Many autism experts and parents have observed that children within the autism spectrum improve in their behavior when foods containing gluten or casein proteins (commonly found in wheat and dairy products) are removed from their diet. It is believed by some experts in autism that during digestion, many autistic children break apart casein and gluten proteins in an untypical way that results in the creation of exorphin peptides. These exorphin peptides act as opiates, binding to opiate receptors sites in the gut and brain, interfering with the creation of proper neurological connections in the brain, and ultimately leading to autistic behaviors such as stimming, aggression, and lack of socialization.

Peptizyde prevents the untypical breaking apart of casein/gluten peptides so that these harmful exorphins are not produced. Peptizyde includes protease enzymes having different ways of cutting the casein/gluten proteins, preventing the production of exorphins. The action of these enzymes is like using several pairs of scissors to cut a single ribbon; the ribbon gets cut faster and in different places, so different (smaller) lengths of ribbon are produced. In addition, Peptidyzde adds a peptidase enzyme, DPP IV, which specifically destroys casomorphin, an exorphin typically derived from milk products. DPP IV is one of only two enzymes that can break apart Casomorphin molecules, which are otherwise highly resistant to being broken apart. DPP IV not only eliminates exorphins from dietary intake, but also eliminates exorphin-like molecules which may be produced in the intestines by overgrowths of bacteria, yeast and other pathogens.

HN-Zyme Prime is a broad-spectrum enzyme blend that breaks down proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. Enzyme activity present in Zyme Prime appears to oxidize or modify phenols found in fruits and vegetables. A significant number of autistic children have difficulty with phenols which are commonly found in fruits such as apples, oranges and berries. Using Zyme Prime ensures that your child is able to digest and use all of the nutrients in the food he or she eats , especially important if your child is a light eater and/or underweight. Zyme Prime and Peptizyde were designed to complement each other, and most parents find that they see greater improvements in their child when using both enzymes simultaneously.

Peptizyde and HN-Zyme Prime have both been developed to be as non-allergenic as possible. However, Peptizyde contains bromelain, an extract of pineapple. HN-Zyme Prime contains bromelain and papain, a derivative of papaya. They also include rice bran (which is gluten and dairy free). If your child is allergic to any of these foods, you may wish to use the fruit-free versions of these products.

Also, please note that if your child has a severe allergic response to milk or gluten, such as in Celiac disease, these enzymes will not resolve the allergy —your child should still not ingest highly allergenic foods.

These enzymes are derived from Aspergillus, a form of mold widely used to create enzymes, and may not be appropriate for those with known allergies to Aspergillus enzyme proteins. Non-specific mold allergies do not necessarily preclude use of fungal enzymes. Consult your medical doctor for further advice, and err on the side of caution. Those with known anaphylactic allergic reactions to fungal proteins should NOT ingest fungal-derived enzymes.

The manufacturer recommends starting with one capsule (of each product if giving Peptizyde and Zyme Prime) per significant meal, meaning not giving the products with light snacks (unless the snack has casein or gluten), and giving more if no improvement is noticed.

Dosing should be by size of meal, not body weight, since the enzymes are contained within the intestinal tract, and do not appreciably distribute to other areas of the body. It would be unusual for a child to need more than, say 2 Peptizyde and 2 Zyme Prime capsules per meal. Since children with autism are often more sensitive to digestive changes, be certain that the enzymes are not causing any stomach pain or discomfort. For those children who tend to "graze", interval dosing may be more appropriate, for example, giving enzymes every 3 hours or so during the day. If one does this type of dosing, it may be better to use one capsule per dosing. Feel free to experiment (within reason) with dosing to find the level that best suits your child's individual needs.

When is the best time for giving the enzymes?

It is best to give your child the enzymes with the first few bites of the meal or just prior to mealtime (10 -15 minutes). But even if your child does not take the enzyme at the beginning of the meal, it is still important point to take the enzyme during or after eating. Because food stays in the stomach for up to 90 minutes, introducing enzymes anytime during the meal will still provide great benefits.

My child won't swallow capsules. Can I sprinkle the enzymes on his or her food?

Yes. New versions of the enzymes are available that are not encapsulated. The enzymes will mix with food or beverages, although they may tend to clump. The enzymes have a "grassy" taste, which can be easily masked with fruit juice, ketchup, etc. Please be careful to not inhale the enzyme powder, and to clear any residual enzyme powder from the mouth and throat area with additional food or beverage.  

