What is better for the pancreas, Creon or Mezim?

Indications for use

Medicines are used as replacement treatment for:

• cystic fibrosis,
• chronic pancreatitis,
• pancreatectomy,
• pancreatic cancer,
• obstruction of the gastrointestinal tract,
• Shwachman-Diamond syndrome.

They are also used to treat elderly patients.

The instructions for use indicate that the drugs can be included in symptomatic therapy for:

• total gastrectomy,
• biliary obstruction,
• liver cirrhosis,
• cholestatic hepatitis,
• bacterial infection of the small intestine.

Mezim and Creon are used when symptoms of overeating appear. They quickly relieve the feeling of heaviness and flatulence.

Pancreatin or Panzinorm

Manufacturer: KRKA, Slovenia

Release form: capsules

Ingredients: pancreatin

Panzinorm is a Pancreatin substitute in capsules produced in Slovenia. The price of a cheap analogue of Pancreatin depends on the dosage - on average it varies from 140 to 310 rubles. The drug is available to the population and is effective.

Panzinorm is distinguished by its imported manufacturer, release form (capsules), indication of enzyme activity units and the absence of the need for storage in the refrigerator or other special conditions.

How do the drugs differ?

Both medications belong to the group of enzyme agents. The active ingredient is pancreatin. But despite this, the drugs have a number of distinctive features.

Creon is available in the form of capsules with a dosage of the active substance of 10,000, 25,000 and 40,000 units. The composition also includes other substances in the form of macrogol, liquid paraffin, dibutyl phthalate, dimethicone 1000, iron oxide, gelatin and titanium dioxide.

Mezim is available in tablet form. The amount of pancreatin is 10,000 and 20,000 units.

The tablets are film-coated or enteric-coated. Both medications are produced by a German company.

Characteristics of active ingredients

The active ingredient is pancreatin. This component is a powder composition. When it enters the digestive tract, it is broken down into amylase, protease and lipase.

The effects of the drugs are aimed at improving digestive processes. The enzymes included in the composition lead to the complete breakdown of proteins, fats and carbohydrates.

Which is better: Creon or Mezim

Medicines differ in production technology. This process affects the mechanism of action and the speed of manifestation of the effect. Creon is available in the form of capsules, inside of which there are microspheres. When they enter the body and are broken down, a uniform distribution of enzymes is observed. Thanks to this phenomenon, the therapeutic effect is achieved faster.

Mezim tablets dissolve in the stomach, so the active particles do not immediately enter the intestinal tract. Therefore, a positive result appears later.

The concentration of the active component is also taken into account. Creon has a large dosage, and therefore is used for complex diseases, after surgical procedures. The effect of Mezim is aimed at facilitating the digestive process during overeating. Intended for minor changes in the functioning of the pancreas.

Clear differences between Creon and Mezim

Significant differences between the two drugs lie in the structure of the dosage form, which is responsible for the effectiveness of the main substances.

• Creon capsules contain hundreds of spheres with a diameter of 2 mm, which contain the active components of the drug. In the stomach, under the influence of gastric juice, the gelatin shell dissolves, releasing microspheres. In this case, inactivation of enzymes does not occur, since each unit is coated with a special composition that protects the contents from hydrochloric acid of the stomach. A distinctive feature is its uniform distribution in chyme (a paste of processed and semi-digested food). When passing into the intestine, lipase, protease and amylase are activated. As a result, the overall effectiveness of the drug increases several tens of times.
• Mezim does not have a two-stage release system, so there is no distribution of the medication throughout the entire volume of food. The result is a slow action and partial deactivation when in the stomach. Violation of the integrity of the shell leads to a complete loss of pharmacological action.

Directions for use and dosage

Mezim is prescribed to children over 3 years of age and adults. When treating diseases due to insufficient pancreatic function, it is recommended to take 1-2 tablets three times a day. The tablets must not be chewed. Drink with plenty of water.

If you need to use medication while following a diet, then it is better to choose Creon 10000. Capsules are taken with meals.

