Insulin plays a vital role in our daily lives, but have you ever thought about where it comes from? “What organ produces insulin?” is one of the first questions that newly diagnosed diabetics ask themselves when learning about the way this condition affects their body.
Better education about the pancreas is urgently needed to raise awareness of regular screenings and check-ups, both for diabetics and non-diabetics. The goal of this article is to learn something new about this organ and all the roles it plays in keeping us healthy.
What Organ of the Body Produces Insulin?
Insulin is produced in the pancreas. Even though it is a small organ, it has a huge role in our bodies, aside from producing insulin. Sadly, this organ is mostly under-screened since any pathology that occurs is followed by uncommon symptoms. Usually, these symptoms are mistaken for something else.
For example, one condition that affects the pancreas is known as EPI (exocrine pancreatic insufficiency). According to the Journal Of Gastrointestinal And Liver Diseases, it was determined that almost 11.5% of people between the ages of 50-75 have some form of EPI. This often goes undiagnosed because of nonspecific symptoms that do not appear in general.
Overview of the Pancreas
The pancreas is a small, leaf-shaped gland about 6 inches long located in the upper part of the abdomen, between the stomach and small intestine.
Pancreas Anatomy
The pancreas has three parts:
- Head – the widest section of the pancreas, which is at the curve of the beginning of the small intestine, called the duodenum.
- Body – this portion lies behind the stomach
- Tail – as the body extends, it becomes narrower and almost reaches the spleen.
Histologically, the pancreatic tissue is made of two types of tissue, which are called the exocrine and endocrine parts of the pancreas and have separate functions in the body.
The first type of tissue is made up of the pancreatic acini, while the other consists of clusters of cells called the islets of Langerhans. The islets of Langerhans are made up of three types of cells:
- Alpha cells
- Beta cells
- Delta cells
Pancreas Function
Both parts of the pancreas have different roles in the body. The exocrine part of the pancreas functions in helping digestion, while the endocrine part of the pancreas functions in the production of different hormones.
Digestive Aid
The exocrine part of the pancreas, that is, the pancreatic acini, secretes three different digestive enzymes:
- Amylase – an enzyme that breaks down carbohydrates.
- Lipase – an enzyme that breaks down fats in the small intestines.
- Zymogen enzymes (a class of enzymes such as trypsin and chymotrypsin) break down proteins.
The inactive form of these enzymes travels through the pancreatic duct, a small canal that connects the pancreas to the duodenum. Upon entering the intestines, they transform into the active form and begin digesting and helping in nutrient absorption.
The pancreas secretes about 1 to 2.5 liters of fluid daily into the intestines, which contain around 20 grams of these enzymes. The secretion is regulated via a neural and a hormonal pathway.
Hormone Production
The endocrine part of the pancreas makes up about 2% of the entire pancreatic tissue and releases hormones directly into the bloodstream. In the Lanerhans islets, each type of cell secretes a different hormone:
- Alpha cells secrete glucagon, a hormone that raises glucose levels.
- Beta cells secrete insulin, the hormone that lowers glucose levels.
- Delta cells secrete somatostatin, which functions in regulating a few bodily functions by inhibiting other hormones in the body.
The islets of Langerhans also contain another type of cell, called PP cells (pancreatic-polypeptide cells), which release a pancreatic polypeptide, which regulates the digestive function and secretion of enzymes in the intestine.
When there is an insufficiency in the secretion of this hormone, which often occurs when an individual suffers from chronic pancreatitis, it leads to the development of pancreatogenic diabetes.
Health Issues Caused by Pancreas Malfunction
When there are issues in the pancreatic function, there are a few serious health issues that can occur:
Type 1 Diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease. In this condition, the immune system attacks and destroys beta cells in the pancreas, resulting in a complete lack of insulin production. This condition is not as common as type 2 diabetes, as it affects around 1.9 million citizens in America.
Interesting Fact:
A professor from Boston University developed a special device that monitors blood sugar levels throughout the whole day, and depending on the levels, releases insulin automatically. This device is called the iLet Bionic Pancreas, and it was created as a way to help the professor’s son, who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at only 11 months of age. If you want to read more about how the iLet Bionic Pancreas functions and its benefits, explore more in this article!
Type 2 Diabetes
In America, around 92% of all diabetics suffer from this type of diabetes. Type 2 diabetes can occur for two reasons:
- The pancreas does not produce enough insulin;
- The body becomes insulin resistant.
When dealing with insulin-resistant type 2 diabetes, the pancreas cannot support the body’s needs. But, the pancreas is not the only organ that suffers from changes because of insulin resistance.
Read More: Other issues might occur, for example, around 30% of all diabetics get neural damage and have a 19-22% prevalence of becoming depressed. Learn more about other ways that diabetes can affect your body here!
Hyperglycemia
Hyperglycemia is when blood glucose levels are very high. This condition happens when the body doesn’t get enough insulin, from being wrongly dosed, or if the diabetes has still not been diagnosed.
The main symptoms of moderate hyperglycemia are:
- Frequent urination
- Excessive thirst
- Headaches
- Fatigue
- Pain, tingling, and numbness in the feet.
