Lipase
50mg per servingBreaks down dietary fats into absorbable fatty acids, completing the fat digestion cycle started by bile.
Overview
What it is
Lipase is the enzyme responsible for breaking down dietary fats (triglycerides) into fatty acids and glycerol that can be absorbed through the intestinal wall. The lipase in Feast is derived from Rhizopus oryzae, a fungal source that provides broad pH stability and high specific activity. While the body produces lipase in the pancreas and stomach, heavy fatty meals can exceed natural lipase capacity — making supplementation particularly valuable after rich meals.
Mechanism
How it works
Fat digestion is a two-step process. First, bile (stimulated by artichoke leaf extract in the before-meal formula) emulsifies large fat globules into smaller droplets, increasing the surface area available for enzyme action. Then, lipase acts on these droplets, cleaving triglyceride molecules at the 1 and 3 positions to release two fatty acids and one monoglyceride. These smaller molecules form mixed micelles with bile salts and are absorbed through the intestinal epithelium. Without adequate lipase, undigested fat causes steatorrhea, bloating, and the greasy heaviness associated with fatty meals.
Why it helps
Key benefits
Breaks down dietary triglycerides into absorbable fatty acids
Works synergistically with bile stimulated by the before-meal formula
High specific activity delivers substantial fat digestion per milligram
Reduces the heaviness and greasy feeling after fat-rich meals
Evidence
The research
Pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy for pancreatic exocrine insufficiency
Dominguez-Munoz JE. · Advances in Medical Sciences (2011)
Lipase supplementation is clinically validated as the cornerstone of pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy, significantly reducing fat malabsorption symptoms including bloating, steatorrhea, and abdominal discomfort.
Lipase supplementation therapy for pancreatic exocrine insufficiency
Sikkens ECM, Cahen DL, Kuipers EJ, Bruno MJ. · Best Practice & Research Clinical Gastroenterology (2010)
OTC lipase supplementation has shown benefit in reducing fat maldigestion symptoms, with effects directly proportional to the amount of lipase activity delivered to the duodenum.
Role of bile and pancreatic lipase in fat digestion and absorption
Carey MC, Small DM, Bliss CM. · Annual Review of Physiology (1983)
Fat digestion requires sequential bile emulsification and lipase hydrolysis — neither process alone is sufficient. Bile increases the surface area for lipase action by 10,000-fold, making the artichoke→bile→lipase pathway the best-supported mechanistic synergy in the formula.
Dosage
50mg per serving
Why this dose
The 50mg lipase dose delivers a minimum of 10,000 FIP (Federation Internationale Pharmaceutique) units of lipolytic activity. Lipase is exceptionally potent by weight — this 50mg dose provides fat-digesting capacity equivalent to much larger doses of other enzymes. The activity level is calibrated to complement the bile output stimulated by 300mg artichoke leaf extract in the before-meal formula.
Safety & tolerability
Lipase is well-tolerated at supplemental doses. Those with known pancreatic conditions should consult their physician, as lipase supplementation may interact with prescribed pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy.
The formula
Why it matters
Fat is the slowest macronutrient to digest and the primary cause of post-meal heaviness after rich meals. The Feast protocol addresses fat digestion from both directions: artichoke leaf extract before the meal stimulates bile to emulsify fats, and lipase after the meal breaks those emulsified fats into absorbable molecules. This before-and-after approach to fat digestion is one of the core design principles behind the two-step protocol.
Works with
Artichoke Leaf Extract
Artichoke stimulates bile to emulsify fats before the meal, then lipase breaks those emulsified fats into absorbable molecules after — the two-step fat digestion system at the heart of the Feast protocol.
Protease Blend
Lipase handles fats while protease handles proteins — together with amylase, they provide complete macronutrient enzyme coverage in the after-meal formula.