As noted by candidate of medical sciences, gastroenterologist and hepatologist Sergei Vyalov on his Telegram channel, the production of many important enzymes is associated with the work of the pancreas. These are several types of lipases and proteases – they help digest various fats and proteins.
Additionally, the pancreas secretes hormones. The most important one is insulin. Without it, the body does not absorb sugar.
“When the pancreas becomes inflamed, the production of all enzymes is affected,” said Sergei Vyalov, adding that the first thing affected is the digestion of fats.
In this case, the proteins are digested normally (but if the disease is not in an advanced stage). The situation is special with carbohydrates: they are always digested normally.
“Even if the pancreas does not function at all, starch continues to be broken down into glucose,” explained Sergei Vyalov.
If the inflammation of the pancreas is severe, insulin production may also be affected, as the cells that produce the hormone are destroyed. “Then diabetes develops,” the specialist emphasized.
Inflammation of the pancreas can also have more serious consequences. The two most typical diseases of the pancreas are diabetes and pancreatitis, which subsequently cause pancreatic cancer, warned oncologist and surgeon Ivan Karasev.
At the same time, pancreatic cancer is today considered one of the most aggressive types of malignant tumors.
Doctors point out that pain in the back and lower back should not be ignored; This is how a diseased pancreas often reveals itself.
An important indicator is the change in skin color. As a rule, such a sign (jaundice or, conversely, excessive pallor of the skin and sclera) indicates the appearance of a serious problem in the body. “Yellowness may be a symptom of a tumor in the head of the pancreas,” warned Ivan Karasev.
