Breaking Down Fat with Lipase

Pancreatic lipase is an enzyme that breaks down dietary triglycerides into fatty acids in the gastrointestinal tract. There should not be much pancreatic lipase in the blood and if there is, it usually means some kind of damage to the pancreas or reduced clearance by the kidney. 

Low levels of lipase in the blood can be seen with reduced function of the pancreas as well as metabolic disorders including obesity, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome.

High levels in the blood may mean acute pancreatitis which can be serious. Elevated levels may also be seen with acute pancreatitis (significantly elevated), gallbladder inflammation, peptic ulcer, obstruction in the GI tract, appendicitis, inflammatory bowel disease, liver failure, kidney dysfunction, and elevated triglycerides or calcium in the blood. Certain medications can increase pancreatic lipase levels in the blood including codeine and morphine.

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