Pancreatin

Are there any interactions with medications?

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Acarbose (Precose, Prandase)
Interaction Rating: Moderate Be cautious with this combination.
Talk with your health provider.

Acarbose (Precose, Prandase) is used to help treat type 2 diabetes. Acarbose (Precose, Prandase) works by decreasing how quickly foods are broken down. Pancreatin seems to help the body break down some foods. By helping the body break down foods pancreatin might decrease the effectiveness of Acarbose (Precose, Prandase).

Dosing considerations for Pancreatin.

The following doses have been studied in scientific research:

BY MOUTH:

• For helping digestion when the pancreas has been removed or isn't functioning properly (pancreatic insufficiency): the starting dose of pancreatin is usually 8,000 to 24,000 USP units of lipase activity taken before or with each meal or snack. Lipase is one of the chemicals contained in pancreatin that helps with digestion. To control fatty stools that are sometimes associated with pancreatic insufficiency, the dose can be increased as needed or until nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea occurs. These side effects of treatment indicate that the highest tolerable dose has been reached. Pancreatin is available as tablets that are treated to resist breakdown by stomach acids (enteric-coated), powder, or capsules containing the powder or enteric-coated granules.

Note that each mg of pancreatin contains at least 25 USP units of amylase activity, 2 USP units of lipase activity, and 25 USP units of protease activity. Pancreatin that is stronger is labeled as a multiple of these three minimum activities, e.g., pancreatin 4X.