PRESENTLY AVAILABLE IN THIS ARCHIVE:
NUTRITION 101: LESSON TWENTY-THREE
HORMONES AND YOUR HEALTH
NUTRITION 101: LESSON TWENTY-THREE
NEWSLETTER: MARCH 2009
HORMONES AND YOUR HEALTH
THE PANCREAS GLAND:
The pancreas is a spongy pink organ about 6 inches long that is positioned along the back of the abdomen, butting up against the kidneys and behind the stomach. It is tucked in the area where the stomach meets the small intestine and is connected to the duodenum which is the upper part of the small intestine.
The pancreas gland is part of both the endocrine and the exocrine system. Endocrine are those glands that secrete chemicals, called hormones, directly into the blood stream and exocrine are those glands that secret fluids and enzymes through a duct (tube) into another body organ or to the outside of the body such as the saliva glands.
THE ENDOCRINE PANCREAS:
The part of the pancreas that secretes hormones directly into the blood stream is called the islets of Langerhans. The beta cells of the islets of Langerhans secrete the hormone insulin which is released into the blood stream to move the sugar glucose from the blood into the cells of the body. In addition to producing insulin, the islets of Langerhans have alpha cells that produce the hormone glucagon which signals the liver to release stored carbohydrate called glycogen which is converted to glucose when the blood sugar get too low. If the liver does not have enough glycogen, the hormone glucagon can stimulate amino acids to convert to glucose.
INSULIN:
In addition to helping to remove blood sugar (glucose) from the blood into the cells of tissues, this hormone also stimulates the conversion of glucose into triglycerides within the liver for storage as adipose (fat) tissue. When the quantity of glucose is more than can be stored in the liver as glycogen, insulin promotes conversion of excess glucose into fatty acids, which are transported to adipose tissue as very low density lipo proteins (VLDL). Insulin stimulates the synthesis of proteins in the body and therefore has anabolic properties in so much as it facilitates muscle growth: When there is insulin deficiency, protein break down increases by up to 30%.
To much insulin is virtually toxic and is a risk factor for a host of health problems. Two much insulin circulating in the blood can lead to over weight, high blood pressure, high levels of triglycerides, low HDL (good) cholesterol levels, heart disease and come cancers. Many people living on the typical American diet have high insulin levels due to the bodies need to deal with the high amount of refined simple carbohydrates consumed. Limiting carbohydrate intake to unrefined, complex carbs will lower insulin requirements and reduce the risks factors associated with high insulin.
MEASURING INSULIN LEVELS:
When the pancreas makes insulin, it first makes a substance called porinsulin which is split into equal parts of insulin and C-peptide. When your doctor does a test to determine insulin levels, the test usually measures C-peptide levels which give a more accurate reading as to insulin levels. Elevated levels of C-peptide indicate elevated levels of insulin whereas low C-peptide levels indicate low insulin. High C-peptide levels can be an indicator of present or potential health problems associated with to much insulin circulating in the body.
THE EXOCRINE PANCREAS:
The exocrine part of the pancreas makes up 99 percent of this organ. The cells that constitute this part of the pancreas secrete what are commonly referred to as pancreatic juices which are rich in digestive enzymes and also contains sodium bicarbonate. The sodium bicarbonate creates the proper pH for the enzymes to work in the small intestine. Since the pancreas has no mucus membranes lining it interior, it secretes its enzymes in an inactive state so that the pancreas doesn’t digest itself. These enzymes are converted to their active state once in the small intestine. The pancreas secretes approximately 1.2 to 1.5 quarts of pancreatic juices per day. This secretion is regulated by nerve impulses and hormone secretions in response to the presence of food in the digestive tract.
Pancreatic juices pass into the pancreatic duct which is joined by the bile duct just before it enters the upper part of the small intestine called the duodenum. There is also a accessory duct located about an inch above this juncture which empties digestive juices directly into the duodenum. The gall bladder holds bile secreted by the liver and by this organ extracting water from the bile, it makes it much more potent. Bile helps digest fats from the diet in conjunction with the digestive enzymes from the pancreas called lipases. Enzymes from the pancreas called proteases digest protein and enzymes called amylases digest carbohydrate.
HEALTH PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH THE PANCREAS:
Diabetes:
Diabetes Mellitus is an ailment that occurs when the pancreas is unable to secrete enough insulin to maintain a normal blood sugar (glucose) level or insulin is not being properly received by the cells. A person is regarded as having diabetes mellitus if their blood sugar concentration is greater than 140 mg per deciliter of blood after an overnight fast. Some health professional feel that any reading over 100 after a fast is indicative of diabetes. There are two types of diabetes.
