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By: Mirel Zaman
Medical Reviewer Nicole Ducharme, D.O.
Learn about the organ’s role in producing insulin and managing blood sugar.
Nearly 16% of US adults over age 20 have diabetes, making it one of the most common chronic conditions in the country. If you fall into that category (or are at risk for entering it soon), you’re likely familiar with the importance of blood sugar and insulin in managing this disease. But what about the pancreas, and the role it plays in diabetes?
The functioning of this organ affects your ability to stabilize your blood sugar, digest your meals, and absorb key nutrients from your food. The health of your pancreas impacts not just your risk of developing diabetes or your ability to manage it, but the well-being of your entire body, too.
So how does pancreatic function become impaired to the point that it leads to diabetes, and is there anything you can do to keep your pancreas healthy? Our experts explain.
The Pancreas
What Is the Pancreas?
The pancreas is a fatty organ that sits behind the stomach, explains Disha Narang, M.D., an endocrinologist and the director of obesity medicine at Endeavor Health in Skokie, IL. It’s about six inches long and pear-like in shape, with the “head” at the wide end typically pointing to the right side of the body and the thinner “tail” pointing left.
“The pancreas’s main function is hormone secretion. It releases a combination of insulin and glucagon [to regulate blood sugar] and digestive hormones [to break down food],” explains Dr. Narang.
Though a single organ, the pancreas is often referred to as having two distinct parts with separate functions. The exocrine pancreas makes up roughly 85% of the organ’s tissue and produces enzymes that are released into the small intestine, where they break down protein, carbohydrates, and fat; the endocrine pancreas is made up of a cluster of cells known as islets of Langerhans and produces hormones that raise and lower blood sugar, explains Caroline Messer, M.D., a clinical assistant professor of endocrinology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City and the founder of the metabolic health and wellness practice Well By Messer.
Your Pancreas and Blood Sugar
How the Pancreas Regulates Blood Sugar
The pancreas’s ability to regulate blood sugar (glucose) relies on the production of two hormones: glucagon and insulin. “There are receptors on the cells in the pancreas that sense the glucose levels [in the blood],” Dr. Messer explains. “When everything’s working well, rising glucose levels trigger pancreatic beta cells to release insulin.” Insulin is a hormone that allows the body’s cells to absorb glucose, thereby lowering levels in the blood.
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