Pancreatic Enzymes: Digesting Your Diet's Nutrients

The pancreas secretes digestive enzymes that help break down proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. These enzymes are released into the small intestine.

-Trypsin and chymotrypsin break down proteins into smaller peptides and free amino acids.

-Amylase breaks down carbohydrates into simple sugars like glucose.

-Lipase breaks down fats, with the help of bile salts, into fatty acids and glycerol.

All three major energy yielding nutrients are broken down within the small intestine by this mechanism and transported within blood or by diffusion to all sites required.