by Thomas Incledon, PhD(c), RD, LD/LN, RPT, NSCA-CPT, CSCS
The alarm clock goes off the day after your leg training day and you gingerly roll to the side of the bed. Very slowly you move your legs to the floor while anticipating pain with each movement. As you attempt to just stand, you wince and think to yourself, “I am going to be hurting all day long!” Isn’t there anything that can help that stiff, sore, achy feeling after an extremely tough workout? A new enzyme supplement derived from pineapples may be just the answer to that question. Research proves that not only can this enzyme, called bromelain, relieve muscle or joint pain, but it may also allow you to recover quicker from a weight training workout. Can you imagine feeling no soreness from any high intensity training session? Think of all of the extra time and effort you could put in the gym when you don’t have to walk around like Lurch all day! Of course, the healing effects of this enzyme aren’t limited to just the legs. Bromelain can also help you reduce delayed onset muscle soreness and joint pain in any muscle or joint. So using a little piece of Hawaiian Mother Nature may allow your entire body to be virtually pain-free. Talk about a Hawaiian Punch!
What are enzymes?
Millions of biochemical reactions take place in your body every day. Most of these reactions would never take place without the help of functional proteins called enzymes. They are the catalysts that make chemical reactions work faster. Enzymes are involved in many functions including digestion, vision, lifting weights, running, and even sex. Low levels of a particular enzyme can lead to impaired performance or even death. So, as you can see, they are very important to life. Fortunately, most of us have an adequate amount of enzymes naturally, and normal biological functions can take place continuously.
Since enzymes are involved in so many reactions, could enzyme supplementation be used to treat disorders or improve quality of life? Could it also enhance our quest for muscle size and strength? For years researchers have delved into enzyme therapy to determine its effect on various disorders. Of the many enzymes studied, those that showed the most promise decreased inflammation and the harmful effects associated with athletic injuries, surgeries, and muscular trauma. Animal enzymes such as chymotrypsin and trypsin, as well as plant enzymes like bromelain and papain, are documented in numerous studies. Of all of these potentially helpful enzymes, bromelain has been extensively researched and is the most readily available. But, in order for an enzyme supplement to work, it first must be able to get inside the body undigested. Unfortunately, most enzymes are broken down into amino acids like every other protein. So, how does the body solve this dilemma?
Enzymes and Digestion
According to traditional concepts on digestion, dietary enzyme supplementation does not work because the small intestine breaks down supplemented enzymes into amino acids, just like any other protein. New research shows that some enzymes, like bromelain, can survive digestion by the stomach and small intestine and make it into the blood as a whole protein. Back in 1962, researchers studied the absorption of bromelain from rats’ small intestines using radioactive tagging or dye labeling (1). The research showed that up to 40% of an oral dose could make it into the rats’ blood intact. A more recent study done on men found that after multiple oral dosages of 3 grams per day, the enzyme could be absorbed into the blood (2). Bromelain is actually a composite of 5 very closely related structures, but is usually discussed as a single enzyme. The optimum pH for bromelain to work is 7.0 and the pH of the blood is 7.4. This similarity in pH means that bromelain functions well in the blood. Even the old “Iron Guru” of bodybuilding, Vince Gironda, advised his clients years ago to take enzymes with meals to aid digestion. Vince was certainly ahead of his time! While enzyme therapy receives very little attention in this country, in some European countries, a prescription is required in order to take bromelain.
Bromelain and Muscle Soreness
Lifting weights is an excellent stimulus for increasing muscle size and strength, however, it can also damage muscle fibers, especially with eccentric contractions. As your muscle fibers resist lengthening (an eccentric contraction), like when you slowly lower the weight in a bench press, they tend to split apart. When this happens, materials inside the cell leak to the outside of the muscle cell. Specialized white blood cells come by to help the body heal itself by releasing factors that actually break down even more muscle. Also, extracellular materials get inside the muscle cell and cause it to swell. This process is painful and the result is called DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness). During this period, which can last from two to seven days depending on the extent of damage, training the affected muscle will only cause further damage. With time, the body adapts to the stress of lifting weights and less damage occurs after performing the same exercise. However, we are always progressively overloading our muscles, changing exercises, and varying the number of sets and reps to stimulate growth, right? So, there will always be some damage to the muscle fibers. Can bromelain actually treat DOMS? Does the possibility exist to lift and live without pain? Let’s examine some research and see how our friend from the islands really delivers.
Hamsters were injured by electrical stimulation and then given 5 milligrams of bromelain per kilogram of bodyweight twice a day. The treatments were started 8-12 hours after the muscle damage was induced and lasted up to 14 days. The study found that bromelain treatment decreased the damage caused by skeletal muscle contraction (3). The treatment did not affect healthy tissue, only injured tissue. Also, because the bromelain wasn’t given until 8-12 hours after the muscle was damaged, it meant that it actually enhanced the recovery process that takes place normally in skeletal muscle after a contraction-induced injury. This has tremendous potential for DOMS, muscle strains, and muscle aches and pains. So far, the pineapple enzyme is panning out.
