Experiencing digestive issues related to Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency (EPI)? Here's a rundown.
Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency (EPI) is a condition that affects the digestive system, causing problems with the breakdown of food. The condition is often associated with common diseases such as chronic pancreatitis and diabetes, making it an underdiagnosed condition affecting millions worldwide.
EPI occurs when the pancreas does not produce enough enzymes, which are crucial for digestion. These enzymes help break down carbohydrates, fats, and proteins, and their absence can lead to a range of digestive symptoms.
Some common symptoms of EPI include abdominal pain, bloating, excess gas, diarrhea, and steatorrhea. Steatorrhea is a condition characterised by excess fat in the stool, causing it to be bulky, pale, loose, bad-smelling, oily or greasy, and hard to flush. This condition can be diagnosed by a doctor who finds 7 grams or more of fecal fat in a 24-hour period while the person is eating a diet that includes 100 grams of fat a day.
If EPI is the cause, treatment with pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy (PERT) can manage the symptoms and reduce the risk of complications. PERT involves taking medications with every meal and snack to aid digestion and prevent symptoms. It is important to take PERT towards the start of a meal after the first few bites, eat a diet consisting of fruits, lean proteins, vegetables, and whole grains, include fats in the diet, eat smaller, more frequent meals, take the medication with a cool drink rather than a hot beverage, and discuss new medications, supplements, and vitamins with a doctor before starting them.
People with EPI may also require nutritional supplements to avoid malnutrition, even with treatment. EPI can cause unexplained weight loss and nutritional deficiencies, particularly of the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K.
Without treatment, EPI can lead to malnutrition, bone problems, and reduced life expectancy. It is important for anyone experiencing ongoing or unusual digestive symptoms to talk with a doctor.
The true worldwide prevalence of EPI is not clearly quantified in available data, due to diagnostic challenges and misdiagnosis. However, it is often considered an underdiagnosed condition affecting millions worldwide. EPI affects a large portion of patients with cystic fibrosis, but CF itself is just one cause and is relatively rare compared to other causes. The overall market and therapeutic landscape for EPI are growing internationally, indicating a substantial affected population.
Sources:
- GI and Hepatology News, 2025
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6046913/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6046913/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6046913/
- The health consequences of Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency (EPI), a condition that negatively impacts digestive health, can extend beyond digestive symptoms such as bloating and excessive gas, to more serious medical-conditions like malnutrition, bone problems, and reduced life expectancy.
- EPI is a digestive health concern that often goes unnoticed since it is associated with common diseases like chronic pancreatitis and diabetes, and it is estimated to affect millions worldwide, even though its true prevalence is not easily quantified due to diagnostic challenges and misdiagnosis.
- Adequate digestive health and wellness is vital for maintaining overall health, as problems in the digestive system, such as those caused by EPI, can lead to symptoms like abdominal pain, bloating, excess gas, diarrhea, and steatorrhea, conditions that can be managed through medical intervention like pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy (PERT).
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