Chris Kresser: Next question from Liz, “What are the therapy options for biome pancreatic insufficiency? From Week 3, the gut action steps [6:33] are not clear for pancreatic insufficiency. [I’m] thinking HDL or raise stomach acid somehow to increase acidity of time for bile and reduce alcohol to heal [the] liver.”
Yes. Well, [over] the next few weeks, we’re gonna be talking a lot about that, too. Pancreatic insufficiency, if it’s functional, is usually a consequence of SIBO, parasites, fungal overgrowth, or destructive gut microbiome. From a Functional Medicine cause perspective, that’s the best way to do it. In the interim, while you’re addressing those things, you can use ox bile or bitters for bile insufficiency or phosphatidylcholine, all of which increase bile production. We’ll be talking about that. You can also use pancreatic enzymes to make up for the reduced enzyme production. Those should just be temporary or short-term measures while you’re addressing the root causes.