Tricks used for by parents for taste sensitive children include the following.  Some parents have melted dark chocolate and when it has almost cooled (the enzymes will be destroyed in high temperatures) have mixed the enzymes into the chocolate - the parents then break the cooled chocolate into wafers to give their children.  They can also be mixed into dairy free products such as Rice Dream pudding, applesauce - or even frozen with fruit juice in an ice cube tray and sucked on as a fruit juice ice cube.   Do not mix the enzymes into foods containing dairy or wheat as the enzymes will liquify these foods.

Please note that the enzymes should not be heated - high temperatures destroy their enzymatic activity.  They can be mixed into cool or room temperature foods.  

How can I give the enzymes with my child's school lunch?

Often you can work with the school to arrange supplementation. If not, you may try mixing the enzymes into a cold drink in a thermos and adding ice cubes to keep it cold. The cooler (even frozen) you keep an enzyme, the longer it lasts. This is important because enzymes become activated, and then start losing their activity once put into a liquid solution.

What should I expect when my child takes these enyzmes?

The reactions are variable. If your child is not on the Gluten Free / Casein Free (GFCF) diet, the use of enzymes can cause an "opiate withdrawal" effect, similar to heroin addicts going "cold turkey". The child may actually appear to be worse, and is due to the decreased peptides in his or her system. Symptoms may appear as hyperactivity, being more sensitive to pain and stimulus, aggression, and sleep disturbances. In addition, digestive changes may be noticed, such as increased frequency of bowel movements (not diarrhea), less stool being passed, and a possible increase in gas production. These symptoms should be temporary and should resolve in a matter of days. As always, if you have concerns, seek the advice of your child’s physician.  

If your child is not on the GFCF diet or is experiencing these symptoms, you may wish to start introduce the enzymes gradually, starting with one capsule at the same time each day and gradually increasing the dosage over the period of a week or two until the child can tolerate having the enzymes three times a day with meals.

Once your child is acclimated to the enzymes, if the enzymes are are helping your child, you should see increased eye contact, less "mental fog", and improvements in ability and behavior. Typically, if the enzymes are benefiting the child, you will see these improvements within 1-3 weeks. 

One factor that might interfere with effectiveness includes feeding the child more gluten and casein foods or other foods as soon as they start the enzymes.  We recommend waiting 1-3 weeks to determine if the enzymes are helping before attempting to add more (if any) gluten and casein foods to the diet.  We recommend following the GFCF diet, although some parents have reported that their children do better if they are allowed to have some gluten and casein containing foods, along with the enzymes.

Peptizyde is a multi-enzyme product designed to help the digestive system by breaking down food proteins while still in the stomach. The enzymes in Peptizyde work quickly to predigest food prior to contact with pancreatic enzymes, ensuring that food proteins are converted to the proper compounds needed for healthy metabolism.

Peptizyde is a combination of blends of peptidase, protease, and papain; with each blend having its own unique enzyme activity profile. The peptidase used in Peptizyde contains high levels of peptidases such as DPP IV, leucine aminopeptidase, carboxypeptidases, and several endoproteolytic activities. These peptidases work to specifically break down certain exorphin peptides that are normally resistant to proteolysis, such as casomorphin and gliadin.

Protease and papain, which are sulfite-free, contribute high levels of non-specific protein-degrading activity over a broad pH range, and work synergistically with the peptidase to increase the break down of food proteins.

HN-Zyme Prime Information

HN-Zyme Prime contains 10 distinct enzyme blends combined to quickly and efficiently break down the proteins, complex carbohydrates, and triglycerides. One capsule of HN-Zyme Prime contains more enzyme activity than most other products have in two or more capsules.

HN-Zyme Prime will have a noticeable effect on how you feel after a meal. The heaviness, gas, bloating, and cramps that are often associated with eating vegetables, meats, and dairy products can be alleviated by enzyme supplementation.

HN-Zyme Prime may be taken by children and also with Peptizyde. The additional enzymes in HN-Zyme Prime will ensure that your child receives the full nutritional benefit from their meals, whether they eat small or large amounts.

The enzymes in HN-Zyme Prime are derived from plant sources and are encapsulated in an all-vegetable based capsule. Manufactured under strict quality control procedures by one of the oldest enzyme manufacturers in the United States, HN-Zyme Prime is assured of having full activity of every enzyme listed on the label.

