Pancreatic Enzymes 1 g by Thorne

If meals leave you bloated with greasy, floating, hard‑to‑flush stools, pancreatic enzymes are worth a trial. They’re most helpful when the pancreas under-produces enzymes, which becomes more common with age and after bouts of pancreatitis. Clues include low Fecal Elastase-1 (a stool test of pancreatic output), high Fecal Fat, or low fat-soluble vitamins like Vitamin D, 25-Hydroxy and Vitamin A/E on labs. For diagnosed exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, prescription pancrelipase is first-line; this over-the-counter pancreatin can help milder cases or fill gaps.

Pancreatin is a blend of lipase, protease, and amylase, the same enzyme types your pancreas releases into the small intestine. Lipase breaks dietary fat into absorbable pieces, protease does the same for protein, and amylase finishes starch digestion. Better breakdown reduces gas from undigested food fermenting downstream and improves absorption of calories and fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K). In practice, people notice less bloating and more formed stools when enzyme levels match the meal’s fat and protein load.

Take 1–2 capsules with the first bites of each meal as directed; larger or higher-fat meals often need the higher end. If you snack, a single capsule with the snack is reasonable. Effects are meal-by-meal, with stool normalization typically within days to 2 weeks. Swallow capsules intact with fluid. If you must open one, avoid chewing the contents and rinse your mouth after to prevent irritation. Recheck Fecal Fat or fat-soluble vitamins after several weeks if you’re following labs.

Skip pancreatin during acute pancreatitis until your clinician clears you. Do not use if you have a pork allergy or avoid porcine products for religious reasons. Enzymes can reduce the glucose-lowering effect of acarbose or miglitol (diabetes drugs that slow carb digestion), so don’t combine without guidance. Heartburn medicines like proton pump inhibitors can change how enzymes perform; timing with meals matters more. Pregnancy and pediatric use should be clinician-directed rather than self-started.