Hi creation301!
I'm not an Enzyme specialist in the medical term, but had enough stomach problems to get a basic idea of what you're asking...
Though I've been off enzymes for nearly 15 years.
Technically, there is a difference between enzymes.
I'm not sure how to link a forum post in here, so I'll just add my quote to the topic "side effects of skipping Ultrase"
<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>FYI, Ultrase is just a brand name for the digestive enzymes needed to break down the nutrients for foods.
Some patients may use Creon, some may use Pancrease, or even Viokase. (all of them have a difference of balance to the active ingredients)
As I was growing up, I had Viokase in powder form (YUCK!!), and then went from Pancrease in capsule, to Cotazym-S.
The enzymes have 3 basic active ingredients: Lipase, Amylase, and Protease.
the Lipase is used to digest fats, and there are three types, one type produced in the mouth, one in the liver, and the one we more than likely need, is the one produced in the pancrease.
Amylase is used to change complex sugars (and starches) into simple sugars for the body to digest. Two kinds, one produced through the salivary glands, and the other, also one we are more than likely in need; is produced by the pancreas into the small intestine.
Last of the active ingredients, Protease, is an enyme, used in the aid of digestion of proteins, basically.
(disclaimer-this is what I resarched, so anyone correct me if I'm wrong, ok)
Basically, due to the mucus blockage in the pancrease, the enzymes needed are not being supplied. The result was to give enzymes to make up for what was not being produced by ourselves.
I was using other forms of "digestive aids" in Japan, but was shocked to find out what it really was! (Boy, did my ex stiff me!) When I realized that it WASN'T the same, I looked at it like this; In order to get the nutrients I needed, I had to eat twice the amount of food, but nearly 3/4 of it would just pass through my body (sometimes painfully), and that would be just to keep up on nutrients, etc.
With eating a normal amount without enzymes, anytime I ate, the nutrients wouldn't be sufficient, and my body would begin to break down, and I'd always be hungry.
Probably, in my case, I was both mis-absorbing nutrients, and anytime I had something high in saturated fats (animal, or vegetable), I'd have to run to the bathroom every hour, (And, sometimes say, "What the heck did I eat wrong, this time!!") because my body didn't absorb it.
My weight went down from about 175 to 160 my first year here, but leveled off from then. If I ate enough, and was carefull, I could gain, but it would burn off after I went back to my daily routine. Up until a few years ago, I was pretty active, including having to walk quite a bit (No car for me). Though I'm still perplexed as to how I could gain so fast in a few months. I wonder if it could be bloating has started.
Now, I found some "over-the-counter" enzymes, and they help me, maybe too much 'cause I don't wanna be the fattest CF'r in the world! (good for some, but not for me!)
Anyway, long answer, but I hope it was very helpful as to answer why weightloss (and stomache aches) occurs when not taking enzymes. </end quote></div>
I really don't have a whole lot of time to re-read all my quote, but basically the active ingredients of Lipase, Amylase, and Protease are different for each enzyme, even of the same brand, like Creon.
Another post worth looking at is "Enzyme Issue".
You shoud be able to find these by clicking the "advance search" and putting key words such as "Enzymes", "Creon", and "Ultrase" for a search result containing those words.
If it didn't include the warning in my quote that the enzymes are extracted from hogs, then not eating pork is a very wise choice.
Hope this helped out.
Edited to add: if the enzymes are the allergy, then in that aspect, the doctors are correct, since all the enzymes are commonly extracted from hogs. Any other methods to replace the enzymes would not be supported by the doctor, and would be in forms of supplements, which is not regulated by the FDA to guarantee that the ingredients are within a specified tolerance of what amounts the maker is advertising on the label. However, I did come across a home page many months back that suggested other natural supplements to help with digestion. I'd have to look up where I posted it, or where I saw the homepage--don't wanna give the wrong information about that...
