This is the main source of life for some people. A large number of people like to eat such food items. You can make your routine easy with food with lipase. it’s very helpful in losing weight. You may want to add these naturally occurring foods to your diet or avoid them till your digestion improves. Here, I list some examples of food containing lipase.
Have you ever wondered where lipase comes from and the answer was cheese? Well, we’ve added this to your knowledge base! Lipase is simply the enzyme that helps you digest solid fats along with other enzymes such as bromelain. This makes up part of your saliva secretions, but also in many other foods you eat.
What Is Lipase? Lipase is one of several different enzymes that are produced in the pancreas and is one of the major lipolytic agents or fat-splitting enzymes. The bottom line, it helps to break down dietary fats. Interestingly enough, the two main lipases produced in humans are known as lipase A and B.
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What Is Lipase?
An enzyme called lipase is available as a white powder. When bile salts and fat are mixed together, lipases, which are found in the mucosa of our intestine and pancreas, help in fat digestion. The Greek term for fat is where the word lipase originates. [1] Additionally, fungi and plants produce lipases. They can be used to create cheese and liquid soap.
Protein-based compounds known as enzymes work to speed up chemical processes. Lipase is one of these essential enzymes for human health. What precisely is lipase? One of our most important digestive enzymes, lipase, is primarily secreted by the pancreas into the small intestine to assist the body in breaking down and absorbing fats.
It does far more for the body than you would anticipate by breaking down and assisting in the absorption of fat; it can naturally assist with serious illnesses like cystic fibrosis and severe digestive issues like celiac disease.
Protease and amylase, the other two essential enzymes, are frequently given together with lipase. Amylase handles carbs, protease handles proteins, and lipase deals with lipids. Your digestion and general health can actually be at their best when all of these enzymes are present in your body at the appropriate levels.
Your enzyme levels can be tested to determine where they should be.
A lipase deficiency may be the cause of your digestive issues if you consume fatty foods. Read on to find out how your body uses lipase and how it can aid you or a loved one in overcoming some very significant health issues.
Lipase is an enzyme that splits fats so the intestines can absorb them. Lipase hydrolyzes fats like triglycerides into their component fatty acid and glycerol molecules. It is found in the blood, gastric juices, pancreatic secretions, intestinal juices and adipose tissues.
Your body uses triglycerides for energy, and you do need some triglycerides for good health. However, high triglyceride levels can raise your risk for heart disease and can also be a sign of the metabolic syndrome. That’s just one of the reasons why it’s so important to have lipase doing its job! What has considered a healthy lipase level varies greatly. Some labs say up to 85 U/L is healthy while others believe up to 160 U/L is a healthy lipase level.
Anything that could lower your lipase levels? Yes, studies have suggested that the decreased activity of pancreatic lipase and protease may be caused by fluoridated water. Despite being a pig study, the study’s wide implications for increased free-radical damage and diminished mitochondrial production are significant.
This is a solid reason to consider the water quality you’re drinking each day because you definitely don’t want your water intake to be reducing the activity of vital digestive enzymes.
Testing
You need to have a blood test to determine your lipase level. Prior to the exam, be sure to fast for eight hours. Additionally, your doctor could advise you to avoid using any medications that could influence the test, such as birth control pills, thiazide diuretics, cholinergic medications, and painkillers including codeine, morphine, and indomethacin.
Similar to amylase testing, lipase testing is frequently carried out to look for pancreatic illnesses, most frequently acute pancreatitis. Because lipase manifests in the blood when the pancreas is injured, lipase testing can assist in the diagnosis of pancreas problems. Additionally, a test for familial lipoprotein lipase impairment may be conducted.
The term “normal” levels vary from lab to lab. However, typical outcomes often range from 0 to 160 units per liter. Results of tests are often available in less than 12 hours.
If your lipase levels are found to be high, it may be because of:
- Bowel obstruction
- Cancer of the pancreas
- Celiac disease
- Duodenal ulcer
- Infection or swelling of the pancreas
In acute pancreatitis, lipase levels are frequently very high, often 5 to 10 times higher than the upper limit of normal. Lipase concentrations typically rise within 4 to 8 hours of an acute pancreatic attack and remain elevated for up to 7 to 14 days.
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Interesting Facts
- Lipases are the second most researched group of enzymes and are the simplest to understand.
- Most lipid digestion in adults occurs in the upper loop of the small intestine and is accomplished by pancreatic lipase, which is the lipase secreted by the pancreas.
- As we age, our bodies produce less protease, lipase and amylase, which means digestion of protein, fats and carbohydrates can be impaired as we get older.
- The lipase test is more accurate than the amylase test for diagnosing pancreatitis.
