Jarro-Zymes Plus contains digestive enzymes that stimulate chemical changes in other substances. They work optimally at specific temperature and pH. Digestive enzymes include pancreatic enzymes, plant-derived enzymes, and fungal-derived enzymes. There are three classes of digestive enzymes: proteolytic enzymes needed to digest protein, lipases needed to digest fat, and amylases needed to digest carbohydrates.

The pancreas secretes a magnificent battery of enzymes that collectively have the capacity to reduce virtually all digestible macromolecules into forms that are capable of, or nearly capable of being absorbed. Three major groups of enzymes are critical to efficient digestion:

Protease is responsible for digesting proteins in food, one of the most difficult substances to metabolize. Proteolytic enzymes are very important in digestion as they breakdown the protein foods to liberate the amino acids needed by the body.

Lipase is an enzyme essential for the absorption and digestion of nutrients in the intestines. This digestive enzyme is responsible for breaking down lipids (fats), in particular triglycerides, which are fatty substances in the body that come from fat in the diet. Once broken down into smaller components, triglycerides are more easily absorbed in the intestines. Lipase is primarily produced in the pancreas but is also produced in the mouth and stomach.

Amylase refers to enzymes which break down sugars and starches. It is required to digest carbohydrates (polysaccharides) into smaller units and eventually converting them into even smaller units such as glucose.