No-Fenol Information

All plants contain some degree of phenolic compounds. The phenol structure itself is ubiquitous in nature, and is actually essential to many of life’s processes. Current thinking by many is that some subset of children on the PDD spectrum have difficulty in the processing of phenolic compounds, which may present as behavioral problems and physical symptoms such as red ears and cheeks, and dark circles under the eyes. While the basic mechanism behind this phenomenon is not well defined, it is thought that perhaps the phenolic compounds become "trapped" in some part of a metabolic cycle, presumably involved with various detoxification pathways.

The research literature indicates that some phenolic compounds are modified by the addition of carbohydrate groups to their structures, which may inhibit their crossing into cells and being metabolized. The current hypothesis for why No-Fenol may help is through the ability of the enzymes in this product to remove the carbohydrate groups from the phenols, thus allowing normal processing by the detoxification pathways. There is no evidence that No-Fenol directly modifies phenolic structures. Indeed, the success of No-Fenol in allowing the addition of phenolic foods back into the diet of children with PDD may result in a re-evaluation of the basis of the phenol "problem".

Xylanase is the major component of No-Fenol, and is an enzyme used to breakdown the structural components of plant cell walls, which are primarily very complex carbohydrates. Xylanase is used in the juice industry to extract more juice from fruit pulp fibers. At least one reference indicates that polyphenolic compounds are actually increased by treatment with xylanase. Based on this reference and the fact that No-Fenol has allowed "phenol-sensitive" individuals to ingest phenolic foods, HNI now believes that the phenol issue is much more complex than previously thought, and may not be due so much to the presence of phenols as to the specific structure of these phenols.

Parental feedback indicates that No-Fenol allows many to eat some amount of phenolic foods without adverse effects on behavior or physical symptoms. A wide variation existed as to amounts and types of these foods that could be consumed. Parents report of improvements were strikingly similar to those noted with Peptizyde™, i.e., increased verbalization, more awareness, and more social behavior toward family members and peers. Those children with chronic constipation reported more frequent bowel movements. Some parents also reported that children could better tolerate food colorings and certain over the counter medications, such as cold medications and analgesic agents.

An article has been circulating on the internet over the past four years which provides misinformation about No-Fenol.  Sadly, its unsubstantiated accusations may discourage parents from trying a product that could be of considerable benefit to their children. The author of this article and the so-called autism expert he quotes both have financial ties to a company directly competing with these enzymes.  Neither the author or his cited "expert" have a Ph.D.  in biochemistry with specialization in enzymes, as does the developer of No-Fenol (the cited "expert" has a Ph.D. in engineering).  If you are hesitant to try No-Fenol because of this article or wish to view parent testimonials concerning the effectiveness of No-Fenol, please visit the parent owned and operated web site, www.autismforyou.com.    

Side Effects/Contra-Indications

These enzymes are cultured from a special form of Aspergillous, which is a type of mold used to create non-fruit and non-animal enzymes by the supplement industry.  If your child has a mold sensitivity, they most likely will not have an allergic reaction to the enzymes, as the enzymes are so completely distilled that virtually any traces of Aspergillous are removed.  However, if your child has a life threatening reaction to mold, we advise you to not use these enzymes unless you have consulted with a physician.  

It is possible, that for a few individuals, after using the enzymes for a number of years on a daily basis, a sensitivity can develop, which manifests as itching.  In my customer feedback over the last six years, there are two cases where this has been reported out of the thousands of customers who have purchased the enzymes from Autism Coach.  If you wish to take the precaution of preventing a sensitivity from developing, we recommend rotating these enzymes with another non-aspergillous derived digestive aid one or two days a week or having a day or two enzyme free.  Possible substitutes include the Digest Zyme we carry or Betaine Hydrocholoride. These substitutes do not completely digest  gluten and casein but help to keep overall digestion optimal on days when not taking  Peptizyde and Zyme Prime.  We also recommend to avoid ingesting gluten and casein containing foods and drinks on the days when Peptizyde and Zyme Prime are not taken.  

Side effects for  No-Fenol reported in the initial trial of the enzyme, were hyperactivity, more frequent urination, and increased sweating. In most cases, these effects resolved over time or with adjustment of enzyme dose or decreased use of other supplements. Some parents noted a correlation between these effects and increased yeast "die-off", which can produce similar side effects. In some cases, stools were softer and less formed, which may be a result of the enzymes decreasing the viscosity of the intestinal contents, as noted in animal studies.

 This product is not intended to treat, cure, or prevent any disease.