Protease
Ross Hauser, M.D.
 

We all know what it feels like to sustain a bad ankle sprain or back injury. It hurts like crazy! What most people do not realize is that the way the pain is originally treated could ultimately determine whether the injury heals long term. Anti-inflammatory drugs  are definitely not the way to go! A better approach is with natural analgesics, which assist in healing soft tissue injuries.
 

Collagen, which makes up ligaments and tendons, is the most abundant protein in the human body, making up about 30 percent of total proteins. Collagen is six percent of human total body weight. Seventy to 90 percent of all connective tissues in the body are collagen (by weight). Collagen consists of three procollagen chains each with 1055 amino acids. The athlete must consume adequate amounts of protein, in the appropriate forms to produce enough collagen.
 

Bruising and swelling typically occur after a soft tissue injury of a ligament or tissue depending on the significance of the injury. The amount of pain is typically proportional to the severity of injury and swelling. The best way to control the pain is by controlling the swelling. This is one of the reasons for the wide-spread of the use of the RICE treatment. The problem is that pain control is obtained but healing is sacrificed. In the MEAT regime, pain control is obtained and healing is encouraged because natural analgesics are given. There have been over 20 reports on the use of natural analgesics called proteases and their usefulness in recovery after sports injury.
 

Proteases are natural enzymes that are needed for any living organism to survive. They encourage soft tissue healing by reducing the viscosity of extracellular fluid. This increases nutrient and waste transport from the injured site, reducing swelling or edema. Some of the natural proteases include bromelain from pineapple and papain from the papaya fruit. Other natural proteases include trypsin and chymotrypsin. Some of the significant findings have shown the following results with the use of proteases in treating sports injuries:

Boxers cuts healed in half the time

Soccer players recovery times were enhanced to the point that significantly fewer games were missed in the supplemented group
 

Football players at the University of Pittsburgh recovered from sprains, contusions, and strains in about half the time as non-supplemented players
 

Protease administration offers a much safer option than NSAIDS (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) for the pain of acute soft tissue injuries. It can reduce most of the symptoms of the injury while promoting healing. If taken in sufficient quantities, proteases can rapidly decrease swelling. Proper protease administration can result in a 50 percent quicker healing time. Symptoms of inflammation (pain, swelling, heat, and redness) are usually much reduced. These results, however, can only be achieved if certain criteria are met.
 

First, and foremost, supplementation must be initiated as soon as possible after an injury occurs. Prophylaxis is ideal, and we encourage all athletes performing strenuous exercises to load up on proteases one to two hours before their athletic events. This is especially useful before games, such as the more rugged sports like football, soccer, basketball, hockey, lacrosse, boxing, martial arts, rugby, rodeo, and wrestling.
 

The protease supplements must be ingested on an empty stomach; otherwise they will be used for digesting food, if taken with food. Using multiple proteases at one time seems to increase the effect. Proteases are generally used on a continual basis while the athlete continues to play sports. An increase in the typical dose is given after an injury and is continued until the injury is healed.
 

There are better options for pain control than anti-inflammatories. Athletes are realizing that complete healing is needed in order to excel in their sports. This is why many of them are turning to natural analgesics and saying no to anti-inflammatories.