A study from Germany examined the effects of the enzyme on blunt-trauma injury to skeletal muscle (4). Swelling of the injured area, pain at rest and during movement, and tenderness were all assessed. The criteria were evaluated on the day of the injury and on five subsequent dates. All four test criteria demonstrated a clear reduction after treatment with bromelain. Both swelling and the symptoms of pain had improved considerably compared to baseline (before treatment). Now our dream of living without soreness seems a real possibility!
Other Effects of Bromelain
Bromelain therapy has also been researched in several other areas. It appears to have promise in limiting tumor growth, decreasing blood coagulation, decreasing inflammation, and enhancing recovery from third-degree burns. Many of the positive effects of this enzyme can be attributed to its impact on prostaglandins (5). Prostaglandins (PGs) are chemical derivatives of fatty acids that have hormone-like functions. They are involved in a tremendous number of biological actions. As an example, some PGs can stimulate inflammation and are referred to as pro-inflammatory PGs. Others inhibit inflammation and are referred to as anti-inflammatory PGs. Bromelain inhibits pro-inflammatory PGs while not affecting anti-inflammatory PGs. This results in more chemical messengers fighting inflammation as opposed to initiating it. By this same process, bromelain prevents tumor growth and heals recovery from third-degree burns. Certainly, bodybuilders can benefit from a decreased inflammatory response in a muscle or joint that was due to overtraining or improper training. Imagine taking a supplement that not only decreases inflammation, but actually assists the body’s own healing process and doesn’t delay it, like non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDS – Alleve, Nuprin) do.
Bromelain Sources: Natural vs. Supplement
Bromelain occurs naturally in pineapple with the highest concentration in the stem. Canning destroys the enzyme, so fresh pineapple must be eaten in order to get any amount at all. In an ideal world, we would just eat lots of pineapple stems and get all the bromelain we need. However, that is absurd and impractical, so supplementation is the way to go. Unfortunately, the supplements I have seen on the market contain very little bromelain and don’t list the enzyme activity. In order to know what you are getting, you should look for several things. Fractionated ultrafiltration and lyphophization from pineapple juice should be used to obtain the enzyme. The pineapple juice should be pressed out of the stem of ripe pineapple, preferably the Ananas comusus of the Cayenne variety. Hopefully, the label will list this and then actually contain it. Recently, I have noticed that some of the preparations have started listing the enzyme activity. It can be listed in a variety of ways, so this makes it difficult to compare products from different manufacturers. Since the method of assessing enzyme activity can vary (each method has the enzyme cleave portions of a different amino acid), it is unlikely you will be able to compare different brands if their labels list different enzyme activity test units. You’ll just have to do your best, with the worst case scenario being trial and error.
How About a Hawaiian Punch
Most studies use 1-3 grams of bromelain in divided dosages throughout the day. An enteric-coated version will survive denaturation in the stomach and make it into the small intestine where it can be absorbed into the blood. The enzyme is active in the pH range from 3.0-8.0, so it may be best to take it with some food, as opposed to an empty stomach. I’ve seen all different types of preparations containing from 20mg up to about 1,000mg per tablet. Start with one gram per day for one week before increasing the dosage. Tolerability of the enzyme is very high, however, some people may experience stomach upset. If this occurs, decrease the dose and take it with foods that you enjoy eating, like pineapple (just kidding).
You should notice that you feel less muscle aches and pains and experience less inflammation, as well. Just what we’ve always wanted – to lift like crazy but have no price to pay! You don’t have to go on location to the Big Island, either, to feel better (although it wouldn’t hurt!). Bromelain may the answer to the bodybuilder’s day-after hangover. No more “Night of the Living Dead” walking after leg day for us!
References:
1) Smyth, RD, R Brennan, & GJ Martin. Systemic biochemical changes following the oral administration of a proteolytic enzyme, bromelain. Archives Internationales de Pharmacodynamie et de Therapie. 136:230-236, 1962.
2) Castell JV. Friedrich G. Kuhn CS. Poppe GE. Intestinal absorption of undegraded proteins in men: presence of bromelain in plasma after oral intake. American Journal of Physiology. 273(1 Pt 1):G139-46, 1997 Jul.
3) Walker, JA, FJ Cerny, JR Cotter, and HW Burton. Attenuation of contraction-induced skeletal muscle injury by bromelain. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. 24(1):20-25, 1992.
4) Masson M. [Bromelain in blunt injuries of the locomotor system. A study of observed applications in general practice]. [German] Fortschritte der Medizin. 113(19):303-6, 1995 Jul 10.
5) Taussig, SJ and S Batkin. Bromelain, the enzyme complex of pineapple (Ananas comosus) and its clinical application. An update. Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 22(2):191-203, 1988.
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