Pancreatic enzyme products contain pancreatin or pancrelipase, which is a mixture of amylase, lipase, and protease. These enzymes are made by the pancreas.
Amylase, lipase, and protease are normally made by the pancreas to help the body digest food. In the US, pancreatic enzyme products are available as a prescription or in dietary supplements. The enzymes in these products usually come from the pancreas in pigs.
People use prescription pancreatic enzyme products to treat digestion problems that occur when the pancreas has been removed or is not working well. Prescription products are FDA-approved for pancreatic insufficiency. People use supplement products to help with digestion and for other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.
Prescription pancreatic enzyme products are not the same as supplement pancreatic enzyme products. Prescription products contain a standardized amount of enzymes, while the contents of supplement products vary.
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