Pancreas and Insulin

Pancreas and Insulin

The pancreas is a small gland, located just below and behind the stomach. The islets of Langerhans within the gland contain beta cells, which secrete insulin. The islets make up only about one percent of the pancreas.

The beta cells are amazing! A normal pancreas has about 100,000 islets of Langerhans, and each islet has from 80 to 100 beta cells. These cells can measure the blood glucose every 10 seconds to within a range of 2 milligrams percent. (That's brilliant, faster than any laboratory!) Within a minute to a minute and a half, the beta cells can deliver the exact amount of insulin needed to keep blood glucose levels normal.


When diabetes is not present, it's almost impossible to raise the blood glucose level too high. The insulin supply is almost inexhaustible.


The pancreas has several other functions, including producing certain enzymes needed for digestion. In addition, the pancreas contains alpha cells, which make a substance called glucagon. Glucagon seems to balance out the effects of insulin and helps keep blood glucose levels normal. Delta cells are also found in the pancreas. These cells make yet another substance, called somatostain, which appears to carry messages between insulin and glucagon.


What does insulin do?
Insulin is like the key that control movement of fuel (glucose) and storage of fuel.

The body uses two types of fuel - glucose and fats. Carbohydrate is the most readily available source for glucose and can easily be converted into fuel for immediate use. Some glucose will be stored in the liver and muscles as glycogen to be used later and during exercise. Carbohydrates not needed for immediate energy or replacement for glycogen will be converted to fat. Insulin is required for each of these processes to take place.


Protein, which is made up of amino acids, can be another source for glucose. If the body doesn't receive enough carbohydrate to use as a fuel source, the liver, with insulin present, can change some of the amino acids into glucose. Insulin also allows amino acids to be used for building and repairing muscle and body tissues (in other words for healing our injuries).


Fat fuel in the form of triglycerides is absorbed from the intestine. Insulin allows triglycerides to go directly into fat cells where it is stored and used for future energy needs.


Insulin, therefore, is important not only for the body's use of glucose, sugar and carbohydrates, but in the use of protein and fat as well.