Diabetes mellitus Type 1 is a form that is classified as an autoimmune disease where the immune system has attacked and destroyed the beta cells of the inlets of Langerhans. This generally occurs during childhood and is sometimes referred to as Juvenile on-set diabetes. This disease requires the injection of insulin to maintain proper blood sugar levels. Diabetes mellitus Type 2, also known as adult on-set diabetes, is a form where the pancreas is often producing enough insulin but the insulin receptor cells located throughout the body are resisting this insulin resulting in a lack of glucose removal from the blood into the cells. This condition causes the pancreas to over produce insulin. After a while the pancreas begins to wear out and insulin production decreases resulting in the need for an outside source of insulin. Insufficient insulin can lead to rapid muscle wasting leading to rapid weight loss as the body will use protein as an energy source in the absence of sufficient carbohydrate and fat metabolism.
Insulin resistance is often caused by the cells being exposed to excess insulin over a period of years which causes the cells to become insensitive to insulin's capacity to do its job. This insensitivity often results from excessive consumption of carbohydrates (especially refined carbohydrates) resulting in the manufacture of excessive glucose which the body has to metabolize through the action of insulin.
While type 1 diabetes must be treated with an outside source of insulin, type 2 diabetes, provided it has not progressed two far, can often be treated by changes in diet, a good exercise program and proper nutritional supplementation. Since diabetes increases the risk for heart disease, vision problems, cancer, fatigue, nerve damage and a host of other problems, it is vital that diabetes be identified at an early stage and treated accordingly. Please read our essay entitled “How to Treat Diabetes From A Nutritional Perspective” found at www.milkandhoneyhealthfoods.com/archives2.html.
Pancreatitis:
Pancreatitis is an ailment that is characterized by inflammation of the pancreas. It occurs as a result of enzymes produced by the pancreas digesting the pancreas. Excessive consumption of alcohol (ethanol) may cause pancreatitis. Alcohol causes the intracellular accumulation of digestive enzymes and their premature activation and release. Alcohol increases the permeability of the duct of the pancreas thus allowing enzyme damage to this area. Alcohol increases the protein content of the pancreatic juices and decreases bicarbonate levels. This leads to the formation of “protein plugs” that block outflow from the pancreas, leading to obstruction. Approximately 80% of cases of pancreatitis are caused by excessive consumption of alcohol.
Pancreatitis can also be caused by gallstones that lodge at the juncture where the bile duct from the gall bladder intersects with the duct from the pancreas causing a blockage and backup of digestive juices. Severe Pain in the upper abdomen and back is a symptom of pancreatitis.
DIGESTIVE PROBLEMS AND THE PANCREAS:
Often digestive problems can be traced to insufficient production of digestive enzymes from the pancreas. Flatulence, bloating, indigestion, heartburn and intestinal discomfort in general are often signs of incomplete digestion of proteins, carbohydrates and fats. Taking a good quality digestive enzyme supplement with meals can improve digestion and relieve symptoms associated with digestive problems. See archives 5 and 6 on this website for articles dealing with treating digestive problems from a nutritional perspective.
NUTRITIONAL SUPPORT FOR PANCREATIC SECRETIONS:
NUTRITION 101: LESSON TWENTY-FOUR
NEWSLETTER: APRIL 2009
HORMONES AND YOUR HEALTH
In our last installment in this series, we discussed the pancreas gland and its function. This month we will discuss the role of the ovaries and the hormones they produce.
OVARIES:
The ovaries are two ductless female reproductive glands that are located to the right and left of the uterus and connected by fallopian tubes. Each ovary is about the size of an almond. The ovaries produce the female reproductive cells called ova. About 500,000 immature eggs are present in the cortex of each ovary at birth. Beginning with puberty, these eggs mature and one passes through the ovarian wall about every 28 days in a process called ovulation. This process continues until menopause. After its release from the ovary, the ovum passes into the oviduct (uterine or fallopian tube) and into the uterus. If the ovum is fertilized by sperm (male reproductive cells), pregnancy takes place.
OVARIAN HORMONES:
Androstenedione and testosterone:
Androstenedione is manufactured by the ovaries in very small quantities. This hormone is a precursor to testosterone which is also produced in small amounts in the ovaries and which contributes to a woman's sex drive. After menopause, the ovaries no longer produce testosterone but it continues to be produced by the adrenal glands.
Estrogen:
The body makes three estrogens: estradiol, estrone and estriol. The major estrogen secreted by the ovaries is estradiol which is also the most powerful of the three. This estrogen is converted to estrone in the blood. Estriol is the principal estrogen formed by the placenta during pregnancy. These three compounds account for most of the estrogenic activity in humans. These estrogens cause the thickening of the lining of the uterus and vagina in the early phase of the menstrual cycle. These estrogens are also responsible for female secondary sex characteristics such as, pubic hair and breasts, and they affect other tissues including the genital organs, skin, hair, blood vessels, bone, and pelvic muscles.
