My initial search shows a very wide variation in normal values. Thanks
Can't answer now but if you Google Chris Masterjohn, interesting papers.
This is a topic of great interest currently. The AMY1 gene coding salivary amylase is present in a wide range of copy numbers. The number in a particular individual is reported to be related to the amount of starch consumed by the parent population. A high copy number is expected to result in a high activity in saliva but it is by no means certain that all the gene copies are expressed in every case. With the added complication of variations in secretion rate of the glands, it is no wonder that Richard is having a problem in finding a 'normal value'
Peter
Kristie Bridges has provided a very useful piece of information. The variation in the activities that can be seen in a single individual is remarkable and gaining full understanding of the various factors (e.g. hormonal, dietary etc) leading to such variations would be extremely valuable. Salivary amylase was one of the first enzymes to be described yet it remains full of mystery. There is obviously a lot of work still to be done.
Peter
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