What are enzymes? Enzymes are generated by a living organism that behaves as a catalyst to carry out a clear biochemical reaction. Enzymes increase the rate of chemical reactions by lowering the free energy barrier that separates reactants and products. Enzymes are nature's tools and help break down our food. They accelerate all necessary biological activities. Enzymes in the stomach, for example, ensure that food is broken down into smaller particles that can be transformed into energy in the body. Wherever a substance needs to be converted into another substance, nature uses enzymes to increase the speed of the process. Enzymes are the workhorses of the body. When we eat, enzymes break down food into smaller particles that can be turned into energy in the body. The activity begins in the mouth, where an enzyme called amylase hits any incoming food stains. Food breakdown is an essential part of transforming food into energy. Undigested foods are not able to transmit the energy they contain. Enzymes involved in the digestion process do the final cutting of food particles so that they can be easily converted into essential energy needed by all parts of our body.1. Mechanism of action of enzymes: Enzymes are catalysts. They therefore help to accelerate biochemical reactions. Sometimes the required reactions would not occur at all without the support of enzymes. Being catalysts also means that the enzymes are not part of the product itself. They make things happen. Once the job is done, the enzymes are ready to catalyze a new biochemical reaction. Each enzyme has a particular function. One of the unique features of the ......n document, known as the initial reaction rate, is the maximum reaction rate for an enzyme in an experimental situation. Substrate Concentration • Increasing the substrate concentration increases the reaction rate. This is because more substrate molecules will collide with enzyme molecules, so more product will be formed. • However, after a certain concentration, any increase will have no effect on the reaction rate, since the concentration of the substrate will no longer be the limiting factor. The enzymes will actually become saturated and work at their maximum possible rate. Enzyme Concentration • Increasing the enzyme concentration will increase the reaction rate because more enzymes will collide with the substrate molecules. • However, this too will only have an effect up to a certain concentration, where the enzyme concentration is no longer the limiting factor.