Pancreatic Lipase

Pancreatic lipase is an enzyme or rather a type of lipase, which is secreted from pancreas. This enzyme is responsible for metabolism of proteins, carbohydrates and fats. Check out the article below to know more about this enzyme.

As we all know our digestive system is a complex system where whatever we eat is properly converted into energy, broken into different substances needed for our body and so on. Pancreas is one of the very important organs which play a very important role in digestion of food. It secretes lipase, a form of enzyme which is essential for proper digestion of food. Lipase levels in blood are a major indicator of what could be wrong with the digestive system of a person and subsequently overall health of that individual. If you want to know more, the text to follow will tell you more about pancreatic lipase.

What is Pancreatic Lipase

What is lipase? Well, lipase or a type of water soluble enzyme produced and secreted by the pancreas is called pancreatic lipase. It is basically a digestive enzyme and is produced by 2 other organs - liver and stomach. The lipase produced by liver is called hepatic lipase and the one produced by the stomach is called gastric lipase. All these in totality have an impact on the metabolism of the nutrients we consume. Simply put, this is pancreatic lipase. Now what does it exactly do? Coming up, right away!

Pancreatic Lipase Function

There are a number of functions are associated with lipase secreted from the pancreas ensuring our digestive health and automatically over all health.

Function #1

The breakdown of triglycerides into fatty acids is stimulated and driven by lipase. Some types of lipase work internally in the living cells for degradation of liquids.

Function #2

Metabolism and absorption and movement of lipids all across our body is a very important function of pancreatic lipase. This function is performed predominantly with regards to dietary triglycerides in the digestive system and is very important.

Function #3

Lipase from pancreas is essential for digestion and absorption of nutrients in the intestines. If that is not done, the food we eat would not be digested properly and we will have gastric problems.

Function #4

Maximum cell permeability is retained with the help of lipase. This is essential because then, nutrients will flow easily in the cells and consequently the waste will be thrown out.

Function #5

Once the triglycerides are broken down, the pancreatic lipase transforms or converts triglyceride substrates in ingested oil into monoglycerides and free fatty acids.

Function #6

These enzymes or lipases are said to be useful in treating auto immune disorders and enhances a gluten free diet to help in diagnosis of a condition affecting the intestinal tract, causing nutrient deficiencies.

In addition to this, there is another type of lipase produced by liver, which more or less has the same functions, This is called bile salt dependent lipase. This enzyme, though is produced by pancreas in adults only. It helps in the digestion of fats. All said and done, the absorption, successful hydrolysis and breakdown of the fats depends on the availability of bile salts provided by the liver.

Pancreatic Lipase Supplements

As mentioned earlier, lipase is produced by the body itself and lipase levels are regulated there itself. But sometimes that may not suffice, leading a person to take pancreatic lipase externally. Typically lipase tablets and lipase powder have become available in the recent times. Lipase is typically obtained in low concentrations as an ingredient of pancreatin from animal sources. These are available as acid resistant or enteric coated tablets, which will dissolve only in intestines. This is specially to prevent it from deactivation in the stomach.

Now, in the recent past, attempts are being made to replace pancreatin and lipase supplements from animal sources with plant and microbial sources. Even so, a commercially lipase is produced primarily from strains of fungi and bacteria. Pancreas problems could be a result of a dip in the levels of lipase. Hence, maintenance of lipase levels is important.

That was all about pancreatic lipase. This is how pancreas help in food digestion through pancreatic lipase! I sign off here! Take Care!