Type 1 Creon Consumption

[ROMEO]

Hi All

Although I've been diagnosed as Type 1 since 2013 I believe I now fall in the Type 3C category having endured necrotising pancreatitis and living to tell the tale. I was told I would need to take Creon as an enzyme supplement for life.

But get this I've taking Creon intermittently for years and for the last 2 years I've reduced and then stopped taking Creon with no obvious side effects. I can digest food as usual without any struggle or absorption problems together with a regular bowel cycle.

I'm thinking that for those years I've been taking Creon has it really made any difference to how my food was digested & absorbed....did I need Creon at all?

Like most Type 1's, which I thought I was until Type 3c was thrown into the mix, weight gain was an issue but that was always put down to our vital and essential friend insulin however a friend has said my intermittent Creon consumption over the years may be the cause of your weight gain.

Do you think that has any credence and how has Creon affected you folks?

Thanks for reading.

 

[Rokaab]

Like most Type 1's, which I thought I was until Type 3c was thrown into the mix, weight gain was an issue but that was always put down to our vital and essential friend insulin however a friend has said my intermittent Creon consumption over the years may be the cause of your weight gain.

What makes you think Type1 and taking insulin for it causes weight gain?
It doesn't, whilst I'm sure a percentage of Type1's do have weight gain issues, so do a percentage of the general non-diabetic population as well.
There are plenty of Type1's with no weight issues, myself included, I've been diabetic for 45 years now and never had a weight problem (ok I put a bit on over christmas but thats not exactly unexpected)
When Type1's/3c's take insulin its only to replace what a normal non-diabetic person would be creating anyway.

Insulin resistance may cause weight gain but that would be in addition to your Type1/3c, its not part of it

 

[plantae]

I'm type 3c after necrotising pancreatis in 2017 followed by many pancreatitis events (3 times in ICU; the first time in 2017, 6 weeks, they drained 1.5 litres of fluid away in week 5; second time in 2019, 4 weeks in ICU; third time I think was "only" a week in ICU. The other 20 maybe times I've been in hospital for pancreatitis I wasn't sick enough to get into ICU -- although in enough pain! -- but maybe only because there's only about 10% of my pancreas left...) Anyway, that's the history.

Now, Creon. Interestingly I was only prescribed Creon in 2020. I only took it intermittently until 2021, mainly because I just forgot. Then I started making sure I at least had it with main meals... I'm supposed to take "one or two" with snacks as well but honestly I don't bother unless it's a high fat "snack" with enough energy to be a meal anyway hehe. Like, if I eat a banana in the afternoon I won't have Creon.

Ok, you probably know this but I'll summarise for those who don't. Creon contains three enzymes. Enzymes are either essential for a chemical reaction to occur, or assist/speed the reaction occurring. The three enzymes that Creon supplies are: lipase (to break down lipids/fats); amylase (to break down carbs incl. sugars); and protease (to break down proteins). Anything ending with -ase you can be confident in assuming is an enzyme. You might recognise those three things I just mentioned (lipids, carbs, proteins) as the three "macronutrients" of our diet. Normally the pancreas supplies these enzymes. Not only the pancreas, but mainly the pancreas. So if your pancreas is damaged your body might not be able to digest and/or absorb these macronutrients, or at least not as efficiently. You need to get these essential things by breaking down larger blocks and for that you need enzymes -- enzymes that the pancreas normally provides, but your Creon now is.

As you've pointed out, maybe this inability to process and/or absorb macronutrients isn't really a problem unless you suddenly have so little of them that you lose 100 kgs and die from starvation I guess. But, the problem with that thinking is that there are "essential" micronutritents lipids/fats (fatty acids) and proteins (amino acids) that your body cannot produce and therefore need to come from the diet by catabolising (breaking down) the macronutrients. Hence the moniker "essential". If you don't get an essential nutrient that your body requires because you cannot digest the larger macros, then you either get very, very sick or you die. So, digestion and absorption is important.

For the lipids, linoleic acid, linolenic acid and alpha-Linolenic acid are essential. Your body cannot produce them; they come from digesting lipids/fats. For that you need lipase, which comes from Creon if it's not produced by your body elsewhere (e.g. pancreas). For the amino acids, which come from digesting protein, you must get histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan and valine from foods. Your body needs them but it cannot produce them. These ones come from proteins that you consume in your diet but without the protease that your pancreas normally supplies, but Creon now is, you won't get them.

So, yes, you need the enzymes that Creon provides. Just skipping might make you lose weight in the short-term, but in the mid- to long-term you're not going to be very healthy because the chemical reactions that the enzymes coming from Creon enable are essential for human life and the body cannot make them by itself from raw materials.

I skipped Creon for a week since I've been on insulin because my script ran out. I noticed no real difference in my blood sugar levels but then why would I... it's the essential amino acids and fatty acids that are more important

 

[ROMEO]

What makes you think Type1 and taking insulin for it causes weight gain?
It doesn't, whilst I'm sure a percentage of Type1's do have weight gain issues, so do a percentage of the general non-diabetic population as well.
There are plenty of Type1's with no weight issues, myself included, I've been diabetic for 45 years now and never had a weight problem (ok I put a bit on over christmas but thats not exactly unexpected)
When Type1's/3c's take insulin its only to replace what a normal non-diabetic person would be creating anyway.

Insulin resistance may cause weight gain but that would be in addition to your Type1/3c, its not part of it

Insulin is a fat storage hormone. Insulin is instrumental in creating new fat cells. When body cells become insulin resistant, it tends to store all extra calories as fat, without actually burning them off.

With poor control over a good many years I've had to inject more hence the weight gain despite still being very active.