After menopause, the ovaries stop making estrogen, but estrogen continues to be produced by fat cells and the adrenal glands. When estrogen reaches the breasts, it attaches to estrogen receptors on breast cells. Such receptors are found throughout the body, but are at higher concentrations in the breasts and uterus. When estrogen binds to a cell receptor, it causes that cell to divide. The type of estrogen that binds to breast cells will determine the rate at which these cells divide. Estradiol will cause much greater cell division than estriol. Greater cell division creates greater opportunity for cell mutation to occur due to DNA damage.
By causing cells to divide, estrogen prepares the body for possible pregnancy. Once this is accomplished, estrogen leaves receptors and travels to the liver where it is processed out the body as a waste product or metabolized into two different pathways. The 2-hydroxy pathway results in good estrogen metabolites (metabolic bi-products) which are returned to the blood stream and play a role in building strong bones, preventing heart disease and removing cancerous cells in the body. The 16-hydroxy pathway produces bad metabolites that lead to osteoporosis, breast, ovarian and uterine cancer and a variety of other health problems.
Estrogen And Health Problems:
As mentioned above, the term estrogen actually refers to three different hormones: Estrone, Estradiol and Estriol. All three undergo various conversions in the liver. Estrone can convert into two forms. One form becomes a very biologically active form which is associated with cancer development. Its other form can actually inhibit the growth of malignant tumors. A plant nutrient called diindolylmenthane (DIM), derived from cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower, has been found to increase the form of Estrone that helps to prevent cancerous growth. Research has shown that women that have a higher level of this protective type of Estrone have reduced breast cancer risk. Eating more cruciferous vegetables will increase DIM levels in the body and contribute to greater protection from cancer. For those wishing not to eat a lot of cruciferous vegetables, there is a product from Enzymatic Therapy Company called EstroBalance which will provide the body with an amply supply of DIM. Another product from Enzymatic called PMS Symptom Free also contains DIM.
The three estrogens; Estriol, Estrone, and Estradiol occur at the approximate level of 90, 3 and 7 percent in the female body. The pharmaceutical Premarin (horse {equine} estrogens), which are derived from the urine of pregnant mares, consists of 75-80% Estrone, 6-15% Equilin and 5-19% Estradiol plus two additional equine estrogens. Because of such a significant difference in the makeup of human estrogens and horse estrogens, many unwanted side effects have occurred using standard hormone replacement therapy.
Because the loss of normal estrogen activity in a women’s body can lead to bone loss, heart disease, hot flashes and a variety of other health problems and since standard hormone replacement pharmaceuticals are problematic, the Solaray Company is marketing a product called Estro-3. This product provides naturally occurring Estriol, Estrone and Estradiol identical in molecular structure to those same hormones produced in the human body. Estro-3 is a proprietary blend of licorice root extract, pomegranate seed and hops that provides 1mg of Phytoestriol, 40mcg of Phytoestrone, and 20mcg of Phytoestradiol. Phyto means plant derived. These plant derived hormones are totally compatible with human physiology and won’t produce the negative side effects experienced with a product like Premarin.
Progesterone:
Progesterone is a hormone produced by the ovaries that induces changes in the lining of the uterus essential for successful implantation of a fertilized egg. Progesterone is secreted chiefly by the corpus luteum, a group of cells formed in the ovary after the follicle ruptures during the release of the egg cell. If fertilization does not take place, the secretion of progesterone decreases and menstruation occurs. If fertilization does occur, progesterone is secreted during pregnancy by the placenta and acts to prevent spontaneous abortion. This hormone also prepares the mammary glands for milk production. Progesterone is also synthesized from cholesterol in the cortex of the adrenal glands where it acts as a precursor for the synthesis of other steroid hormones including testosterone.
Progesterone is important to the manufacture of new bone in the body. After menopause, the ovaries no longer produce progesterone. Natural progesterone can be added to your hormone replacement program by using extracts from Wild Mexican Yam. There are a number of topical creams available and when used on a regular basis will provide the body with natural progesterone which is absorbed through the skin and picked up by receptor sites in the body. There are several companies marketing these creams. One very effective progesterone cream is Renewed Balance from AIM International.
Nutritional Support For The Ovaries:
The carotenoids beta-carotene and zeaxanthin concentrate in the ovaries. Carotenoids are powerful antioxidants. Vitamin C is found in abundance in the ovaries. The ovaries require calcium for the production of estrogen's. As is true with all organ system of the body, a diet high in nutrient dense unrefined foods will go along way in maintaining the health of such systems.