- You can have a high lipase level even if you don’t have any problems with your pancreas.
Foods and Supplements
According to studies, foods like avocado, walnuts, pine nuts, coconuts, lupini beans, lentils, chickpeas, mung beans, oats, and eggplant contain lipase. It is advisable to soak and sprout raw nuts, seeds, and beans before eating them since they naturally contain enzyme inhibitors that can hinder the activity of other enzymes.
You can buy lipase supplements online or at your neighborhood health store.
I advise using a full-spectrum enzyme mixture. They may come from plant or animal sources. Along with other enzymes like amylase and protease, lipase is frequently offered as a supplement. Supplements for vegan enzymes are also widely accessible. Most often, Aspergillus niger is the source of the lipase in these goods. Instead of using ox or hog bile, which is the typical extract used for lipase supplements, this product is fermented and fungus-based.
Depending on the supplement you select, the dosage may change. Consult your doctor to determine the appropriate dosage for your particular health condition. Adults should take 6,000 LU (Lipase Activity Units), or 1-2 capsules, three times daily, on an empty stomach, 30 minutes before meals.
An adult typically receives 4,500 units per kilogram of lipase per day to treat pancreatic insufficiency, a condition of the pancreas that is linked to cystic fibrosis and causes digestive issues. It is preferable, to begin with, a low dose and raise it gradually until there is a benefit; nevertheless, you should never exceed the suggested dose without first consulting your healthcare professional.
Children under the age of 12 should not get enzymes unless a doctor is present to supervise the administration.
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Side Effects and Drug Interactions
Most people can safely take lipase as a supplement. Diarrhea, cramps, and nausea are examples of minor side effects. Before taking any enzyme supplements, check with your doctor if you’re pregnant or nursing. High doses of lipase may exacerbate some of your symptoms if you have cystic fibrosis.
You shouldn’t take lipase if you are currently on Orlistat or digestive enzymes without first consulting your doctor.
A drug called orlistat, often known as Xenical or Alli, is used to treat obesity. Because it prevents the enzyme lipase from breaking down fats, taking orlistat prevents lipase supplements from working as intended.
Other digestive enzymes, such as papain, pepsin, betaine HCL, and hydrochloric acid, will kill lipase enzymes if you take them. You can avoid this by looking for enteric-coated lipase enzyme products, which are shielded from stomach acid breakdown.
As always, if you have any ongoing health issues or are using any other medications or supplements, see your doctor before taking any enzyme supplements.
Final Thoughts
- Lipase not only helps your body to properly break down both healthy and unhealthy fats, it also helps your body to absorb vital nutrients from the foods that you eat.
- You can eat all of the healthy foods in the world, but having proper levels of vital enzymes like lipase will ensure those smart choices ultimately benefit your health.
- You don’t want to have too little lipase, but you also don’t want to have too much. If you have a feeling that your levels are not where they should be, a simple blood test can give you the answer.
- Lipase has been shown to be helpful for so many common as well as serious health concerns including but not limited to indigestion, cystic fibrosis, celiac disease, and irritable bowel syndrome.
- It can also make major positive contributions to the health of your gallbladder and heart.
Food With Lipase
The food you eat needs to be broken down by digestive enzymes. These proteins hasten the chemical processes that transform food into compounds that can be absorbed by your digestive system.
There are digesting enzymes in your saliva. They are also expelled by a few of your organs, such as the liver, gallbladder, and pancreas. They are also kept in cells that line the outside of your intestines.
Different kinds of enzymes focus on certain nutrients:
- Amylase breaks down carbs and starches
- Protease works on proteins
- Lipase handles fats
Natural Sources of Digestive Enzymes
Fruits, vegetables, and other foods have natural digestive enzymes. Eating them can improve your digestion.
- Honey, especially the raw kind, has amylase and protease.
- Mangoes and bananas have amylase, which also helps the fruit ripen.
- Papaya has a type of protease called papain.
- Avocados have the digestive enzyme lipase.
- Sauerkraut, or fermented cabbage, picks up digestive enzymes during the fermentation process.
If your body doesn’t make enough digestive enzymes, it can’t digest food well. That can mean stomachaches, diarrhea, gas, or other painful symptoms.
Some digestive disorders prevent your body from making enough enzymes, such as:
Lactose intolerance. This is when your small intestine doesn’t make enough of the enzyme lactase, which breaks down the natural sugar in milk called lactose. With a shortage of lactase, lactose in dairy products that you eat travels straight to your colon instead of getting absorbed into your body. It then combines with bacteria and causes uncomfortable stomach symptoms.
