A high level of pancreas enzymes may mean inflammation of your pancreas — or it may mean nothing at all.

The pancreas is a digestive organ that sits next to the liver and stomach. The pancreas makes digestive juices that flow into the intestine, and that contain special proteins known as enzymes. Under normal circumstances, small amounts of these enzymes can be measured in the blood. However, if the pancreas becomes injured, blocked or inflamed, blood levels of pancreas enzymes can soar. That's why doctors often measure blood levels of two enzymes made by the pancreas — amylase and lipase — if they suspect a pancreas problem such as pancreatitis.

However, some people have high blood levels of pancreas enzymes even though there's nothing wrong with their pancreas. For example, the enzyme amylase is also made by the intestine and the salivary glands in the mouth. Some people with intestinal problems or with inflammation of the salivary glands will show high blood levels of amylase. Other people will have high levels of amylase — a condition known as hyperamylasemia — for no clear reason at all. Compared to amylase, elevated levels of lipase are more likely to indicate a problem with the pancreas, since lipase doesn't seem to be made by other organs. However, minor increases in lipase levels may be seen in people who are perfectly healthy.

The bottom line: Elevated blood levels of pancreas enzymes are only meaningful if they go along with other evidence of pancreas problems, such as abdominal pain or gallstones (which can block the ducts that drain juices from the pancreas).