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About EPI
What is EPI?

What is EPI?

EPI (exocrine pancreatic insufficiency) is the medical term for a condition that occurs when the pancreas doesn’t release enough digestive enzymes. As a result, the body cannot properly digest food and absorb nutrients.

EPI and digestion

Click through the steps below to explore how EPI can affect the way your body digests food.

EPI is condition that affects the pancreas 1
Food isn’t digested properly with EPI 2
There are consequences of EPI 3

EPI is a condition that affects the pancreas

The pancreas is an organ that makes 3 types of enzymes—lipase, protease, and amylase—which help the body digest food into nutrients.

Food isn’t digested properly with EPI

In people with EPI, the pancreas does not make enough enzymes to properly digest food. Fats are especially hard to break down, and the fat-soluble vitamins—A, D, E, and K—may not be properly absorbed.

There are consequences of EPI

When people have EPI, nutrients may not be properly absorbed by the intestines. Unabsorbed food can lead to diarrhea, gas, bloating, stomach pain, unexplained weight loss, and oily, foul-smelling stools (steatorrhea).

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Have you been diagnosed with EPI?

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CREON replaces enzymes to help people with EPI digest food.

Learn more about CREON

When prescribing CREON, your doctor will choose a dose that is specific for you based on different factors.

Learn about dosing

You answered No

Use an online tool to log your symptoms and share them with your doctor.

Check your symptoms

The first step in diagnosing EPI is talking with your doctor about your medical history and the symptoms you're experiencing.

Learn about EPI diagnosis

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Learn more about the role of the pancreas and how EPI affects digestion.

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Answers to frequently asked questions

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Signs and symptoms of EPI

Symptoms of EPI are similar to those of other conditions that affect your stomach and digestion.

Learn about EPI symptoms