There are three kinds of lactose intolerance:
Primary. You are born with a gene that makes you lactose intolerant. The gene is most common in people of African, Asian, or Hispanic backgrounds. Your lactase levels drop suddenly as a child. Then you’re no longer able to digest dairy as easily. This is the most common type of lactose intolerance.
Secondary. Your small intestine makes less lactase after an illness, injury, or surgery. It can also be a symptom of both celiac disease and Crohn’s disease.
Congenital or developmental. From the time you are born, your body doesn’t make lactase. This is rare. You have to inherit the gene for this from both your mother and father.
People with lactose intolerance need to move their bowels a lot and have gas and bloating after eating or drinking dairy products like milk and ice cream. Some people can manage symptoms by eating smaller amounts of dairy. Others avoid dairy completely or choose lactose-free foods and drinks.
Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI). This can happen when another condition damages the pancreas. Common causes of EPI include:
- Pancreatitis, or inflammation of the pancreas
- Pancreatic cancer, which starts in the tissues of your pancreas
- Cystic fibrosis, is a genetic condition that damages the lungs, digestive system, and other organs
To treat EPI, your doctor may suggest lifestyle changes, such as:
- If you smoke, quit
- Avoid drinking alcohol
- Eat a low-fat diet
- Take vitamin and mineral pills
Prescription medicine may also improve your symptoms.
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Enzyme Supplements
Digestion enzyme tablets, powders, and liquids may have caught your eye in the pharmacy or health and nutrition aisles. These substances could reduce the symptoms of digestive disorders. The appropriate dose is determined by your age, weight, and other factors. But keep in mind that the FDA does not oversee over-the-counter enzyme supplements the same way it does prescription drugs. These products’ creators are exempt from having to substantiate their efficacy.
Before attempting any form of supplement, always with your doctor. To better understand their effectiveness and safety, more research is required. However, many persons with lactose intolerance benefit from over-the-counter lactase tablets, and there is a supplement that appears to aid in the digestion of bean sugars.
For children under the age of four, lactase supplements are not advised by experts. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages with your doctor if you’re pregnant or nursing.
The majority of enzyme products available today come from animals. Products made from plants and microbes may become more prevalent in the future, according to researchers.
Lipase Function
Lipase is a naturally occurring enzyme that the body produces, in this example, in the pancreas. When you consume foods high in fat, the body cannot absorb the fat in its natural state. The vital job of lipase is to convert lipids into fatty acids and glycerol. Energy is provided by these elements throughout the body.
Gallbladder Support
Some lipase varieties play more specialized tasks. For instance, when food enters the stomach, stomach cells produce gastric lipase, which has been engineered to particularly target fat. Lipase doesn’t work alone to convert fat into the form your body can use for energy, though.
Once fat enters the small intestine, bile, which is produced in the liver and stored and concentrated in the gallbladder, is released through a duct and emptied into the duodenum. Bile is used to break down large fat molecules into much smaller ones so that lipase can work on them.
Eating fat actually encourages the discharge of bile, thus people who consume too little fat may experience problems with their gallbladder because their bile becomes stuck. After having their gallbladder removed, some people may have trouble digesting fats; taking lipase as a supplement can ensure optimal digestion and nutritional absorption.
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Getting the Most from Lipase
Lipase’s main job is to facilitate the body’s digestion and absorption of fat. Science is now demonstrating additional advantages that could result from this function. The management of triglycerides by lipase is among its most crucial functions. Maintaining healthy levels of triglycerides in the body can help preserve heart health because they are a type of fat that the body needs for energy. By dissolving triglycerides into smaller molecules that the body can use for energy, lipase aids in maintaining a healthy level of triglycerides.
According to studies, certain persons who experience digestive problems—particularly those who have pancreatic issues—might also benefit from taking more lipase. Digestive issues may result from the pancreas’s decreased capacity to generate enzymes. It could be advised to take enzyme supplements, such as lipase, to help with sporadic discomfort.
Lipase Supplements
It’s not necessary to have issues in order to gain advantages from lipase dietary supplements. Overall, enzymes facilitate both a smoother digestion process and the absorption of nutrients that are fat-soluble. For the maintenance of general digestive health, ensuring that your lipase levels are adequate is one of the finest things you can do in addition to eating a balanced diet.
It’s critical to consistently consume adequate lipase in order to maximize the benefits of your supplement. This can be accomplished by taking a high-potency plant-based lipase supplement. This can improve nutritional absorption, lessen stress on the pancreas, liver, and gallbladder, and lessen discomfort brought on by the digestion of fatty foods.
