The pancreas is a gland located just behind your stomach, and in front of the kidneys. The pancreas helps maintain blood sugar (glucose) levels in the blood. It does this by secreting a hormone called insulin into the bloodstream. Insulin helps glucose in the blood move into the body's cells where it is used for energy. The pancreas also secretes glucagon when blood sugar is low. Glucagon is a hormone that sends a message to the liver to release more glucose into the blood. (When the hormone insulin is not produced in sufficient quantities, or doesn't function as it should, the blood can't get rid of all of its glucose. This condition is called diabetes). |
