Lysozyme Role And Benefits

Lysozyme, Diarrhoea, Tooth Decay & Cleanliness by Jane Thurnell-Read

Lysozyme is a digestive enzyme produced in the saliva, in tears and on the skin. I’ve known for some time that research has shown that it destroys bacteria and so helps prevent tooth decay. Something I didn’t know until recently is that this enzyme also works to limit the growth of the bacteria that cause infections and diarrhoea. It also encourages the growth of good bacteria. It is sometimes referred to as the body’s own antibiotic. It inhibits the growth of bacteria by destroying the bacterial cell wall, causing the contents of the cell to leak out. Lysozyme makes it easier for the white blood cells to eat harmful bacteria.

A recent study has found that adding Lysomin (recombinant human lysozyme) to oral rehydration formulas helps reduce acute diarrhoea. A US research establishment has produced goats that excrete human lysozyme in their milk. They are hoping to develop a goats milk product that can be used to protect children against diarrhoea. Human breast milk contains the enzyme, so this may contribute to the protection that breast milk offers against infant diarrhoea.

Some studies have shown that serum levels of lysozyme are higher in Crohn’s disease. At first sight this seems contradictory, as lysozyme is protective against diarrhoea. It may be that in Crohn’s disease the body is not using the enzyme effectively, so that the monitoring system is registering a shortage of the enzyme rather than an ineffective abundance. (See my book Energy Mismatch for a more detailed discussion on these types of phenomena.) It may well be that kinesiology and EAV practitioners should check people out for this enzyme (found in our digestive enzyme test kit), and use the procedure taught in my Energy Mismatch book to fix the problem when appropriate.

I’ve been thinking about the fact that lysozyme is produced by the sweat. There are bacteria on the skin that help to maintain the acid mantle and give protection from pathogenic organisms. It may well be that lysozyme produced in sweat has a part to play in controlling the deleterious bacteria and supporting the beneficial bacteria. Our daily showers may be removing lysozyme and the beneficial enzymes from our skin. Here’s an interesting article about washing: Hygiene of the Skin: When Is Clean Too Clean?. Also have a look at my article on allergies and dirt.