When carrying out treatment, a dosage of 25,000 units is used. The frequency of administration is 2 times a day. After normalization of the condition, the dose is reduced to 10,000 units.

Creon 40000 is intended for the treatment of adults. The frequency of use and duration of the course are determined by the doctor based on the course of the disease.

Analogs

Pharmacies offer analogues and substitutes of Pancreatin of several groups:

• synonyms – drugs of domestic or imported origin containing pancreatin;
• combination products – along with pancreatin, they contain other medicinal substances;
• analogues from other pharmacological groups, but having the same properties and indications.

Allohol

Manufacturer: Biosynthesis, Pharmstandard, etc., Russia

Release form: tablets

Active ingredient: activated carbon, bile, dry garlic, nettle extract

The cheap analog Allohol is designed for better functioning of the gastrointestinal tract:

• prevents fermentation and decay processes;
• has a choleretic effect;
• helps with atonic constipation.

It is used in courses depending on the patient’s indications and complaints - from 3–4 weeks to 3 months.

Holenzym

Manufacturer: Belmedpreparaty, Belarus or Biosintez, Russia

Release form: tablets

Active ingredient: bile, pancreas powder, small intestinal mucosa powder

The Cholenzym analogue combines several properties: it promotes the formation and secretion of bile, improves digestion, and facilitates the digestion of incoming proteins, fats and carbohydrates. The drug is suitable not only for diseases of the digestive tract, but also to facilitate digestion during a sedentary lifestyle, a change in diet, and overeating. Cholenzym is taken 1-3 times a day depending on the symptoms and severity of the condition.

Enzistal

Manufacturer: Torrent Pharmaceuticals, India

Release form: tablets

Active ingredient: pancreatin, bile components, hemicellulase

An analogue of Pancreatin in tablets is the combined drug Enzistal. Contains additional components, resulting in a wider range of therapeutic effects:

• promotes better digestion of food and breakdown of proteins, fats, carbohydrates;
• relieves or alleviates symptoms associated with digestive disorders - pain after eating in the abdominal area, increased gas formation, flatulence, shortness of breath, heaviness;
• reduces the formation of gases in the intestines;
• increases bile production;
• promotes better absorption of incoming vitamins and minerals.

Also available in pharmacies is the drug Enzistal-P - an analogue containing only pancreatin, without additional components. The advantage is that you don’t need special conditions for storage or refrigeration.

Omeprazole

Manufacturer: Ozone, Kanonpharma, Promed, AVVA RUS, Sintez, Russia or Teva, Hungary

Release form: capsules

Active ingredient: omeprazole

Synonyms: Omez, Gastrozol, Ultop, Losek, Ortanol, etc.

The prescription analogue Omeprazole acts on stomach cells and reduces the production of hydrochloric acid. As a result, heartburn, stomach pain, sour belching and other symptoms of dyspepsia and gastritis are reduced.

Pangrol

Manufacturer: Berlin-Chemie, Germany or Italy

Release form: capsules

Active ingredient: pancreatin

The drug Pangrol is an analogue of Pancreatin in capsules, which is more effective. The capsule contains mini-tablets. Pancreatin analogue 10,000 units enters the stomach, the gelatin shell of the capsule dissolves. The active substance itself begins to act exclusively in the intestines.

You can learn about other substitutes in pharmacy windows, in advertising or from doctor's prescriptions.

• Unienzyme is a drug for better digestion, replenishes enzyme deficiency, eliminates heaviness in the abdomen, diarrhea and other symptoms of intestinal dysfunction.
• Wobenzym is an enzyme preparation that reduces inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract and the entire body, the disadvantage is its high cost.
• Karsil is a medicine for protecting and restoring the liver and eliminating associated symptoms (pain, heaviness, bitterness).
• No-Shpa is an antispasmodic drug for pain and colic.
• Trimedat is an imported analogue that regulates intestinal motility and eliminates problems with stool (diarrhea or constipation), flatulence, bloating, and a feeling of heaviness.
• Motilium - regular and dispersible tablets, the suspension has the same effect as Trimedat, additionally eliminating nausea and vomiting.

