Pancreatin, Bile Constituents & Activated Dimethicone Tablets

Product Description

This combination tablet contains three active ingredients: Pancreatin, Bile Constituents, and Activated Dimethicone. It's commonly used to improve digestion and alleviate symptoms associated with digestive disorders, particularly those involving insufficient digestive enzymes or excessive gas.

Let's break down each component and its role:

1. Pancreatin:

   • What it is: Pancreatin is a mixture of digestive enzymes derived from the pancreas of animals (usually pigs). It primarily contains:
     • Lipase: Breaks down fats into fatty acids and glycerol.
     • Amylase: Breaks down carbohydrates (starches) into simpler sugars.
     • Protease: Breaks down proteins into amino acids.
   • Role: It supplements the natural digestive enzymes produced by the human pancreas. This is crucial for individuals whose pancreas doesn't produce enough enzymes due to conditions like:
     • Pancreatic insufficiency: Where the pancreas is not functioning optimally (e.g., in chronic pancreatitis, cystic fibrosis, pancreatic cancer, or after pancreatic surgery).
     • General indigestion due to enzyme deficiency.

2. Bile Constituents (or Bile Salts/Acids):

   • What it is: These are components of natural bile, a fluid produced by the liver and stored in the gallbladder.
   • Role: Bile is essential for fat digestion and absorption. Bile constituents help in:
     • Emulsification of fats: Breaking down large fat globules into smaller ones, increasing their surface area for lipase to act upon.
     • Absorption of fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K): Bile is crucial for the absorption of these vitamins.
     • Aiding in the digestion of dietary fats, especially when there's an issue with bile production or flow.

3. Activated Dimethicone (or Simethicone):

   • What it is: An anti-foaming agent.
   • Role: It works by decreasing the surface tension of gas bubbles in the gastrointestinal tract. This causes the smaller gas bubbles to coalesce into larger bubbles, which are then easier to pass through burping or flatulence. It helps relieve symptoms like:
     • Bloating
     • Flatulence (gas)
     • Abdominal discomfort caused by trapped gas.