Top Digestive Enzymes
Digestive drama appears to be the norm these days, but that doesn’t have to be the case. In addition to avoiding foods that make you uncomfortable and minimizing discomfort with over-the-counter medications, you can improve your body’s digestion by consuming more foods that naturally contain digestive enzymes. The top digestive enzymes are listed below.
According to registered dietitian Brittany Linn, RD, of NYC, “digestive enzymes naturally arise in the body to assist break down what we eat so that critical nutrients go to all the right areas for efficient usage.” But if the body doesn’t produce enough of some enzymes, such as those required to break down the lactose in dairy products, digestion might be slowed down and GI symptoms like gas, bloating, and diarrhea can result.
Struggling to cook healthily? We’ll help you prep.
Fortunately, a wide variety of foods contain these vital enzymes, and it is recommended to take the majority of them raw to get the most digestion advantages. According to Linn, many enzymes are extremely delicate and are easily disrupted by changes in temperature, pH, or chemicals.
Nine items that can improve digestion are listed below, along with information on how to easily incorporate them into your diet:
1. Pineapple
Alyssa Lavy, RD, a registered dietitian from Connecticut, explains that bromelain, a blend of enzymes that aids in protein digestion, is present in pineapples. The best strategy to increase your intake of bromelain is to consume more raw pineapple because it is heat-sensitive, like other digestive enzymes. Try adding pineapple pieces to your salads, mixing them into smoothies, or using them to tenderize meat.
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2. Avocados
If you have difficulties with high-fat meals, think of avocados as your new best friend. According to Kansas-based dietitian Cheryl Mussatto, RD, author of The Nourished Brain, they contain lipase, an enzyme required for the metabolism and digestion of fat. Bonus: You can easily incorporate avocados into your diet by adding them to your morning smoothie, topping your desk salad with avocado cubes, chowing down on some guacamole, or whipping up your preferred avocado toast recipes.
3. Bananas
Bananas are most recognized for being a reliable supply of potassium, but Mussatto also notes that they contain enzymes like amylase and maltase. Maltase aids in the breakdown of the malt sugar present in foods containing carbohydrates, such as starchy grains and vegetables, while amylase aids in the breakdown of complex carbohydrates, such as those included in bread and cereal. Bananas can be added to porridge or oatmeal, blended into a smoothie, or just eaten when you’re craving a snack.
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4. Mangos
Mangos and bananas both contain amylase, which facilitates the body’s breakdown and absorption of carbohydrates into smaller carbohydrate molecules. Sliced or chunked mango is suggested by Mussatto as a light snack on its own or as a delicious and nutritious addition to a green salad.
5. Papaya
According to Lavy, papain, an enzyme present in papayas, aids in the breakdown of protein. For optimal digestion benefits, take papaya uncooked. For example, eat papaya wedges as a breakfast side or chop it up and add it to salads and smoothies.
6. Raw Honey
Diastases, invertases, and proteases are a few of the digestive enzymes that are present in honey. These aid in the breakdown of proteins, starches, and sugars, respectively. According to Linn, eating honey in its raw state enables your body to reap all of its digestive advantages. “If you purchase processed honey, the helpful enzymes may be destroyed during the heating process.” Use it to sweeten oatmeal, yogurt, or toast. You can also drizzle it on toast.
7. Kefir
According to Linn, kefir is essentially fermented milk that has been enhanced with yeast cultures, lactic acid bacteria, and acetic acid bacteria. It includes the digestive enzymes lactase, which breaks down lactose, and proteases, which break down fat (protein). You may mix it with overnight oats, a smoothie bowl, or just drink it straight up.
8. Sauerkraut
Sauerkraut is a fantastic source of a variety of digestive enzymes that can aid your body in breaking down proteins, lipids, and carbs because of the fermentation process. If purchasing from a store, Mussatto advises choosing sauerkraut made with salt and water rather than vinegar. This indicates that the sauerkraut was fermented rather than pickled, preserving the digestive enzymes. Consume alone or as a side dish with any meal.
9. Ginger
According to Linn, ginger not only contains the zingibain enzyme, which aids in the body’s protein digestion, but it may also encourage the body to produce more digestive enzymes. This is in addition to the function it already serves in reducing nausea. Take advantage of ginger in tea, stir it into your next dish, or grate some into citrus-flavored drinks for a little more zing.
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Health Benefits of Lipase
Lipase is absolutely key to proper fat digestion, which affects so many bodily functions as well as health conditions. Most people do not need additional lipase. However, if you have any of the following health conditions. then having more of this enzyme might likely be helpful.
