No fasting required.

Lipase is an enzyme primarily produced by the pancreas to help digest dietary fats. This test measures the amount of lipase in the blood.

The pancreas is a narrow, flat organ about six inches long located deep within the abdominal cavity, below the liver and between the stomach and the spine. Its head section connects to the duodenum, the first part of the small intestine. Inside the pancreas, small ducts (tubes) feed digestive enzymes produced by the pancreas into the pancreatic duct. Lipase is transported through the pancreatic duct and into the first part of the small intestine, where it helps break down dietary triglycerides (a form of fat) into fatty acids.