Pancreas and Type II Diabetes

Before discussing the subject of what causes type II diabetes, you might want to know how does the pancreas help to maintain sugar in the blood stream.

The pancreas is located deep in the abdomen behind the stomach. It contains thin tubes joining to form a single opening into the intestine that is located just beyond the stomach. The pancreas produces juices, enzymes and insulin.

1. The enzymes digest fat, protein, and carbohydrates.

2. Pancreatic juices combined with juices from the intestines help to do the job of breaking down protein, carbohydrates and fat therefore it plays an important role in maintaining good health.

3. The pancreas also produces insulin, which is important in regulating the amount of sugar or glucose in the blood.

There are 3 different kinds of type II diabetes:

1. If some of the cells in the pancreas die off the pancreas can't produce enough insulin to regulate sugar in the blood stream, then we have type II diabetes that are caused by deficiency of insulin. Today experts still don't know the causes of how pancreas cells die off, but they suspect that excessive alcohol drinking may be the factor. According to surveys, 70% of patients with type II insulin deficiency diabetes were heavy alcohol users.

2. If the pancreas produces enough insulin, but the receptor sites are clogged up by fat and cholesterol causing insulin not being pick up at the cell from receptor sites, we have type II insulin sufficient diabetes. Most cases of type II insulin sufficient diabetes are caused by uncontrolled diet that are high in saturated fat, smoking and excessive alcohol drinking.

3. If the pancreas also produces enough insulin, but allergic responses to certain foods cause resistance of cells to allow insulin to enter blood stream. In other words, if the cells of the muscle and liver resist to take up glucose from the blood causing high concentration of glucose in the blood stream, we have a case of type II insulin resistance diabetes. The foods creating this problem vary from person to person. Most people with type II insulin resistance diabetes seem to be precipitated by overweight, smoking and excessive alcohol drinking. Type II insulin resistant diabetics should have allergy shots in order to find the exact foods causing insulin resistance reactions. I hope these information will help.