Pepsin facts for kids

Pepsin is a special kind of enzyme that helps your body break down food. Think of enzymes as tiny helpers that speed up chemical reactions. Pepsin's main job is to break down proteins, which are important building blocks for your body.

This amazing enzyme works in your stomach, a very acidic place! Your stomach contains hydrochloric acid, which makes it super acidic, with a pH of about 1.5. Pepsin loves this acidic environment and works best when the pH is low. If the pH goes above 6, pepsin stops working.

Pepsin was the very first enzyme discovered from an animal. A scientist named Theodor Schwann found it in 1836.

Besides helping your body digest food, pepsin is also used in other ways, like in making cheese!

What is Pepsin?

Pepsin is a powerful enzyme found in your stomach. Its main role is to break down large protein molecules into smaller pieces. This process is called digestion. These smaller pieces can then be absorbed by your body and used for energy, growth, and repair.

How Pepsin Works

Your stomach is a very acidic place, thanks to hydrochloric acid. This acid helps to kill germs and also prepares proteins for pepsin to act on them. Pepsin works best in this strong acid, at a pH level around 1.5. Imagine trying to work in a place that's too hot or too cold; pepsin needs just the right acidic conditions to do its job.

Discovery of Pepsin

The discovery of pepsin was a big step in understanding how our bodies work. Before 1836, scientists didn't know much about enzymes. Theodor Schwann, a German physiologist, was the first to isolate and name this enzyme. His discovery opened the door for many more discoveries about how digestion happens.

Pepsin in Everyday Life

While pepsin is vital for your digestion, it also has uses outside the body. One common use is in making cheese. Pepsin helps to curdle milk, which is the first step in turning liquid milk into solid cheese. It's a great example of how science helps us create delicious foods!

Images for kids

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  Beeman's Pepsin Gum

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  Adams Pepsin Tutti Frutti Gum, marketed "For relief of indigestion and dyspepsia"

See also

• In Spanish: Pepsina para niños