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What Are the Benefits of Pancreatin?

Pancreatin is a mixture of digestive enzymes that aid in the absorption of fats, carbohydrates and proteins. In healthy individuals, these enzymes are produced in and secreted by the pancreas. However, there are several medical conditions that inhibit or interfere with this ability of the pancreas, and patients can benefit greatly from supplementation with pancreatin.

  1. Description

    • Pancreatin is a non-prescription nutritional supplement that contains amylase, lipase and trypsin. There is a prescription medication called Pancrelipase, which has a more active lipase enzyme. Although pancreatin is taken to replace the digestive enzyme functions that are lost due to a variety of conditions, the enzymes are also taken for general enzyme therapy to aid in other diseases.

    Function

    • The enzymes found in pancreatin each perform a specific function. These functions are all vital to daily digestion and metabolism. The amylase enzyme uses water to break down starches into oligosaccharides, which are carbohydrates composed of simple sugars. Lipase uses water to break down triglycerides into the individual components of fatty acids and glycerols. Trypsin uses water to break down proteins to amino acid groupings known as oligopeptides.

    Benefit in Cystic Fibrosis

    • Patients with cystic fibrosis, an inherited disease, produce mucus that interferes with the ability of the pancreas to secrete the enzymes needed for digestion. Pancreatin replaces the enzymes the pancreas cannot secrete, thereby helping to treat the common symptoms of diarrhea, intestinal blockage and malnutrition.

    Benefit in Heart Disease

    • Pancreatin can help treat heart disease. Atherosclerosis, or hardening of arteries, is a major factor in cardiovascular problems. It is generally thought that cholesterol causes plaque build-up in the arteries, but it has been found that an enzyme called homocysteine plays a large role in damaging the arteries. Homocysteine is a by-product of the break-down of proteins, and with the addition of pancreatin enzymes, it can be converted to a harmless amino acid called cystathionine.

    Benefit for Viruses

    • Pancreatin can help to treat viral infections. Viruses are coated with proteins and the enzymes help to digest those proteins, therefore leaving the virus vulnerable to attack by the immune system.

    Benefit in Cancer

    • Cancer cells are coated with antigens, which should induce the body's immune system to notice it as a foreign body and attack and eliminate those cells. However, cancer cells use a protein called fibrin to hide them. The addition of pancreatin enzymes can degrade the protein, therefore leaving the cells exposed to the immune system. In addition, it is known that pancreatic enzymes stimulate natural killer T-cells, which are toxic to cancer cells.

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