Digestive enzymes are complex proteins. They are involved in digestion that stimulate chemical changes in other substances. They work optimally at specific temperature and pH. Digestive enzymes include pancreatic enzymes, plant-derived enzymes, and fungal-derived enzymes. Pancreatin is one of the digestive enzymes that is used to supplement loss of or low levels of digestive enzymes, and is often used in people with cystic fibrosis. It has been claimed to help with food allergies, celiac disease, autoimmune disease, cancer, and weight loss. Pancreatin is also known as pancreatic acid. It is a mixture of lipase (a fat-dissolving enzyme), protease (a protein enzyme), and amylase (an enzyme that aids in the digestion of starchy carbohydrates. It is often prescribed to people whose pancreatic secretions are low.
The supplement form of Pancreatin may be derived from pork or beef sources. It helps people with pancreatic disorders (cystic fibrosis, pancreatitis) whose pancreatic secretions are low to properly digest food. It may help improve nutrient absorption, prevent weight loss, and prevent diarrhea in these individuals.
References:
http://myhealth.ucsd.edu/library/healthguide/en-us/Cam/topic.asp?hwid=hn-2840008
AllstarHealth. http://www.allstarhealth.com/lj_c/Pancreatin.htm
NutraSanus. http://www.nutrasanus.com/pancreatin.html
