Comparing Serrapeptase
what to look for:
There are 3 major considerations that should be looked at when choosing a serrapeptase. Strength, price, and bioavailability or delivery. There are also a few less important criteria to consider like origins of manufacturing the process used to produce the enzyme and how the ingredients have been stored and packaged. For now we will simply concentrate on the 3 major aspects of choosing a brand to help you narrow down the options.
Serrapeptase Activity SPU Breakdown Per Serving
Strength (activity)
Since enzymes have individual activity we know that a higher weight or milligram value is not an accurate way to determine what you are buying. Looking at a products label to see the SU, IU, or SPU rating for serrapeptase is extremely important. To demonstrate this, the graph to the right indicates both Doctor’s Best Serrapeptase and Enerex brand Serrapeptase RX have 120,000 SPU’s of Serrapeptase activity per capsule. The Enerex capsule is only 30mg while the Doctors best is 500mg. While these capsules are miles apart in weight they are exactly the same thing. The Doctors Best simply has more filler in it. It would be inaccurate to think that you are getting 470 more mg or enzymes because of their difference in weight.
Price
To accurately determine the cost for a particular enzyme it is best to compare their price per given activity. Our Compare Brands section of our website has broken down the top 5 bestselling brands of Serrapeptase based upon their cost per 100,000 units of activity. This breakdown shows the actual cost of the serrapeptase you are buying broken down by units of concentration.
Bioavailability and Delivery Methods
There are virtually hundreds of ways to deliver enzymes. For serrapeptase there are a handful of common delivery methods including:
- Hard pressed tablets
- Encapsulated powders
- Raw powder
- Liquid gels
Of the 4 mentioned delivery methods encapsulated powder remains the leader. Hard pressed tablets create heat in the manufacturing process and can decrease the activity of the enzymes not to mention they are much harder to breakdown in the body. Powders are hard to mix and deliver, while powder is cheaper it is typically not sold because it is inconvenient to take on a daily basis. Since enzymes are hydrophilic they activate in water. Liquid gels have been tried, but are very rare. Rather than water the enzymes are mixed with oils, to protect their activity. Oil requires longer digestion periods to activate and absorb the enzymes, while the action of oil provides a sustained release, the bulk density added by the oil suspension leaves less room for the enzymes themselves. Liquid based enzymes are typically weak and less desirable than encapsulated powder.
Understanding Enzyme Activity
Serrapeptase is rated in SPU or serratio peptidase units. An SPU is equal to U's IU's or SU's, which many companies will simply use interchangeably with serrapeptase products though the SPU is the most accurate. This graph indicates the activity of each brands recommended serving and its associated activity. Serrapeptase and all enzymes for that matter are rated by the enzymes corresponding assay method. Enzymes and probiotics are rated differently than vitamins, minerals and other dietary nutraceuticals. It would be misleading to describe the potency of enzymes in terms of milligrams. The weight of a products enzyme component is independent of its strength. Enzymes have a concentration or activity to indicate their potency. Each enzyme has its own individual assay or test that can be ran to determine its activity. For the enzyme Nattokinase assay tests are conducted in FU's or Fibrinolytic Units. Serrapeptase is assayed using the SPU or serratio peptidase units testing method. Since enzymes have an associated activity it is not useful to mention milligrams. Therefore 1000mg of Serrapeptase A could have only 1/8 the activity of 500mg of Serrapeptase B, weight is independent of the strength.
Enteric Coatings
Many companies enteric coat their enzymes to protect them from stomach acid. While there is no scientific evidence to suggest that serrapeptase is vulnerable to stomach acid, it was common practice for enzyme manufacturers in the 1950’s to use acid resistant coatings to protect enzymes derived from cow pancreas. Bovine enzymes are excreted below the stomach in a cow’s digestive tract (hence, after the stomach has been neutralized). Still no scientific evidence today suggests serrapeptase is diminished in acid. While this debate remains inconclusive many companies still enteric coat their serrapeptase powder while others enteric coat their capsules after manufacturing. Enteric coatings limit the absorbability of the enzymes due to the limited uptake of polymers through the lymphatic system. Typically the enzymes cannot be absorbed until the enteric coating has been dissolved. HPMCP is among the most common enteric coatings which is a combination of vegetable cellulose mixed with plastic. Many companies simply increase their potency rather than include the use of plastics in their formula. On the other hand, Arthur Andrew Medical’s Serrétia product uses a unique Acid Armor capsule that doesn’t contain any plastic or artificial ingredients. The capsules have a thicker acid resistant shell with a patented locking mechanism that protects the ingredients from acid and content leakage. The Acid Armor capsules provide just enough protection from acid to maximize potency, and increase bioavailability for absorption.