Page 81 - The Miraculous Machine that Works for an Entire Lifetime: Enzyme

Adnan Oktar

rate at which enzymes work declines, along with the number of

processes they can perform. Some enzymes even die. (See Harun
Yahya, The Miracle of the Immune System.)
o
When the temperature rises by as much as 10 C, reaction speed
doubles. To put that another way, increase in reaction speed is directly
proportional to temperature. After this considerable rise, however, re-
action speed suddenly slows to a standstill. Although reaction speeds
show a sudden initial increase, this temperature is clearly not produc-
tive in terms of enzymes' working conditions. Although enzymes grow
ineffective a little above optimum temperature, they can once again be-
come effective when the temperature falls. But if that high temperature

persists or even rises a little further, enzymes lose all their effectiveness,
because they have a tertiary structure and at high temperatures, they
lose that helical three-dimensional structure. The enzyme structure
breaks down, their former order is destroyed, and as a result, they cease
to function.
Enzymes also become functionless at low temperatures, but cold
does not damage their structure. Efficacy is restored once the tempera-
ture returns to earlier levels. The frozen food industry makes consider-
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able use of this fact. Foods are preserved for long periods by freezing,
and when thawed, they regain much of their former nutritional value,
thanks to the enzymes being reactivated.
Also important for enzymes, in addition to temperature, is the

body's pH level. pH stands for "potential hydrogen," showing the con-
centration of hydrogen ions in a region or a solution. Concentration val-
ues can range between 1 and 14. A level of 7 indicates the presence of
water and describes a neutral environment. Numbers higher than 7 in-
dicate an alkaline environment, and numbers lower than 7 show that it
is acidic. This distinction is of great importance for reactions taking
place in a fluid environment, because while some molecules dissolve in
water, others are unaffected by it and can dissolve only in acid.

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