Effect of Tea/Tea Extracts on α‐Glucan Hydrolysis by Enzymes In Vitro and In Vivo − With Parallel Impacts on Health

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

The digestion of starch and starch derivatives in humans is a multi‐enzyme process which generates glucose as the major dietary energy source. Digestible or amorphous starch may be depolymerised by digestive (pancreatic) α‐amylase to generate dextrins, maltooligosaccharides, and maltose. The small intestine brush border located maltase‐glucoamylase (MGAM) may then convert maltose and maltooligosaccharides with an α‐(1–4) bonding configuration to glucose. The similarly located sucrase‐isomaltase enzyme complex may also convert maltose to glucose and isomaltose or α‐(1–6) linked oligosaccharides to glucose too. Some components in the diet (for example tea) may interact with enzymes in the digestive system associated with α‐glucan digestion. Tea is consumed in different formats around the world and is considered to provide many health benefits. Most often tea is consumed without milk − which is popular in some countries − where the milk proteins bind to the bioactive components of the tea. Health related conditions may be linked to the control of energy generation via glucose in the gut − although tea and tea extracts are associated with broader health impacts.
Components of tea interact with the digestion of carbohydrates and subsequent absorption of monosaccharides (e.g., glucose from starch digestion) from the gut into the blood stream. The types of interactions are reviewed together with the mechanisms of interactions. The impact of the tea inhibition on carbohydrate digestion is considered in the context of gut focussed health and broader health issues.