The Pancreas

The pancreas is a gland organ that is situated partially behind the stomach, in front of the first and second lumbar vertebrae in a horizontal position (sandwiched between the stomach and the spine). It is part of the digestive system and produces important enzymes and hormones that help break down foods. The pancreas has an endocrine function because it releases juices directly into the bloodstream, and it has an exocrine function because it releases juice into ducts.

Enzymes, or digestive juices, produced by the pancreas and secreted into the small intestine to further break down food after it has left the stomach. The gland also produces the hormone insulin and secretes it into the bloodstream in order to regulate the body's glucose or sugar level.

The digestive tract breaks down carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are the sugars and starches found in many foods. The word glucose is used to indicate the amount of sugar entering the bloodstream. With the help of the hormone insulin, cells throughout the body absorb the glucose (sugar) and use it for energy.

The pancreas is a very complicated organ and hard to explain. I am only going to discuss a few functions that deal with diabetes. The pancreas has two types of glandular tissue: exocrine (digestive) and endocrine (Hormone). Throughout the pancreas are clusters of cells called islands of Langerhan. These tiny islands constitute only about 2% of the total mass of the pancreas. The islands, sometimes called islets, are made up, basically, of two kinds of cells: alpha cells and beta cells.

Almost all of the pancreas (95%) consists of exocrine tissue that produce pancreatic enzymes for digestion. The cells known as beta cells are found in the greatest abundance , and they produce insulin. Because these cells play a major role in the body and are required for digestion, destruction or impairment of island of Langerhan cells may result in diabetes or hypoglycemia. The islands of Langerhan produce a variety of hormones, but insulin and glucagon are the two most important, they help regulate energy in the body.

Glucagon closely resembles insulin, but it has a directly opposite effect on carbohydrate metabolism. Unlike insulin Glucagon raises your blood sugar. Glucagon is a hormone secreted by the pancreatic alpha cells. Glucagon is stored in the liver and muscle cells.

As far as the pancreas is involved, what happens in digestion after we eat? Pancreatic enzymes break down three elements.

•  Protease (a protein-splitting enzyme) digests proteins
• Lipase (a fat-splitting enzyme) digests fat
• Amylase (enzymes that split or hydrolyze starch) digest carbohydrates

The digestive enzymes empty into ducts, eventually draining into the small intestine. The digestive enzymes produced in the pancreas will not be active until the reach the intestine. After we have eaten, the carbohydrates (sugar and starch) are broken down and digested in the stomach and intestine. The food is absorbed through the intestine and the nutrients are taken into the bloodstream. Your brain tells your pancreas, through many channels, about the rise in your blood sugar level, and the pancreas starts to secrete insulin. Insulin takes the glucose out of the bloodstream and puts it into the cells. Glucose fuels the cells and allows them to do the different jobs necessary to maintain the body. When glucose levels in the blood get back to where they should be, the pancreas stops secreting insulin.

A healthy pancreas produces the correct chemicals in the proper quantities, at the right times, to digest the foods we eat. Diabetes develops when the body doesn't produce any or not enough insulin for cells to absorb the glucose needed to keep body symptoms working properly. Whatever the cause may be, your body is going to try to rid itself of the unabsorbed glucose (sugar). This will eventually cause many complications. Complications are why it is so important to take care of your pancreas by maintaining a healthy diet and exercise program.