What is the primary function of enzymes in biochemical reactions?

Enzymes serve as biological catalysts that significantly increase the rate of biochemical reactions. They do this by providing an alternative reaction pathway with a lower activation energy, making it easier for substrate molecules to convert into products. This catalytic effect allows reactions to occur more rapidly than they would without the presence of an enzyme.

The primary role of enzymes is not to store energy, which involves different biological molecules such as ATP and glycogen. While enzymes can influence the nature of the products formed by catalyzing specific reactions, they do not alter the fundamental products themselves beyond providing a mechanism to achieve them more efficiently. Additionally, enzymes do not change the equilibrium constant of a reaction; rather, they allow the reaction to reach equilibrium faster without affecting the position of the equilibrium itself.

In summary, the key function of enzymes is their ability to speed up reactions, making option B the correct answer.