Digestion is the breakdown of large and insoluble food molecules(carbohydrates, proteins and fats) into small and soluble substances to be absorbed into the blood.
There are three main types of digestive enzymes:
Proteases
Break down protein into small peptides and amino acids
Lipases
Break down fat into three fatty acids plus a glycerol molecule.
Amylases and Maltase
Break down carbs into simple sugars.
overview
When you eat foods containing fat, the fat can not be absorbed by the body in its original form. Lipase has the big role of breaking fats down into fatty acids and glycerol, products that can be carried in water-based fluids like blood and lymph. These substances are used throughout the body to provide energy.
helping us digest fats is not all lipase do, it also helps in managing triglycerides. This is a form of fat that is needed for energy, and you should have some levels of triglycerides in the body – but higher levels can lead to heart issues. Lipase helps keep your triglycerides at a healthy level by breaking them down into smaller molecules, which the body then uses for energy.
what is lipase?
Lipase(also called serum lipase or LPS) is an protein made by your pancreas that breaks down triglycerides into free fatty acids and glycerol. Lipase helps your body digest fats. There are many different types of lipases; for example, hepatic lipases are in the liver, hormone-sensitive lipases are in adipocytes, lipoprotein lipase is in the vascular endothelial surface, and pancreatic lipase in the small intestine. Understanding lipase is crucial for understanding the pathophysiology of fat necrosis and is clinically significant in the understanding of acute and chronic pancreatitis. The role of lipase is also crucial in the mechanism of some medications indicated for lowering cholesterol.
Initial lipase digestion occurs in the lumen (interior) of the small intestine. Bile salts reduce the surface tension of the fat droplets so that the lipases can attack the triglyceride molecules. The fatty acid and glycerol molecules are then taken up into the epithelial cells that line the intestinal wall, where they are resynthesized into triglycerides for transport to muscles and adipose tissues. At these sites lipases in the bloodstream hydrolyze the triglycerides, and the resulting fatty acids and glycerol are taken up by the cells of these tissues. In the adipose tissues triglycerides are re-formed for storage until the energy needs of the animal increase under conditions of stress or exercise. Lipases in the cells of adipose tissues break down the triglycerides so that fatty acids can re-enter the bloodstream for transport to energy-requiring tissues.
Lipases are enzymes that play a crucial role in lipid transport. Hepatic lipase in the liver is responsible for degrading the triglycerides that remain in intermediate density lipoprotein (IDL). Hormone-sensitive lipase is found within fat tissue and is responsible for degrading the triglycerides that are stored within adipocytes. Lipoprotein lipase is found on the vascular endothelial surface and is responsible for degrading triglycerides that circulating from chylomicrons and VLDLs. Pancreatic lipase is found within the small intestine and is responsible for degrading dietary triglycerides.
Hepatic lipase plays a crucial role in the formation and delivery of low-density lipoprotein(LDL). LDL is formed by the modification of intermediate density lipoprotein in the peripheral tissue and liver by hepatic lipase. These LDL particles are taken up, or endocytosed, via receptor-mediated endocytosis by target cell tissue. LDL serves to ultimately transport cholesterol from the liver to peripheral tissue.
symptoms of abnormal lipase levels inside body include: Nausea, vomiting, Diarrhoea, Severe back pain, Severe abdominal pain, Fever and Loss of appetite
people with conditions such as A family history of pancreatitis, Diabetes, Gallstones, High triglycerides and Obesity are likely to suffer from some kind of lipase secretion problem.
high levels of lipase secretion may be because of Pancreatitis, A blockage in the pancreas, Kidney disease, Peptic ulcer or a problem with your gall bladder.
A low level of lipase may mean there is damage to cells in the pancreas that make lipase. This happens in certain chronic diseases such as cystic fibrosis.