You can replace medications with Pangrol, Micrazim, Ermital and others.

special instructions

There have been cases when, in the treatment of cystic fibrosis, patients received the medicine in high dosages. This led to the development of colitis and intestinal stricture. Mezim does not have any special instructions in its instructions.

Pregnancy and lactation

There are no data on the use of enzymes during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Before starting medication, the doctor evaluates the benefits for the woman and her fetus.

Childhood

Mezim is prescribed to children over 3 years of age. Creon can be given to infants from one year of age. The doctor selects the dose based on the type of disease, the child’s condition and his weight.

Elderly age

Creon and Mezim are used to treat elderly patients with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency.

Possible adverse reactions

Festal, Creon and Mezim have similar components in their composition and have the same effect on the body. Therefore, the side effects of the drugs are similar. In Creon they occur less frequently, which is an advantage when choosing a medication. The most common body reactions include:

• Allergic reactions in the form of a rash, Quincke's edema and redness of the skin.
• Labored breathing.
• Skin itching.
• Abnormal stool (constipation and diarrhea).
• Nausea, vomiting.
• Adhesions in the intestines.

Medicines containing iron are used separately, since enzymes prevent the absorption of the trace element into the blood.

If side effects occur, you should consult your doctor and be sure to stop using this drug and replace it with an analogue. The difference in price may not be too significant if safety of use and children's age are a priority. First of all, you need to pay attention to contraindications. These drugs should not be taken by children under three years of age, and Creon by one year. Intolerance to any of the components of the medication and hypersensitivity are also prohibited from taking them. Separately, it is worth mentioning about patients with acute pancreatitis. In the acute stage, they are prescribed therapeutic fasting, which means drugs with enzymes are contraindicated. You can resume taking medications with pancreatin only after the exacerbation ends, when the patient begins to eat.

When choosing a drug, you need to focus not only on the price, but also on the safety and likelihood of adverse reactions in the body. The doctor will be able to take into account all the nuances and help you choose the best option.

What is better - "Mezim" or "Creon" for pancreatitis?

The choice of medication based on the volume of active substance depends on the severity of the disease. There is one significant difference - the way drugs interact with receptors of cells and tissues of the body. The thing is that “Creon” is presented in the form of minimicrospheres. This manufacturing method has a number of advantages:

1. Correct distribution of the drug, due to which digestion occurs throughout the entire part of the chyme (liquid or semi-liquid contents of the stomach or intestines, consisting of partially digested food, gastric and intestinal juices, gland secretions, bile, condensed epithelial cells and microorganisms).
2. Unlike tablets, minimicrospheres quickly reach the initial part of the small intestine, where they will perform their function.
3. When ingested, the Creon minimicrosphere begins to dissolve only in the small intestine, when Mezim dissolves in the stomach.
4. The cost of “Creon” (from 200 to 1,400 rubles) is higher than that of “Mezim” (from 50 to 250 rubles). The high price is justified by the expensive production technology, plus the effectiveness of the drug.

What is better - “Creon” or “Mezim”?

The difference between drugs lies in the content of the main and auxiliary substances. For example, one capsule of “Creon 10000” contains:

• pancreatin - 150 milligrams;
• lipase - 10,000 units;
• amylase - 8,000 units;
• protease - 600 units.

One tablet of the drug "Mezim" contains:

• pancreatin - minimal amount;
• lipase - 3500 units;
• amylase - 4200 units;
• protease - 250 units.

A significant difference between medications is the amount of enzymes.

What is better - Mezim Forte or Creon - to take during pregnancy? Both drugs can be used by women carrying a child and nursing mothers. It is best to use medications for treatment during pregnancy only as prescribed by a doctor. A doctor may prescribe enzyme medications if the expected benefit is greater than the risk. Contraindications for Mezim and Creon are similar:

• individual intolerance;
• acute pancreatitis;
• relapse of a chronic disease.