Even with excellent control I and countless Type 1 diabetics all over the world have still found it hard to keep off weight. It's a subjective topic and no individual case is going to be the same.

To derail the thread immediately when the subject was quite clearly, with respect, about Creon consumption is disappointing.

 

[ROMEO]

I'm type 3c after necrotising pancreatis in 2017 followed by many pancreatitis events (3 times in ICU; the first time in 2017, 6 weeks, they drained 1.5 litres of fluid away in week 5; second time in 2019, 4 weeks in ICU; third time I think was "only" a week in ICU. The other 20 maybe times I've been in hospital for pancreatitis I wasn't sick enough to get into ICU -- although in enough pain! -- but maybe only because there's only about 10% of my pancreas left...) Anyway, that's the history.

Now, Creon. Interestingly I was only prescribed Creon in 2020. I only took it intermittently until 2021, mainly because I just forgot. Then I started making sure I at least had it with main meals... I'm supposed to take "one or two" with snacks as well but honestly I don't bother unless it's a high fat "snack" with enough energy to be a meal anyway hehe. Like, if I eat a banana in the afternoon I won't have Creon.

Ok, you probably know this but I'll summarise for those who don't. Creon contains three enzymes. Enzymes are either essential for a chemical reaction to occur, or assist/speed the reaction occurring. The three enzymes that Creon supplies are: lipase (to break down lipids/fats); amylase (to break down carbs incl. sugars); and protease (to break down proteins). Anything ending with -ase you can be confident in assuming is an enzyme. You might recognise those three things I just mentioned (lipids, carbs, proteins) as the three "macronutrients" of our diet. Normally the pancreas supplies these enzymes. Not only the pancreas, but mainly the pancreas. So if your pancreas is damaged your body might not be able to digest and/or absorb these macronutrients, or at least not as efficiently. You need to get these essential things by breaking down larger blocks and for that you need enzymes -- enzymes that the pancreas normally provides, but your Creon now is.

As you've pointed out, maybe this inability to process and/or absorb macronutrients isn't really a problem unless you suddenly have so little of them that you lose 100 kgs and die from starvation I guess. But, the problem with that thinking is that there are "essential" micronutritents lipids/fats (fatty acids) and proteins (amino acids) that your body cannot produce and therefore need to come from the diet by catabolising (breaking down) the macronutrients. Hence the moniker "essential". If you don't get an essential nutrient that your body requires because you cannot digest the larger macros, then you either get very, very sick or you die. So, digestion and absorption is important.

For the lipids, linoleic acid, linolenic acid and alpha-Linolenic acid are essential. Your body cannot produce them; they come from digesting lipids/fats. For that you need lipase, which comes from Creon if it's not produced by your body elsewhere (e.g. pancreas). For the amino acids, which come from digesting protein, you must get histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan and valine from foods. Your body needs them but it cannot produce them. These ones come from proteins that you consume in your diet but without the protease that your pancreas normally supplies, but Creon now is, you won't get them.

So, yes, you need the enzymes that Creon provides. Just skipping might make you lose weight in the short-term, but in the mid- to long-term you're not going to be very healthy because the chemical reactions that the enzymes coming from Creon enable are essential for human life and the body cannot make them by itself from raw materials.

I skipped Creon for a week since I've been on insulin because my script ran out. I noticed no real difference in my blood sugar levels but then why would I... it's the essential amino acids and fatty acids that are more important

Absolutely splendid reply Plantae just the type of non- judgemental response I was seeking.

I have to go to work now but thought it courteous to acknowledge this well thought informative reply

Thank You!

 

[plantae]

Absolutely splendid reply Plantae just the type of non- judgemental response I was seeking.

I have to go to work now but thought it courteous to acknowledge this well thought informative reply

Thank You!

Have a good day at work. And, don't forget your Creon

 

[Antje77]

Hi folks, please stick to the subject of creon in this thread.

There are countless threads where insulin/weightgain is discussed, but it's very hard for T3C's to find information on the specific quirks of their condition.
Considering the title of the thread it's likely to be found by future T3C's trying to learn, and having them trail through an off topic side discussion won't be helpful.

TIA, Antje

Also tagging in a couple T3C's who might have some more experience with this: @Ledzeptt , @miahara

 

[JAT1]

I had a portion of my pancreas removed, said by the doctors to be a 'significant' portion (2017). I was not prescribed Creon at that time; however in 2022 when I was in the hospital burn unit, they found from a specific test that I was having 'absorbtion' issues and they prescribed Creon. After a month of taking it, I was having such side effects (gas, bloating, bad diarrhea) that I stopped. I told the doctor and have not been advised to take any substitute. I feel much better without the Creon.

 

[miahara]

Creon has had a dramatic impact on my weight. I was, at diagnosis with diabetes, quite underweight but eventually it was discovered that I was suffering from acute pancreatits and I was prescribed Creon. The impact, as the graph shows was almost immediate and my weight continued to rise over the course of about 12 months.

 

[Ledzeptt]

Great answer from @plantae

My medical condition is similar and I was prescribed Creon from the outset.

The only thing I’d add, is that I notice within 24 hours when I’ve not taken Creon or not taken enough pills for the meal, typically a higher fat meal…

There’s an unpleasant thing called “steatorrhoea” which you may be able to guess roughly what it is from the name, but I’ll spell it out if you really want to know and you’re not squeamish…

Basically, stools (poo) contains undigested fat and becomes greasy, smelly, loose, greeny-yellow, floats and difficult to flush, etc.

FYI: If anyone (regardless of diabetes diagnosis) regularly has this problem, they should see a doctor because there are numerous causes.