Home Biomarkers Lipase

Lipase

Pancreas Biomarker

Sample Needed

Collection Type: Blood

Body System

Related System: Pancreas

Overview

Lipase is a digestive enzyme produced mainly by the pancreas that breaks down dietary fats into absorbable fatty acids and glycerol. A serum lipase test measures the activity of this enzyme in the blood and is used to detect pancreatic injury or inflammation. It is most commonly ordered when acute pancreatitis is suspected (severe epigastric pain radiating to the back, nausea, vomiting), but can also be abnormal in chronic pancreatitis, pancreatic obstruction (e.g., gallstones), pancreatic trauma, or other intra-abdominal conditions. Measured levels are broadly similar across adult sexes, though reference ranges vary by age, laboratory method and in special states (renal failure, pregnancy, neonates), so results must be interpreted in context.

People also test for

Test Preparation

No special preparation is required

Why Do I Need This Test

Profile: Pancreas - Symptoms prompting test: sudden severe upper abdominal pain, back-radiating pain, persistent nausea/vomiting, unexplained abdominal tenderness.
Diagnoses/monitoring: acute pancreatitis, chronic pancreatitis, pancreatic injury/obstruction, monitoring treatment or complications.
Reasons for abnormal levels: pancreatic inflammation or damage, reduced renal clearance, gastrointestinal diseases, certain drugs, hypertriglyceridemia.
Biological meaning: high values reflect pancreatic enzyme leakage into blood; low values may indicate pancreatic exocrine insufficiency.
Lifestyle/family: heavy alcohol use, gallstone disease, strong family history of hereditary pancreatitis or cystic fibrosis may prompt testing.

Run our symptom checker to see if this test is right for you

Symptom Checker

Understanding Test Results

Values up to the lab’s upper limit (≤160 U/L) are considered normal.
Mild elevations (approximately 161–480 U/L, i.e., <3× upper limit) can occur with non-specific abdominal disease, renal impairment (reduced clearance), cholecystitis, peptic ulcer disease, bowel obstruction, or certain drugs.
Levels ≥3× the upper limit (>480 U/L using a 160 U/L ULN) strongly suggest acute pancreatitis; values frequently rise into the several hundreds to thousands in acute cases.
Extremely high values (>1,000 U/L) support acute pancreatitis but do not reliably predict severity.
Persistently low or subnormal lipase may reflect chronic pancreatic exocrine insufficiency (chronic pancreatitis, cystic fibrosis) but are less diagnostically useful.
Always correlate lipase with clinical findings and imaging, and remember timing matters—lipase rises within hours of symptom onset, peaks around 24 hours, and can remain elevated longer than amylase.

Normal Range

0-160 U/L

FAQs

Q: What is lipase and its function?

A: Lipase is an enzyme produced mainly by the pancreas (and in smaller amounts by the stomach, mouth, and intestines) that breaks dietary triglycerides into free fatty acids and monoglycerides. This digestion enables intestinal absorption of fats and supports energy metabolism. Blood lipase levels are measured clinically to help diagnose or monitor pancreatic inflammation and other disorders affecting fat digestion.

Q: What does it mean if lipase is high?

A: An elevated lipase usually signals pancreatic inflammation or injury, most commonly acute or chronic pancreatitis. Causes include gallstones, heavy alcohol use, certain medications, trauma, or pancreatic cancer. Mild rises can occur with kidney failure, intestinal conditions, or after procedures. High lipase requires clinical correlation, repeat testing and imaging (ultrasound/CT) to confirm pancreatic disease and guide urgent treatment.

Q: Does lipase cause weight gain?

A: Lipase, a digestive enzyme, does not itself cause weight gain. It breaks down dietary fat so calories can be absorbed. In people with fat-malabsorption (for example, pancreatic insufficiency), taking lipase can restore absorption and lead to weight gain back to healthy levels. In healthy people, lipase or similar supplements won’t cause weight gain—caloric excess, not the enzyme, determines weight change.

Q: Which foods contain lipase?

A: Lipase occurs naturally in many foods: raw or unpasteurized dairy (milk, cheeses, butter), fermented dairy (cheeses, yogurts) where microbial lipases aid ripening, nuts and seeds (walnuts, almonds, flax), avocados, and in animal tissues like meat and fish; some fermented plant foods also contain microbe-derived lipases. They contribute to flavor development and can affect oil stability.

Q: How to improve lipase levels?

A: To improve low lipase, treat the underlying cause and follow medical guidance: your clinician may prescribe pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy if there’s exocrine insufficiency. Adopt a balanced, lower‑fat diet with small, frequent meals; avoid alcohol and smoking; maintain good glycaemic control; ensure adequate nutrition and fat‑soluble vitamin supplementation if needed. Review medications and get regular monitoring and specialist follow‑up.

Q: Where does lipase come from in food?

A: Lipase in food comes from animal tissues (especially the pancreas and milk), plant tissues (seeds, germinating grains and some fruits) and microbes (bacteria and fungi) used in fermentation. It occurs naturally in raw dairy and seeds, and industrially produced microbial lipases are often added for cheese-making, baking and flavor development. Heat treatment like pasteurization reduces lipase activity.