Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsCommon Causes of EPILifestyle Risk FactorsNext in Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency GuideExocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency (EPI) Coping
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Common Causes of EPI
Lifestyle Risk Factors
Next in Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency Guide
What Are Digestive Enzymes?EPI occurs when the pancreas fails to produce importantdigestive enzymes. Digestive enzymes are proteins that help break down the food you eat. They include amylase (to break down carbohydrates), protease (to break down proteins), and lipase (to break down fats).
What Are Digestive Enzymes?
EPI occurs when the pancreas fails to produce importantdigestive enzymes. Digestive enzymes are proteins that help break down the food you eat. They include amylase (to break down carbohydrates), protease (to break down proteins), and lipase (to break down fats).
SEBASTIAN KAULITZKI/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Getty Images
EPI can occur in both adults and children. In adults, the main cause of EPI is chronicpancreatitis.It is estimated that as many as 8 in 10 adults with this disorder develop EPI.Pancreatitis causes inflammation and swelling of the pancreas. Over time, chronic inflammation can damage the pancreatic cells that make digestive enzymes.
Other conditions that can cause EPI include:
Cystic Fibrosis and EPINearly 9 in 10 infants with cystic fibrosis develop EPI within the first year. The rest are at risk for developing EPI during childhood or adulthood.
Cystic Fibrosis and EPI
Nearly 9 in 10 infants with cystic fibrosis develop EPI within the first year. The rest are at risk for developing EPI during childhood or adulthood.
Genetics
A risk factor is anything that increases your chances of getting a disease. Lifestyle risk factors of EPI include smoking and chronically drinking alcohol, which may worsen your symptoms of the disease. For example, excessive alcohol use can lead to inflammation of the pancreas. This may make the pancreas less effective at producing digestive enzymes, which may lead to EPI.
Summary
Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) is a rare but serious malabsorptive condition that occurs when the pancreas fails to produce important digestive enzymes. Without these enzymes, the body cannot properly digest food and absorb nutrients, particularly fat.
EPI most often occurs in people (adults) who have conditions affecting the pancreas such as chronic pancreatitis, celiac disease, diabetes, and cystic fibrosis. However, people typically don’t have symptoms until the condition has become advanced. In infants and children, cystic fibrosis is the primary cause of EPI.
A Word From Verywell
Additionally,treatmentand prognosis for EPI depends on the underlying cause of the disease but can be greatly improved when drinking and smoking are decreased or eliminated completely. That said, consult with your gastroenterologist about supplementing your low-fat meals with fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K), as many people with EPI are low in these vitamins. Therefore, you may need to supplement these vitamins to make sure you’re getting enough.
7 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Cleveland Clinic.Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI). Updated June 10, 2021.
Singh VK, Haupt ME, Geller DE, Hall JA, Quintana Diez PM.Less common etiologies of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency.World Journal of Gastroenterology. 2017;23(39):7059-7076. doi:10.3748/wjg.v23.i39.7059
Shah S, Akbari M, Vanga R, et al.Patient perception of treatment burden is high in celiac disease compared to other common conditions. American Journal of Gastroenterology. 2014;109(9):1304-1311. doi:10.1038/ajg.2014.29
Radlinger B, Ramoser G, Kaser S.Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency in type 1 and type 2 diabetes.Current Diabetes Reports. 2020;20(6):18. doi:10.1007/s11892-020-01304-0
Everyday Health.The link between EPI and inflammatory bowel disease. Updated June 23, 2020.
Cincinnati Children’s.Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency.Updated January 2020.
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