The pancreas is both an endocrine and exocrine gland. The exocrine portion of the gland produces many enzymes which enter the duodenum via the pancreatic duct. The endocrine part of the gland produces insulin and is a blood sugar regulator. General symptoms that may indicate pancreatic malfunction include headaches, cold extremities, increased sweating, pain on the whole left side of the body, sluggishness.

Symptoms of low blood sugar can include: feeling faint, tired, restless, weak, irritable, shaky, depressed, light headed. The person will often awaken in the middle of the night and have trouble falling back asleep. A person with low blood sugar tends to have a poor memory, craves sweets, may have a rapid heartbeat, or be prone to asthma or allergies, and have poor concentration and a hard time learning. These type people usually feel better after eating. Emotional rages are common.

Symptoms of high blood sugar include weakness, nausea, headaches, shortness of breath, increased thirst, acidosis, ketosis, increased urination and dehydration, diarrhea, mood swings. In cases of diabetes there is glucose in the urine, an increased likelihood of eye diseases (in diabetes the retina which is totally dependent on glucose for energy doesn’t get the amount it needs) including blindness, heart disease (due to increased amounts of fat in the blood), and gangrene (which often leads to amputation). Insulin dependent diabetics have life spans decreased by as much as thirty years. In diabetes you have decreased utilization of glucose by the cells which accounts for many of these symptoms.

The following Standard Process® supplements are available to support the pancreas.