The Pancreas
ORGAN OF THE MONTH
Howard F. Loomis
Jr., DC
Introduction
This series of articles attempts to call to your attention an opportunity for our profession to offer more to the American people than just relief from structural problems. This article concerns the functions of the pancreas, but you will find physiological connections to stress, anxiety, and SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) that may surprise you.
Organ of the Month - Physiological Functions
Basically, the pancreas has two functions:
First is to provide digestive enzymes to break down food into macronutrients the cells will use to produce energy to accomplish their many functions. A deficiency of amylase, protease, and lipase results in digestive symptoms and disturbed bowel function.
The other function is to provide insulin to allow glucose to enter the cells for energy production, as well as to produce glucagon when adequate glucose is not available so an alternative source of energy must be found.
How Glucagon Works
Glucagon has the opposite effect of insulin. When the blood glucose level falls (stress response and energy deficiency), the pancreas reduces secretion of insulin and increases the output of glucagon.
The role of glucagon is to break down glycogen in the liver. Then the liver releases glucose into the blood. This restores the blood glucose level to normal, which in turn signals the pancreas to switch off glucagon release.
One of the most important hormones for regulating both of these processes, especially insulin release, is serotonin. Serotonin has an unusual role in this process. Normally, it would act as a simple on/off trigger like most hormones. Instead, serotonin appears to regulate insulin secretion, which is a critical factor for many of your patients. Did you know that cell biologists monitor insulin release by measuring serotonin release?
Serotonin
Best known as the “feel-good hormone” (a calming chemical), serotonin is found in the gut, blood, brain, and heart, but over 95% of the body’s serotonin is found in the gut. Enterochromaffin cells are found throughout the mucosal lining of the gut, and they are rich in serotonin.
In fact, these cells play a role in moving food through the gut. For example, when the gut is disturbed by infection or toxins, they release a surge of serotonin to expel the contents of the gut, resulting in diarrhea. This surge of serotonin also overflows into the blood where it overwhelms the ability of platelets to mop it up and causes platelet aggregation.
A Western Science and Traditional Chinese Medicine Connection
The serotonin in our brain is integral to what we call obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). This condition is considered a brain disorder in Western medicine, but the Chinese have always considered it to be a problem of digestion.
I mentioned that serotonin is secreted from the enterochromaffin cells found in the mucosal lining of the intestinal tract. It is even released during digestion in the stomach because it is involved with the release of gastrin and histamine necessary to produce stomach acid.
Embryology - Development
The pancreas develops from an anterior bud and a posterior bud that later fuse to form the definitive pancreas. Both pancreatic buds are formed from mesoderm, which usually gives rise to muscles, blood, fascia, and connective tissue.
The pancreatic duct forms from the anterior bud and the distal part of the dorsal bud. This provides for passage of enzymes into the duodenum.
The islet cells (alpha and beta) secrete insulin and glucagon through ducts directly into the blood and formed from endodermal cells.
Structural Relationships - Muscles of the Upper Abdomen
The rectus abdominis, internal oblique muscle, and external oblique muscle run diagonally down and in from the lower ribs to the pelvis. They allow you to flex, bend sideways, and rotate your torso. Involuntary muscle contraction in these muscles can be palpated under the anterior costal arches and is often found when there is dysfunction of the biliary system or pancreas.
Obviously, when these muscle groups are involuntarily contracted, the other muscles, as well as the linea alba, are impacted, affecting both posture and spinal range of motion, especially between T7 to Til. Very often, this causes compensatory involuntary muscle contractions in the midthoracic spine, resulting in loss of the normal thoracic kyphosis, which is often referred to as Pottenger’s saucer.
CHART OF AUTONOMIC EFFECTS
CHART OF AUTONOMIC EFFECTS
Symptoms of Sympathetic Stimulation inhibits pancreatic enzyme secretions
Function Pancreas
Symptoms of Sympathetic Exhaustion Inadequate pancreatic enzyme secretions
Sympathetic Stimulation - A decline in stomach acid secretion is almost universal, with one-third of all people over 60 failing to secrete any at all.
Sympathetic Exhaustion -This decline has adverse effects on the absorption of calcium, vitamin B12, iron, and on the utilization of protein.
Don’t Forget the Serotonin Effect
Anxiety symptoms affect 18.1% of adults in the United States (more than 40 million adults). Consumershealth. com - downloaded May 29, 2019 Related symptoms include:
• Digestive or gastrointestinal problems
• Nervousness, restlessness, or being tense
• Feelings of dread, danger, or panic attacks
• Shortness of breath, rapid breathing, or hyperventilation
• Numbness or tingling sensations (paresthesia)
Conclusion
Next month, we look at the visceral and structural connections of the biliary system.
Howard F. Loomis, Jr.( DC, has an extensive background in enzymes and enzyme supplements. He is the founder and president of the Food Enzyme Institute™. His extensive knowledge of physiology, biochemistry, and enzymology has made him a sought-after speaker and a prolific writer. Dr. Loomis published ENZYMES: The Key to Health in 1999, as well as The Enzyme Advantage: For Healthcare Providers and People Who Care About Their Health, in 2015.
[email protected] 800-662-2630.
