What it measures
A fat-digesting enzyme made almost entirely by the pancreas.
The more specific of the two pancreas enzymes; a clearly raised lipase is what points at the pancreas rather than elsewhere.
Why it matters for how long you stay well
Slower kidney filtering, gallbladder trouble and other abdominal conditions all lift it, so a mildly raised value on a wellness panel is a conversation rather than a conclusion.
How it shows up in daily life
A mildly high level with no tummy pain is common and usually means nothing; a very high level with pain is a different matter and needs same-day advice.
High and low readings
When it reads high
A raised lipase without abdominal pain is often mild and non-specific - reduced kidney clearance and some medicines do it - but it is a number the Genoryx physician should see rather than a number to ignore.
When it reads low
Low is rarely meaningful.
What moves it
Daily life
- alcohol
- very high triglycerides
- gallstones
- kidney filtering
Medicines known to shift it
- GLP-1 medicines (can raise it)
Listed so a result can be read in context. It is not advice to start, stop or change any medicine; that decision belongs with your physician.
Read it with
Markers that move this one, or that this one moves. One number read alone can mislead.
- eGFR, your kidney filtering rateKnown mechanism
eGFR pulls it down
Lipase is cleared by your kidneys too. So slower filtering can lift a pancreas enzyme with nothing whatever wrong in the pancreas itself.
- AmylaseKnown mechanism
As this rises, Amylase moves with it
Both enzymes come mainly from your pancreas, so they are read as a pair. Agreement between them is far more convincing than either number on its own.
Common questions
What does Serum Lipase measure?
A fat-digesting enzyme made almost entirely by the pancreas. The more specific of the two pancreas enzymes; a clearly raised lipase is what points at the pancreas rather than elsewhere.
What does a high Lipase result usually mean?
A raised lipase without abdominal pain is often mild and non-specific - reduced kidney clearance and some medicines do it - but it is a number the Genoryx physician should see rather than a number to ignore.
What does a low Lipase result usually mean?
Low is rarely meaningful.
What is the usual reference range for Lipase?
A broad adult reference band is 13–60 U/L. Labs differ, so read your result against the band printed on your own report.
Educational only, not a diagnosis. A single number means little without your history and the rest of your panel, so discuss your own results with your physician.
Typical adult reference band
- Adults
- 13–60 U/L
Labs differ. The band printed on your own report is the one that applies to your result.
Reported in U/L
Worth knowing
The kidneys clear it, so reduced kidney filtering can raise it with nothing wrong in the pancreas at all.
Have a report with this marker on it? Read it in context.
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