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Faecal Elastase Test
Pancreatic elastase in a stool sample, the standard check of whether the pancreas is making enough digestive enzymes.
- Doctor-reviewed results
- Laboratory analysis
- 3 to 5 working days from lab receipt
- No fasting required
What’s included
1 marker measured
Pancreatic elastase (stool)
A stool test that can be used when chronic pancreatitis is suspected. A low result may point to pancreatic exocrine insufficiency, where pancreatic secretion is reduced. It is better at detecting moderate to severe reductions than mild ones.
Overview
If the pancreas is not making enough digestive enzymes, food is not properly broken down, and the usual clue is stool that is loose, pale, greasy and hard to flush. Elastase in a stool sample is a non-invasive way of checking that, and it is a test GPs use.
The pancreas produces the enzymes that break down fat and protein, and elastase passes through the gut largely unchanged, so the amount in stool reflects how much the pancreas is producing. It is the usual test when there is long-standing loose, pale, greasy or hard-to-flush stool, or a known pancreatic condition. A watery sample can read falsely low, so a formed sample gives the more reliable answer, and the report explains what a low result usually leads to.
Who this is for and who it isn’t
Who it’s for
- Adults aged 18 and over
- People with a known pancreatic condition or previous pancreatitis
- Anyone whose clinician has suggested checking pancreatic enzymes
Who it isn’t for
- This measures how much enzyme the pancreas is producing, not why, and it says nothing about the structure of the pancreas, which needs a scan. It is not a bowel inflammation or bowel cancer test either; calprotectin and FIT cover those. A watery sample gives a falsely low reading, so a formed one is important.
- If pale, greasy or loose stools are new or have lasted more than a few weeks, speak to your GP first. Persistent weight loss, severe pain or yellowing of the skin or eyes needs a GP appointment now, not a home test.
- Anyone with a new, severe or worsening symptom: contact your GP or call NHS 111. A test you buy today is not a substitute for being examined.
Common reasons people choose this test
- Loose, pale or greasy stools that are hard to flush
- A clinician has suggested checking your pancreatic enzymes
- Bloating or discomfort after fatty meals
- A known pancreatic condition or previous pancreatitis
- Heavy alcohol use over many years
These are reasons people choose to test, not signs that something is wrong. A result is one part of a picture your doctor puts together with your history and an examination.
What your result looks like
Every result is shown with the unit and the reference range exactly as the laboratory reported it, with the doctor’s note underneath.
- Pancreatic elastase (stool)▼ Low
- Result
- 95 µg/g
- Range
- >200
| Marker | Result | Units | Range | Flag |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pancreatic elastase (stool) | 95 | µg/g | >200 | ▼ Low |
Doctor’s note (example)
Faecal elastase is below the range, which suggests the pancreas is producing less enzyme than expected. A watery sample can read low on its own, so a clinician would usually repeat it on a formed sample and look into the cause.
Values above are examples. Your report shows your own results with the laboratory’s units and reference range for your age and sex, reviewed, signed and released by a GMC-registered doctor.
How it works
- Your kit arrivesPosted to your door, with instructions and what you need to send your sample back.
- You take your sampleA stool sample you collect at home, using the kit we post you
- The laboratory analyses itYour sample is processed for the measurements included in this test. Lab processing typically takes 3 to 5 working days from receipt of your sample.
- A doctor reviews and releases itA GMC-registered doctor reads every result and signs the report before it reaches you.
- Sample
- Home stool kit
- Preparation
- No fasting required
- Who it's for
- Any sex · ages 18+
How to prepare
What we can and can’t tell you
The reference range beside each result is the laboratory’s own. A result in range is not a clean bill of health and a result outside it is not a diagnosis. Most ranges cover about 95% of healthy people, so about 1 in 20 healthy people fall just outside any one range. No test result replaces an examination or your own doctor’s judgement, and none of these panels is a cancer screening programme.
Read the full note
The reference range printed beside each of your results is the laboratory's own, and it is the range that applies to your result. We do not apply a second range of our own, and we do not tell you that a result the laboratory reported as normal is nonetheless too low or too high. If you see a claim elsewhere that your result ought to sit inside a narrower band than the one the laboratory printed, treat it with caution and ask your doctor.
Some assays cannot give an exact figure above or below a certain point, and those results are reported the way the laboratory sends them, for example as a value greater than a stated number. A result in range is not a clean bill of health, and a result outside a range is not a diagnosis: most reference ranges are set to cover about 95% of healthy people, so some healthy people fall just outside them. No blood test replaces an examination, a scan or your own doctor's judgement, and none of these panels is a screening programme for cancer.
If you have a symptom that is new, severe, or getting worse, contact your GP or NHS 111 rather than waiting for a test result. In an emergency call 999.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to stop pancreatic enzyme supplements?
Do not stop a prescribed treatment for a test. Whether enzyme capsules affect the result depends on the method the laboratory uses, so tell us if you take them and the reviewing doctor will read your result with that in mind.
Why does the sample need to be formed?
Because a watery sample dilutes the enzyme and reads low even when the pancreas is working normally. If you are having a spell of very loose stools, waiting for a more formed one gives a more reliable answer.
What does a low result mean?
It suggests the pancreas is producing less enzyme than expected. The reviewing doctor explains it and what usually follows, which is a GP conversation and often imaging, since the cause matters as much as the finding.
How is the sample collected?
The kit contains a small collection device with clear instructions. Only a tiny amount of stool is needed and it goes back in the prepaid envelope.
How long do results take?
The laboratory typically takes 3 to 5 working days from receiving your sample. This does not include kit delivery, sample collection or return postage. A doctor reviews your results before they are released.
Can I choose a home kit or a clinic?
This test uses a stool sample you collect at home, not a blood sample. The kit arrives by post with step-by-step instructions and what you need to send it back.
Is a doctor involved?
Yes. Every result is reviewed by a GMC-registered doctor who signs it off and explains what it means and what to do next.
Is it confidential?
Your results are available through your secure patient portal. Our privacy policy explains how your information is handled and when it may be shared to provide your care.
What happens to my sample and results?
Your sample is analysed at a UKAS-accredited laboratory (ISO 15189). A GMC-registered doctor then reads every result and signs the report before it is released, so nothing reaches you unreviewed. There is no option to receive results without a doctor reading them first. The report arrives in your secure portal in plain English: each result with its unit and the laboratory's own reference range, and the doctor's note on what the set means read together. If a result sits outside its range the report says so and explains what usually happens next, which is most often a conversation with your own GP, who can act on it alongside your history and examination. Most reference ranges are set to cover about 95% of healthy people, so about 1 in 20 healthy people fall just outside any one of them. On a report with many results it is common for one to sit just outside its range, and a single number on its own rarely tells the whole story. If a result needs urgent attention, the reviewing doctor is alerted straight away and we contact you by phone the same working day rather than leaving it in the portal for you to find. If a specific result needs rechecking, the reviewing doctor says so in your report.
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