Saliva triggers the start of the chemical breakdown. Once food travels to your stomach, you need adequate amounts of hydrochloric acid to break up dietary proteins. You may be among the millions of Americans who do not produce enough hydrochloric acid. This can cause vitamin and mineral deficiencies, osteoporosis, hardening of the arteries, arthritis, colon cancer, food allergies and autoimmune diseases. Enzymes take over Hydrochloric acid and other factors trigger your pancreas to release enzymes once food moves to the small intestine.
Pancreatic enzymes play an important role in the digestion of proteins, fats and carbohydrates.
An insufficient amount of pancreatic enzymes can contribute to many of the same problems as inadequate stomach acid. Nutrients in your food are absorbed into your bloodstream from both the small and large intestine. Food that isn't digested completely will not be absorbed. Digestion of carbohydrates continues in the small intestine. Certain enzymes are released only by the intestinal villi and friendly bacteria, and damage to these can inhibit digestion.