Enzymes are biological catalysts that increase the speed and efficiency of biochemical reactions. Most enzymes are proteins but certain ribonucleic acid molecules also have catalytic properties. Each type of enzyme can only bind to one or a few specific substrates, therefore, there is a vast diversity of enzymes, all with distinct functions. The specific reaction of an enzyme depends on its active sites, which has shapes that closely matches the shape of its substrates. Upon substrate binding, the enzyme changes shape slightly in a way that allows the chemical reaction to happen more readily, thus reducing the activation energy of the reaction. Once the reaction takes place, the enzyme releases the products and returns to its original shape, which allows it to repeat the process again.Most enzymatic reactions can be categorized as either catabolic and anabolic, which have opposite functions. Enzymes that mediate catabolic reactions break down larger substances into multiple products. A well-known catabolic enzyme is lactase, which splits the disaccharide lactose in dairy products into monosaccharides galactose and glucose. Humans have large amounts of lactase in their small intestine after birth, however many individuals lose more than 90% of their lactase by early childhood. This reduction diminishes the ability to digest lactose in an age-dependent manner, which is known as lactose intolerance.