Types of Lipase, Enzymes for Fat Digestion

Fat had a bad reputation for decades. Now we know that low-fat and fat-free diets were just passing fads – and that dietary fat does serve the body and mind in many beneficial ways. But, at the same time, fatty foods and heavier meals can cause occasional gas, bloating, indigestion and irregularity for some people.* Your body makes digestive enzymes to break down the different nutrients in a meal, including dietary fat. Lipase is the type of enzyme that is specialized in breaking down fat.

Think of all the fatty foods and types of fat you eat (or might want­ to eat) today: bacon, sausage and butter on your breakfast toast; avocado and salmon salad with an olive oil vinaigrette at lunch; cheese and salami as a snack; fried chicken and French fries for dinner. Sometimes, even the “healthy” types of fats can be hard to digest, due to a shortage of digestive enzymes. And if you’re on a low-carb or keto diet, you will be eating more fat – and the more fat you eat, the more lipase your body needs.

Read on to learn more about types of lipase, enzymes for fat digestion and how to get help digesting all the fatty foods you love.*

What are Digestive Enzymes?

When it comes to digestion, enzymes are the man for the job. These naturally occurring proteins speed up chemical reactions in the body. Think of them like little scissors, slicing and cutting the foods you eat into their most basic building blocks. Your food needs to be broken down not only to avoid occasional digestive discomforts but also to allow your body to make use of the nutrients in that food. Digestive enzymes speed up digestion, boost energy and reduce occasional indigestion.*

In the digestive system, each enzyme or group of enzymes targets a certain nutrient. Here’s a quick list.

Digestion starts to happen before you even take your first bite. Smelling food triggers the release of your first set of digestive enzymes, which are released by your salivary glands. Your digestive system continues to release digestive enzymes throughout the digestive process – the stomach, small intestine, liver and pancreas, the primary producer of digestive enzymes, all release them.

Digestive enzymes help break down food into essential nutrients that your body uses for energy and other biological processes. When you don’t have enough enzymes, your digestive system can’t fully break down the foods you eat, which can impact your digestion and transit times. When digestion is sluggish or incomplete, undigested food ferments in the large intestine, which can cause occasional gas, bloating and indigestion.

There are plenty of reasons why you might not have enough digestive enzymes. Aging and everyday stress are common culprits, but lifestyle, habits and an inherited genetic deficiency (like lactose intolerance) can also be to blame. So can overeating or overindulging! Up to 20% of the population has one or more food intolerances due to insufficient enzyme levels. Digestive enzyme supplements can provide the enzymes your body needs (without interfering with your natural production).

What is Lipase?

Lipase is a type of enzyme that break down dietary fats. Just as proteins are made up of amino acid building blocks, the plant- and animal-based fats you consume in your meals need to be broken down.

Lipids are water-insoluble compounds that include oils, waxes and steroids. Fats and oils are made of fatty acids and glycerol. Fatty acids (and glycerol) are the building blocks of fats.  Lipase enzymes help break down lipids and fats into molecules that are small enough to be absorbed into the blood.

Lipases also help your body "unlock" fat-soluble nutrients (such as vitamins A, D, E and K; omega-3 and other fatty acids) so you can absorb them. When you don't have enough lipase enzymes, it's like your body doesn't know what to do with these nutrients. These nutrients are essential for immune, bone, skin, brain and cardiovascular health since they are involved in many functions.

For those who are following a ketogenic or higher-fat diet, supplementing with lipase can boost digestion of the added fats.* Additionally, those who need support for the gallbladder or who have had their removed might also want more support.*

Types of Lipase

To digest and absorb dietary fats, the body relies on many types of lipases. There is more than one type of lipase in the body:

Lingual Lipase:

Fat digestion starts in the mouth, where lingual lipase is released. (“Lingual” refers to the tongue.) It breaks down triglycerides, or fat molecules, into smaller ones called diglycerides and free fatty acids.

Gastric Lipase:

Gastric lipase is an enzyme found in the stomach. It further digests fat. The partially digested food in the stomach is called the bolus, and as it mixes and churns, the long-chain lipids in food break into smaller pieces. This makes it easier for the next step of the process, in the pancreas.

Pancreatic Lipase:

The most important source of lipase is the pancreas, where it is released into the small intestine to help digest dietary fats. When the bolus reaches the small intestine, bile acids emulsify the mixture, which helps the pancreatic lipases break lipids into fatty acids, cholesterol and more.

Brush Border Lipase:

The final release of lipase in the digestive system happens in the brush border of the small intestine.

From here, the fat-soluble vitamins in food and other by-products of lipid digestion are carried to the bloodstream.

What Does Lipase Do for You?

Think for a minute of what digestion would look like without enough lipase. All the fat in your meal would pass through undigested. But lipase supplements can provide additional supplies.*

Here are some of the benefits of lipase digestive enzyme supplements:

• Relieve discomfort associated with digesting fatty foods*
• Digest fat found in foods (either healthy or greasy ones)*
• Can be helpful for those who have had their gallbladder take out*
• Helpful for those who need gallbladder support*
• Supports digestive relief, such as after heavy or fatty meals*
• Helps the body digest fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K*
• Helps the body access the nutrients inside those vitamins*

Products with Lipase

With concentrated amounts of the enzyme lipase, Lypo Gold™ can break down up to 22 grams of dietary fat per capsule, making it keto diet-friendly.* Also helpful for those without gallbladders, this formula relieves discomfort associated with the digestion of fatty foods.* Powered by Thera-blend™, Lypo Gold works across the whole gut and on the foods you love. Don’t let the fat weigh you down.

22 grams of fat is equal to the amount in:

• about 10 slices of bacon
• almost an entire avocado 
• 2.3 ounces of Cheddar cheese
• almost an entire fried chicken breast 

How to Choose Quality Enzymes

Not all enzyme supplements are created equal. Enzymedica’s Lypo Gold™ is the most potent formula on the market. Our proprietary Thera-blend™ technology means that the enzymes found in Lypo Gold™ will work throughout the entire pH spectrum found along your digestive tract. When other brands’ enzyme formulas may fall short, in almost all acidic or alkaline environments, Lypo Gold™ will be effective.