5 enemies of the health of the pancreas.. and German tips to confront it

Prepared by: Mustafa Al-Zoebi

The pancreas is a vital organ in the body that plays an important role in digesting food and regulating blood sugar levels. It secretes digestive enzymes that help digest food, in addition to secreting insulin that controls blood sugar levels. However, there are several factors that may harm the health of the pancreas and affect its function. There are 5 enemies of the pancreas that the German Society for Digestive and Metabolic Diseases announced that we must avoid to maintain the health of this vital organ.

1- Smoking:

Increases the likelihood of developing acute and chronic pancreatitis. This inflammation can damage pancreatic tissue and affect the digestive and hormonal functions of the pancreas.

• Increased risk of pancreatic cancer: Studies have shown that smokers have a greater risk of developing pancreatic cancer compared to non-smokers. Harmful chemicals in cigarettes contribute to cell damage and increase the risk of developing tumors in the pancreas.

• Effect on insulin secretion: Smoking can affect the pancreas's ability to secrete insulin properly, which may increase the risk of type 2 diabetes.

• Narrowing of blood vessels: Smoking causes narrowing of blood vessels and reduces blood flow to the pancreas, which hinders the arrival of nutrients and oxygen to its cells, which weakens its ability to perform its functions properly.

2- Alcohol:

Alcohol is one of the main causes of acute and chronic pancreatitis. Large amounts of alcohol can irritate the pancreas and destroy its cells. This can lead to acute inflammation, which causes severe abdominal pain, and may cause the pancreas to deteriorate permanently.

Alcohol can damage the cells that secrete digestive enzymes and insulin in the pancreas. This increases the risk of the pancreas not being able to perform its function properly, such as reducing insulin secretion, which may increase the risk of diabetes.

There is a link between chronic alcohol consumption and an increased risk of pancreatic cancer, and the toxic substances in alcohol can damage cells and cause mutations that lead to the development of tumors in the pancreas.

In addition to the fact that alcohol stimulates the pancreas to secrete more digestive enzymes, if these enzymes are not properly emptied into the intestines due to a blockage or malfunction in the pancreatic ducts, they may begin to break down the pancreatic cells themselves, leading to inflammation and damage to the pancreas.

3- Fatty foods:

Fat poses a risk to the pancreas, as it not only weakens the formation of digestive enzymes, but also increases the risk of pancreatitis.

4- Sugar:

Excessive sugar intake places a huge burden on the pancreas in the long term, which increases the risk of pancreatitis.

5- Lack of exercise:

Lack of exercise weakens the metabolism, and is also a major risk factor for the pancreas; as it increases the chances of obesity, which in turn is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes.

If the pancreas produces too few digestive enzymes, the digestion process is impaired, and then important nutrients cannot be absorbed through the intestines, leading to a deficiency in nutrients.

Gastrointestinal disturbances such as diarrhea, bloating, and upper abdominal pain may also occur, as well as nausea, vomiting, fever, and circulatory problems.