Anatomy of the pancreas

The pancreas (pancreas) transverse in the upper abdomen below the stomach and in front of the spine. It reaches from the spleen to the loop of the duodenum.

It weighs 60 g to 100, is 15 to 20 cm long, up to 9 cm wide and about 2 cm thick. Over the whole pancreas, the islets of Langerhans are distributed like islands. In these islands the blood sugar-lowering hormone insulin is produced and released into the blood. Among others, these islands produce the hormones glucagon and somatostatin.

The vast majority of the pancreas (about 95%) produces digestive juices (enzymes) that get through a duct into the duodenum
To meet the body's functions such as heartbeat, respiration, and movement, the body needs energy that is produced by the combustion of nutrients. Carbohydrates (sugars) are the main fuels available to quickly and directly increase the body's blood sugar. They come mainly from plant food sources that contain sugar or can be converted to sugar such as starch from potatoes, flour, bread, fruit, vegetables.

Carbohydrates are simple or pure dextrose (glucose) and fruit sugar (fructose). Compound sugars are glucose, maltose and lactose. These are practically equivalent to the artificial sweeteners like sorbitol and xylitol. Grape sugar (glucose) can be introduced into the cell only with the help of insulin.

Insulin

 

The hormone insulin plays a central role in human metabolism. Insulin is primarily responsible for the transport of sugar from the blood into the cells, where it is burned for energy.

In addition, insulin also influences the regulation of fat and protein balance. Insulin is produced in the beta cells of islets of Langerhans of the pancreas. The insulin molecule is composed of two chains of amino acids (protein building blocks) consisting of protein. When taken through mouth,  the protein hormone insulin would be digested in the digestive tract and will lose its effect. Therefore, it cannot be taken in pill form. This is usually administered by injection.