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The Question
10/20/09 03:08 PM

"Is hi-lipase safe/effective for a diabetic?"
Asked By: bjlawless  
Category: Food and Nutrition

Background Info Hide
My friend is diabetic (on Metformin time release) & also had his gallbladder removed 2 yrs ago. He sometimes has trouble digesting high fat foods. He's also on cholesterol lowering medication since he's diabetc. My personal trainer suggested Hi-Lipase. Is this safe for a diabetic? Is it effective in helping digest high fat foods?

Expert Answers (1)

10/26/09 01:59 PM

Hello BjLawless: Thanks for asking dLife and being a good supportive friend, empathetic to his health concerns. However, the product you reference falls into the 'supplement' category. It should 'do no harm', a lipase supplement, if it is composed of proteins, would be subject to his gastric acids of digestion, making in unable for lipases' intended use. During digestion, gastric lipase is responsible for fat breakdown, secreted primarily from the pancreas and liver. The lipase enzymes function to breakdown the visible and invisible forms of fat in food. Due to the complex nature of fats in the diet, fat takes the longest of the digestive process, and contributes in minimal amounts to actual blood glucose levels. As the fat from a meal, (even a very small amount), enters the small intestine it stimulates another digestive secretion, such that the actual digestion of the complex large molecules of fats slows, resulting in at 4-5 process of total digestion of fat. This slowing process is frequently thought of as the satiety feeling resulting from a meal. For example: a high fatty meal: Thanksgiving: meat, gravy, potatoes, real butter or sour cream, followed up to include the traditional, 'homemade-whole eggs, whole milk, flakey pie crust- pumpkin pie'-exceeding 40-50 grams of fat: compared to a meal of high carbohydrate, (rice, vegetables, broth based soup and an egg roll to include more vegetables), or fat content of 15-20 grams of fat: Which meal leaves you feeling fuller longer?? Generally it is the higher fatty meal, hence-satiety.

The greatest portion of digestive enzymes of fat come from our pancreas and liver. The gall bladder, functions mostly as a storage house for bile acids.

As with any medication, I would encourage he consult with his PCP. I would be remiss if I did not encourage him also to consult with his PCP about the persistent abdominal pains.

Help him to observe the ADA's ABC's: A1c<7%, BP<130/80,Tchol<200,HDL>40,LDL<100.
Sue

Answered By: Susan Throop
Accreditations: RD, CDE, MA
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