re on a budget and they want to try systemic enzymes, I would generally go with the Serragold or the serrapeptase or a serrapeptase product first.

Kiran:

Yeah.

Michael:

And see if they get results from it, if it is helpful for them before going down the rabbit hole with the giant product and the higher price point.

Kiran:

Okay.

Michael:

And I’d say two thirds of the time, maybe not two thirds, but at least half of the time, I saw pretty good results with that.

Kiran:

Yeah. I mean, I’ve seen it. I’ve known a lot of people that work with it. I know people like Dr. Gary Gordon. I’ve been to his conferences quite a bit, and there’ve been a number of really good speakers that are huge users of serrapeptase. They’ve seen a lot of great results in chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia. So I’ve been to a lot of presentations where they talk about its effect, so I think that, personally, it’s a good enzyme to have in a formulation.