The hormones produced by the human pancreas have an important impact on the quality of life and metabolic processes in the body. Insulin is on everyone's lips, but few people know that its action is largely due to the work of another hormone - glucagon. To understand its importance, you need to consider all sides of the issue.
The pancreas and its hormones
The human body is a complex mechanism that must work smoothly, without failure, so that we can feel good. The pancreas is one of the most important organs involved in the basic metabolic processes. It is thanks to the work of this gland that food is processed into those compounds that are absorbed by the cells of the body. This happens with the help of hormones that are synthesized in the pancreas.
Main pancreatic hormones:
- Insulin, which is responsible for blood sugar levels.
- The hormone glucagon, which has the opposite effect of insulin.
- Somatostatin performs the function of suppressing a number of hormonally activesubstances.
- Pancreatic polypeptide that controls the digestive system.
The action of the hormone glucagon is closely related to the action of insulin. Specialists rarely consider them separately, although when talking about blood sugar levels, we often operate with insulin.
Structure of glucagon
In medical practice, this hormone is also called the “hunger hormone”. Having determined where the hormone glucagon is produced, scientists moved on to studying its structure. As it turned out, despite its importance for the human body, glucagon is quite simple in its structure: it consists of only 29 amino acids.
It has been proven that the structure of the hormone glucagon is the same for humans, cows, pigs and rats. Modern pharmacology uses the pancreas of pigs or bulls to secrete the necessary substance, which is added to medicines.
The hormone glucagon and its functions
Despite its low popularity, this hormone takes over the implementation of important processes for human life. Once in the blood, the hunger hormone moves towards the liver, where it interacts with the receptors of its cells and promotes the production of glucose, which also enters the blood. Glucagon allows you to maintain it at the required stable level.
Other functions of the hormone glucagon:
- Stimulates and enhances renal blood flow.
- Takes an active part in the regenerative processes of liver cells.
- The hormone glucagon accelerates the breakdown of lipids and controls the level of cholesterol in human blood.
- Promotes the rapid removal of sodium from the body, which improves heart function.
- Removes insulin from body cells.
This hormone works closely with adrenaline in moments of danger. With an increase in the level of adrenaline in the blood, the level of glucagon rises sharply, which contributes to a better supply of oxygen to the muscles.
It has also been proven that at the time of the digestive processes, the level of glucagon drops sharply, while the level of insulin, on the contrary, increases. As soon as the processes in the body are completed, the hormonal level changes in the opposite direction.
Normal glucagon levels
A number of factors affect the stable production of the hormone glucagon in the human body:
- Fall in blood glucose levels.
- Increasing the level of amino acids in the blood.
- Active exercise.
All of the above actions contribute to a sharp jump in glucagon in the blood. At the same time, experts tend to share the norm of the hormone content for children and adults.
Normal level:
- Children from 4 to 14 years old. The norm is in the range from 0 to 148 pg/ml.
- Adults (over 14). The norm is determined by the boundaries from 20 to 100 pg / ml.
A sharp deviation from the normative indicators indicates the development of pathologies of a very different nature in the body.
The level of the hormone in the blooda person is determined by taking blood from the cubital vein. Only on the basis of a blood test can one determine at what level the hunger hormone is.
Elevated hormone levels
Change in hormonal levels in the human body most often indicates any processes that can have a detrimental effect on he alth. Some of them flow, at first glance, imperceptibly.
So, an increase in the hormone glucagon is a symptom of the following diseases:
- Type 1 diabetes.
- Acute pancreatitis.
- Cirrhosis of the liver.
- Chronic kidney failure.
- Hypoglycemia.
- Severe stress for the body associated with traumatic effects (surgeries, burns, etc.).
This is just a number of factors that will affect the deviation of the hunger hormone from the normal level. A decrease in the same indicator can also indicate pathologies: cystic fibrosis, chronic pancreatitis.
Glucagon preparations
Modern medicine is able to supply a person with drugs that will help the body's natural processes to properly regulate hormonal levels. Having found out where the hormone glucagon is produced, what functions it performs, what it affects and what it is needed for, scientists have successfully resolved the issue of creating appropriate drugs.
First of all, preparations containing glucagon are used to relieve spasms, improve the functioning of the cardiovascular system, as well as to treatdiabetes mellitus. The composition of the drug includes a hormone that is secreted from the pancreas of cows and pigs (as indicated above, the structure of the hormone in these animals is identical to the human).
Indications for use
The use of drugs that affect the hormonal background is possible only on the advice of a doctor. Otherwise, it is fraught with the development of undesirable pathological consequences.
According to studies, drugs containing animal glucagon are prescribed in the following cases:
- For the effect of relaxing the muscles of the stomach and intestines.
- Performing shock therapy on patients suffering from mental disorders.
- Diabetes mellitus, in some cases type 2 diabetes.
- Elimination of spasms in intestinal diverticulosis.
- Auxiliary tool for laboratory diagnostics of the body.
These medicines are supposed to correct a person's blood glucose level, in some cases additional insulin is not required.
Contraindications for use
Such a hormonal drug is available in the form of a solution for injection, which can be administered both intravenously, intramuscularly, and subcutaneously. For emergency use, only the first two types of drug administration are suitable.
The appropriate dosage is determined by the attending physician, based on the diagnosis of the patient, his individual characteristics of the organism. For treatment andpreparation for the examination, various doses of the drug are used. Doctors note that in emergency cases, improvement occurs within ten minutes.
Restrictions apply:
- Pregnancy. It has been proven that the drug does not cross the placental barrier, which means it is safe for the fetus. However, doctors recommend the use of drugs only in extreme cases.
- Not recommended for children weighing less than 25 kilograms.
- Individual intolerance to the auxiliary components of the drug.
In all other cases, all recommendations depend solely on the decision of the doctor. After glucagon therapy, the patient needs a recovery period: protein foods, sweet tea and rest for about 2-3 hours.
Conclusion
Doctors agree that the best prevention of diseases is the right lifestyle, which also helps to maintain the necessary hormonal levels. It is possible to avoid unpleasant deviations if you monitor your diet and be vigilant about the signals of your own body.
