Pancreatic Enzymes

[ranger]

My digestive issues went 75% away since going gluten free, but that 25% is bugging me. I recently baught a bottle of Twinlab Pancreatin. Anyone know if this works? And, if I start using it, will it diminish my bodies ability to produce my own pancreatic enzymes , rendering me "addicted" to them? I need to know if I can use them for a short period of time - untill I am completely healed - and then quit using them. I have been gluten free for 8 months today, but have been cc'd many times. That's even getting better as I learn more, but tallk about a learning curve! I just learned the other day to not use my fave cast-iron skillet that I used to make cornbread in. Duh me! Thanx

[mushroom]

A lot of us take some digestive enzymes for a while to help out our digestive systems because our pancreas is not working as well as it could be. Speaking from my perspective, anecdotal only, it did not seem to have had any negative effect on my pancreas or made it lazy, in fact it seemed glad of the help I no longer take them and believe my pancreas is working fine although I have not done any further testing on that. I did a saliva and stool test initially with Diagnos-Techs which revealed a lack of pancreatic enzymes.

[The Fluffy Assassin]

My digestive issues went 75% away since going gluten free, but that 25% is bugging me. I recently baught a bottle of Twinlab Pancreatin. Anyone know if this works? And, if I start using it, will it diminish my bodies ability to produce my own pancreatic enzymes , rendering me "addicted" to them? I need to know if I can use them for a short period of time - untill I am completely healed - and then quit using them. I have been gluten free for 8 months today, but have been cc'd many times. That's even getting better as I learn more, but tallk about a learning curve! I just learned the other day to not use my fave cast-iron skillet that I used to make cornbread in. Duh me! Thanx

What I'm reading here Open Original Shared Link and here Open Original Shared Link indicates that pancreatic enzymes are prescribed to treat underlying causes of chronic pancreatitis, and would probably be taken forever. The poop according to rxlist: Open Original Shared Link

I would seriously recommend talking to a doctor before taking this.

[YoloGx]

I have read elsewhere that taking pancreatin or a vegetable enzyme substitute like bromelain/papain or a good plant enzyme mix is often recommended for those who have celiac for the first healing period. It is less needed later on.

Nevertheless its also true that as we humans age we often need to take some digestive enzymes since our bodies produce less than when we do when we are younger.--whether or not we have celiac.

I don't know where this idea of "addiction" to enzymes came about. An addiction implies you falsely "need" something you are ingesting (or doing or having) that is actually harming you and is painful to give up. Enzymes in my experience are not like that. If they don't agree with you your body will let you know. If you don't need them (or no longer need them) it will make no difference whether you take them or not.

Bea

[mushroom]

I believe pancreatitis is a totally different condition from what we are talking about here. We are just talking about a gluten-induced enzyme insufficiency, not an inflammation of the pancreas.

[ranger]

Thanks for all the info. I think I'll take this slowly amd think more about it. I hate to take meds, so I'll do some more research before I try this.

[ravenwoodglass]

I believe pancreatitis is a totally different condition from what we are talking about here. We are just talking about a gluten-induced enzyme insufficiency, not an inflammation of the pancreas.

I agree. The only time I took pancreatic enzymes is when I had a case of acute pancreatitis and I only took them for a short time. After I stopped seeing whole undigested food in my stool I stopped taking them with every meal and then just took them with a heavy fat meal for a week or two after that. They are NOT something I personally would want to take on a regular basis.

I would start out with the bromelain/papain that Yolo mentioned first and also go with easy to digest foods. If you don't like taking pills pineapple is the source of the papain and you could try having a bit of fresh pineapple with your meals first. If you have been being CC'd frequently that could be the cause of the continued distress and after you are able to ferret out the sources of the contamination that is going to help the most.

[YoloGx]

Just to add a note--I have read the enzyme pancreatin is often in short supply when you have unregulated celiac. It doesn't mean however that you have pancreatitis its just that your intestines are having difficulty digesting anything given the disturbed and inflamed situation in the intestines. As your diet improves and your cilia begin to grow back you don't need to take it anymore. However I don't believe its actually harmful if you do take it longer. For close to a year I found pancreatin to be helpful when eating heavy meats or other protein when I was still having trouble digesting them. After a while however all I have needed was (and is) the plant enzymes with the bromelain/papain in them.