1. Help for IBS
Lipase and other pancreatic enzyme supplements might lessen gas, bloating, and feelings of fullness after a meal, particularly one that is high in fat. These signs are frequently linked to gastrointestinal issues including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, or the inability to effectively digest food due to a shortage of digestive enzymes produced by the pancreas, has also been linked to some IBS patients, according to research.
Insufficiency was discovered in at least 6.1% of the patients in a 2010 study that examined the prevalence of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency in IBS patients with diarrhea as the primary symptom. The study suggests that pancreatic enzyme therapy may help IBS patients with underlying pancreatic insufficiency to lessen uncomfortable symptoms like diarrhea and abdominal pain.
2. Cystic fibrosis
Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an inherited disorder that disrupts normal functions of epithelial cells, the cells that line the passageways of many of our most important organs — including the lungs and respiratory system, liver, kidneys, skin, and reproductive system.
Because the mucus prevents pancreatic enzymes from reaching the intestines, people with cystic fibrosis frequently have nutritional deficiencies. They also create excessively thick, sticky mucus. Taking pancreatic enzymes, such as lipase, can improve how well a CF patient’s body assimilates nourishment and energy from food.
3. Celiac Disease
The autoimmune condition known as the celiac disease causes the small intestine’s tissue to become inflamed in response to gluten. A major percentage of nutrients are typically absorbed in the small intestine, a tube-shaped organ located between the stomach and the large intestine; but, in persons with celiac disease, this process becomes improper. Abdominal pain, bloating, exhaustion, and weight loss are some of the signs of celiac disease.
The first and most important step is to entirely eliminate all foods containing wheat, barley, or rye from your diet.
Additionally, it has been demonstrated that lipase and other pancreatic enzymes can be used to treat celiac disease. Children with celiac disease who got pancreatic enzyme therapy (including lipase) gained somewhat more weight than those who received a placebo in double-blind, randomized research. The study finds that pancreatic enzymes appear to be particularly beneficial within the first 30 days after diagnosis because the weight increase occurred over the first month.
This finding is helpful and significant since kids and adults with celiac disease often experience diarrhea, weight loss, abdominal pain and bloating, fatigue, or painful skin rashes. In fact, about half of all people diagnosed with celiac disease experience weight loss.
4. Lack of a Gallbladder and Gallbladder Malfunction
A tiny pear-shaped pouch called the gallbladder is located behind the liver’s lobes. Its primary function is to retain the cholesterol-rich bile that the liver secretes and that, along with the enzyme lipase, aids in the body’s digestion of fatty foods. A supplement containing lipase can be particularly beneficial if you have gallbladder problems or no gallbladder at all.
For optimal fat digestion and absorption, lipase is essential. If your gallbladder has already been removed, you could discover that some foods, particularly fatty foods, are difficult for you to digest. Since lipase enzymes aid in bettering bile utilization and fat digestion, they might also be a great natural gallbladder cure.
Your well-being will suffer if you don’t consume or effectively digest high-quality healthy fats like omega-3s because they are necessary for a healthy diet and cannot be obtained from other sources. When you have a malfunctioning gallbladder or no gallbladder at all, lipase and bile work together to ensure that these good fats are utilized effectively.
5. Healthy Cholesterol Levels and Cardiovascular Health
A lack of lipase can result in increased, harmful levels of cholesterol and triglycerides, which can directly contribute to cardiovascular problems because lipase aids in the body’s ability to digest fats. Blood cholesterol and fat levels are often elevated in those with lipase deficiencies.
People are more likely to develop pancreatitis, a dangerous pancreatic inflammation, as well as heart problems when triglyceride levels are close to 1,000 mg/dL. Additionally connected to metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, and obesity is high triglyceride levels.
6. Boost Nutrient Absorption
Your body’s ability to adequately absorb vitamins and minerals from the meals you eat is aided by adequate lipase levels. Therefore, having the proper balance of enzymes to metabolize these nutritious nutrients is just as crucial as eating the right foods. At the moment, the cornerstone of treatment for nutritional malabsorption is pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy.
7. Weight Loss
Research has shown that lipase could be complementary to weight loss since it breaks down fat that is in the body. A few years ago, scientists were able to manipulate lipase and triple its power by flipping on a molecular “switch” that turns the enzyme on and off. They actually succeeded in making lipase enzymes work three times harder, increasing fat digestion from 15 percent to 45 percent of the time.
People who struggle with obesity and other significant health issues like diabetes and heart disease may find great relief from this scientific finding, which was just published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society. Furthermore, it appears that understanding and controlling this enzymatic “ignition switch” will be effective for all enzymes. There may be a way to treat or possibly cure a variety of health disorders requiring enzymatic activity if researchers can figure out how to turn enzymes on and off.