What are micronutrients and enzymes?

If you are serious about learning how to support skin health and appearance with foods and nutrients, it’s a good idea to learn what micronutrients and enzymes are.

Micronutrients and enzymes are crucial for the normal function of the body’s biochemistry.

Micros and macros

Nutrients are devided into two main groups, micronutrients and macronutrients. 

Micronutrients are the vitamins, minerals (trace elements) and phytonutrients. We need a smaller amount of micronutrients than macronutrients. Micronutrients are needed for the function of enzymes.

Macronutrients are the nutrients that provide energy, so fat, carbohydrates and protein. We need a larger amount of macronutrients. Macronutrients are broken down to energy in the body and micronutrients are needed for enzymes that are necessary for breaking the macros down for energy. 

Micronutrients also work as antioxidants.

Phytonutrients are nutrients found in plants. Several phytonutrients are beneficial for our health as well as for skin health and supporting collagen.
 

What are enzymes?

In order to fully understand what effect certain nutrients have on skin health, and skin collagen (which is a protein) specifically, you need to understand what enzymes are and what they do.

Enzymes are made up by protein. They are called catalysts and are needed for almost all biochemical processes in the body, for example formation of new substances and tissues (for example collagen formation) as well as breaking down substances (foods into nutrients and energy = metabolism as well as collagen recycling and other tissues). 

Substanses entering the enzyme’s active site is called a substrate. 

The end result of the enzymatic reaction is called product or products.

 
What are cofactors?

In order for enzymes to work they need so called cofactors. Cofactors are nutrients that are used by enzymes in order for them to be able to break down or build different kinds of substances.

Vitamins and minerals are used as cofactors. Deficiency of vitamins and minerals that are needed as cofactors for important processes in the body can affect the function of the enzymes. This can lead to a reduction in important processes, which can affect general health as well as skin health.