Side effects when consuming pancreatin are somewhat rare, but certainly not unheard of. Firstly we should mention that one problem with cheaper lower quality pancreatin products can be contamination from salmonella bacteria which can cause illness, we recommend only buying pancreatin from a trusted source that you can be sure tests for microbial contamination.
Aside from quality issues related from the source of pancreatin there are some reported issues;
Is Pancreatin Safe?
Pancreatic extracts are generally well tolerated and are not linked with any significant side effects.
Pancreatin Side Effects – Nausea/Vomiting/Diarrhea
Nausea vomiting and diareehea are possible side effects from consumption of pancreatin. While pancreatin is supposed to aid digestion it may have adverse effects in certain individuals. It’s always best to start off with a small dose of any nutritional supplement / digestive aid just to check for personal reactions
Pancreatin Side Effects – Mouth Irritation/Allergic Reaction
While rare, an allergic reaction is theoretically possible with pancreatin. As the enzyme supplement is sourced from animals the enzymes are not 100% identical to our own human enzymes (amylase, protease and lipase). As such the body could theoretically register the enzymes are foreign invaders and an allergic reaction could occur. We must stress that this is a RARE side effect and nothing we’ve actually seen, just a theoretical possibility.
Does Pancreatin Stop My Own Digestive Processes?
Theoretically yes, but evidence seems to show that its not a serious side effect that realistically occurs. While taking exogenous (from outside the body) digestive enzymes could theoretically down regulate endogenous (from within the bodys) enzymes due to homeostatic mechanisms it hasn’t been shown to. Still to remain on the side of caution we don’t recommend consuming pancreatin unless you have a reason to do so. Clearly for those with a pancreas removal (or acute pancreatitis) there is a solid reason to do so! Any small endogenous down regulation while a side effect shouldn’t outweigh the benefits of proper digestion.
We found a relevant study that actually backs up this theory. For 4 weeks healthy individuals were given high dose pancreatin and observed for any changes in pancreas size or function. The study found that after 4 weeks of high dose pancreatin supplementation the pancreas had not significantly adapted (functionally or in size). No significant differences in pancreatic enzyme secretions were noted (2 weeks after the study) between the pancreatin supplemented group and the placebo group. The study can be found here.
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