The Pancreas: Our Misunderstood but Very Critical Organ

 

“Each action taken has an equal reaction. Drugs will not cure the body, the body will cure the body when brought into a state of balance.”

 

The pancreas is a dual functioning gland—part of our digestive and our endocrine system—with two very important functions.

This organ can change very quickly from working effectively, when in good health, to spiraling out of control. The diagnosis of having pancreatic cancer comes to many as a surprise, with thoughts spiraling from ‘How did that happen?’ to ‘I thought I did everything right: I exercise, I am not overweight, I eat well. To be told I have pancreatic cancer seems so unfair, how can that be?’

Pancreatic cancer on the rise

Pancreatic cancer continues to be one of the most difficult cancers to detect in its early stages, with nearly half of patients already facing metastatic disease at the time of diagnosis.[1] Emerging research now suggests that this deadly cancer has been increasing in prevalence, especially among younger individuals who may be unaware of their risk. It is not unheard of to be diagnosed with stage four pancreatic cancer; what a shock that is when you felt that you were healthy.

“Pancreatic cancer is currently one of the most lethal diseases. In recent years, increasing evidence has shown that reprogrammed metabolism may play a critical role in the carcinogenesis, progression, treatment and prognosis of pancreatic cancer. Affected by internal or external factors, pancreatic cancer cells adopt extensively distinct metabolic processes to meet their demand for growth. Rewired glucose, amino acids and lipid metabolism in addition to the metabolic crosstalk within the tumor microenvironment contribute to unlimited pancreatic tumor progression. Combined with the metabolic reprogramming involved in pancreatic cancer resistance, closely related to chemotherapy, radiotherapy and immunotherapy, and poor prognosis results. Reflective of the key role of metabolism, the number of preclinical and clinical trials about metabolism-targeted therapies for pancreatic cancer is increasing.”[2]

The pancreas and diabetes – why the pharmaceutical approach does not work

The pancreas is responsible for multiple functions and interrelates with many essential bodily functions such as endocrine hormone production, the pituitary and the adrenal gland. It is also influenced by the hypothalamus, pineal gland, thyroid gland, parathyroid and thymus gland. The pancreas plays a crucial role in digestion and blood sugar regulation by producing digestive enzymes and hormones like insulin and glucagon. Insulin lowers blood glucose by allowing cells to absorb glucose for energy, whereas glucagon signals the liver to break down glycogen into glucose when blood sugar is too low.

Pancreatitis, or inflammation of the pancreas, can increase the risk of diabetes, while individuals with diabetes are also more susceptible to pancreatitis. “Studies investigating the prevalence of pancreatic cancer have revealed a heightened risk of 1.5 to 2.0 times among individuals with long-standing type 2 diabetes mellitus.”[3] Common causes of pancreatitis include gallstones, high triglycerides, obesity, smoking, and excessive alcohol consumption.

This is why the pharmaceutical approach is ineffective and actually impacts and worsens the condition. Each drug has several side effects and causes drug interactions. As pancreatitis causes swelling and pain, that requires two specific drugs. It can be associated with diabetes and results in increased pancreatic swelling. The medical answer can lead to surgery because obviously, if you cannot treat the symptoms of the condition, let’s just remove the pancreas. And so they do. Chemotherapy does not work, actually, it may help spread the cancer because it kills the body’s immunity.

The pancreas and aging

Aging also lowers the efficiency of the pancreas, but it can be preserved and supported so it does not breakdown through aging. “The elderly are at risk for malnutrition, thought to be caused by reduced food intake or involution of the physiological capacity of the GI tract.”[4] The pancreas undergoes morphological and functional changes with age, impacting its ability to process essential nutrients. It grows during childhood, stabilizes between ages 20 and 60, and then declines, leading to fibrosis, atrophy, and reduced blood flow. This deterioration impairs pancreatic exocrine function, even in healthy older adults. Pancreatic exocrine insufficiency (PEI) affects 5% of those over 70 and 10% over 80, potentially causing maldigestion, malnutrition, and deficiencies in fat-soluble vitamins, which can contribute to decreased bone mineral density. Symptoms may be mild but include steatorrhea, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and weight loss.

Whether this decline requires treatment remains uncertain, but supplementing pancreatic enzymes and vitamins could support healthy aging. “The goal of supplemental enzyme therapy in EPI [exocrine pancreatic insufficiency] is to minimize nutrient malabsorption, especially of lipids, and to do this it is important to achieve an adequate concentration of active pancreatic enzymes in the duodenum at the same time that food is delivered. Attempting to replicate this physiologic process requires resistance to gastric inactivation and delivery of active enzyme at the site where digestion is required, the duodenum.”[5]

 

Natural solutions

Each action taken has an equal reaction. Drugs will not cure the body, the body will cure the body when brought into a state of balance. This can be achieved through diet, adequate pure liquids—2 liters of water per day— and by supporting digestion with Full Spectrum Digestive Enzyme with ox bile. For managing and help in controlling blood sugar levels L-Glycine has been shown to be a new discovery for restoring the efficiencies from pancreatitis, but is not recommended if the condition is cancerous. Thymus Gland is very important to help strengthen T-cell production, especially when combined with Melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone (must be USP grade), which is toxic to cancer cells because it induces apoptosis (cell death): it directly kills cancer cells at higher dosages. Melatonin can strengthen the immune system by increasing the cancer-killing activity of macrophages, monocytes, natural killer cells, T-helper cells and eosinophils, all of which are involved in cancer cell destruction. That is why it works hand in hand with thymus. And finally, high dosage of Pure Vitamin C — interventions, not derived from GMO sources—and fortified Boron with Curcumin.

 

References:

 

 

[1] Rashad, Noha et al. 2024.

[2] Qin, Cheng et al. 2020.

[3] Amri, Fakhrddine et al. 2023.

[4] Löhr, J-M. et al. 2018.

[5] Fieker, Aaron et al. 2011.