The recommendation about taking a Mezim tablet before a feast is well known to everyone. But what if there was no medication in the pharmacy? And can this drug be replaced with cheaper tablets? Today we will consider what analogues Mezim has, and what is their fundamental difference.
Which is better - Pancreatin or Mezim?
Pancreatin is an enzyme substance that is extracted from the pancreas of cattle. It contains three pancreatic enzymes:
- amylase (promotes the breakdown of carbohydrates);
- protease (cleaves proteins);
- lipase (cleaves fats).
For sale Pancreatin in the form of tablets with the appropriate name, or as part of other drugs:
- Biofestal;
- Normoenzyme;
- Ferestal;
- Enzistal;
- Festal;
- Pancreoflate;
- Biosim;
- Pancreatym;
- Enzibene;
- Panzinorm;
- Gastenorm;
- Creon;
- Mikrazim;
- Penzital;
- Pancrelipase;
- Pancrenorm;
- Pantcitrate;
- Vestal;
- Uni-Festal;
- Panzim;
- Hermitage.
Yet the most popular analogue of Pancreatin is Mezim, which can be replaced by the above listed drugs, because all of them as the main active substance contain pancreatic enzymes.
What is the difference between drugs?
The listed medicines contain a different dosage of amylase (usually the figure next to the name is the concentration of the enzyme). So, for example, Mezim Forte 10000 (analogue - Creon 10000, Mikrazim 10000, Pazinormm 10000) has 10,000 units of amylase. The strongest dosage is 25,000 ED (Creon, Mikrazim), and the weakest is 3500 ED (Mezim-Forte). In such preparations as Festal, Digestal, Penzital, Enzistal contains 6000 ED of enzyme.
In addition to the concentration of amylase, Mezim Forte's analogues differ in the content of additional substances. So, for example, in Festal, Digestal and Enzistal there is hemicellulase and bile. The same three drugs are tablets of standard size, and Pazinorm, Creon, Hermitage and Mikrazim are gelatin capsules, inside of which are microtabules with a diameter of less than 2 mm (due to this they act faster).
Indications for use
Enzyme therapy is indicated for cystic fibrosis and chronic pancreatitis, when there is an exocrine insufficiency of the pancreas. The use of Mezima (or its cheap analogue of pancreatin) is appropriate for digestive disorders caused by chronic inflammatory diseases of the stomach, liver, gall bladder, intestine, and also after irradiation or resection of these organs.
As the instruction to use the medication demonstrates, Mezim improves the functioning of the digestive tract in healthy people in case of overeating . Also, the drug is prescribed before the ultrasound of the digestive system organs or X-ray.
How to take Mezim and analogues?
Digestive enzymes begin to act, falling into the small intestine: from the destructive action of gastric juice they are protected by a special tablet shell, which dissolves only at pH = 5.5.
Tablets are taken during meals, washed down with water or fruit juices (but not with alkaline drinks).
Peak activity of pancreatic enzymes is observed after 30 - 40 minutes after taking Mezima Forte or its analogues.
Precautionary measures
Despite the fact that all the above-mentioned analogues of Mezim Forte - both cheap and expensive - contain pancreatin (amylase, lipase, protease), although in different concentrations, it is dangerous to prescribe these drugs on their own.
For example, with frequent stools, Festal is not recommended, and in general bile-containing enzyme preparations are contraindicated in patients with impaired liver or gallbladder function.
The daily dosage of amylase is determined by the doctor, having analyzed the patient's condition. For someone, it is 8,000 - 40,000 units, and when the pancreas does not synthesize enzymes at all, the body needs 400,000 units of amylase.
Very rarely Mezim and its analogs cause side effects - they are expressed, mainly, by intestinal obstruction.