Read More:
When hyperglycemia is not treated in time, the body goes into diabetic metabolic acidosis. DKA is when the blood pH levels become more acidic than usual, which is very dangerous. It leads to cellular damage in the brain, altered mental status, and even coma in severe cases.
When in metabolic acidosis, the body tries to compensate in many ways, but without urgent treatment, the outcome can be fatal. Find out more about the risk factors of hyperglycemia and DKA here!
Hypoglycemia
The opposite of hyperglycemia is hypoglycemia, which is when glucose levels in the body are too low. This condition happens mostly because of taking too much insulin (misdosing) or skipping meals in nondiabetics.
The main symptoms of hypoglycemia are:
- Rapid heartbeat
- Sweating
- Dizziness
- Altered mental status
- Seizures
- Unconsiousness
Did you know?
Four out of five type 1 diabetics have a hypoglycemic episode once a week, so knowing how to spot and treat hypoglycemia is crucial. If you want to learn more about how to treat hypoglycemia, read this article.
Disclaimer: Hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia are not conditions that occur only in diabetes. Both non-diabetics can become hypo- or hyperglycemic if they have bad lifestyle habits or if they have some underlying disease.
Pancreatitis
Pancreatitis is when the pancreas becomes inflamed. Depending on how much time the inflammation has been present, it can be either severe or long-term (acute or chronic pancreatitis). Chronic pancreatitis, if left untreated, can lead to damage to the beta cells and contribute to diabetes.
Pancreatitis, similar to EPI, is a condition that is undiagnosed and underscreened because of how uncommon the symptoms are. But that doesn’t mean that it is not common – one study found out that in America, there are 40-50 cases per 100.000 citizens annually.
To prevent or manage pancreatitis, whether it is sudden or recurring pancreatitis, it’s important to regularly visit your healthcare provider and undergo pancreatic screenings.
Pancreatic Cancer
Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest and most aggressive forms of cancer. This condition begins when the tissue of the pancreas begins to rapidly progress. Because of its asymptomatic nature and tricky location in the body, it is often diagnosed at a stage when it has already metastasized to other parts of the body.
This cancer can occur on any type of tissue in the pancreas, but when it affects the Langerhans islets, it can become an insulinoma. This is a type of cancer that disrupts and secretes insulin, or it can impair the beta cells and lead to a smaller secretion of insulin in the body. That is why sometimes a symptom of pancreatic cancer is diabetes. One study done in San Francisco found that 13% of pancreatic cancer patients had diabetes.
Other symptoms are:
- Abdominal pain
- Back pain
- Weight loss
- Nausea
- Change in stool
Even though the prognosis of pancreatic cancer is poor, when compared to other cancers, treatment is available, such as:
- Surgery
- Hemotherapy
- Radiation
Other Issues
Impaired pancreatic function does not only mean diabetes. Diabetes can also lead to plenty of other health issues and can affect the human body in many ways.
For example, impaired insulin production very often leads to weight gain. Insulin is a hormone that signals the body to store the extra glucose in the blood as fat. This fat is usually stored around the abdomen and is a symptom of diabetes called a diabetic belly.
The body does not react well to the insulin, which leads the pancreas to produce more and more insulin in a compensating manner, which leads to even more weight gain.
Luckily, most diabetic medications can help in weight loss by managing glucose levels. Two types of medication – Semaglutide (Ozempic) and Tirzepatide (Mounjaro) have been used in both managing blood sugar levels and as a weight loss supplement in obese and severely obese individuals.
Common Symptoms Related to Pancreatic Issues
In order to prevent pancreatic conditions from occurring, it is important to be aware of the possible symptoms. Many symptoms of pancreatic conditions are subtle or uncommon, which makes them easy to overlook or misattribute. This includes:
- Weight loss
- Fatigue
- Abdominal pain
- Back pain
- Changes in stool consistency and smell
- Jaundice
To determine if these symptoms are because of pancreatic conditions, it is important to do blood work and a screening, alongside other recommended tests by healthcare professionals.
Tests to Check the Health of the Pancreas
In diagnosing possible pancreatic changes, it is important to test for both the digestive and the hormonal functions of the pancreas. These include laboratory tests, such as:
- Blood work – glucose & insulin levels for hormonal functions
- Hemoglobin A1c test – a parameter for average glucose level over three months
- Fecal elastase test – determining enzyme levels in stool
- C-peptide test – assesses how well the pancreas produces insulin
Imaging tests are also used to detect structural changes in the pancreas, including:
- CT
- MRI
- Endoscopic ultrasound
To Sum Up:
The pancreas plays a crucial role in producing insulin, which is the foundation of its importance. Knowing how necessary this organ is can lead to better and more regular screenings and check-ups to detect possible illnesses and prevent complications.
Managing a healthy pancreas can be achieved with a healthy diet, regular exercise, and managing stress. This way the pancreatic (and insulin) function will be supported, alongside overall health.
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Original Publish Date: 1/10/2021 – Updated 7/6/2025
