Flatulence

Flatulence occurs in the context of pancreatic disease above all when the pancreas no longer produces enough digestive enzymes. These enzymes are used, among other things, for the digestion of absorbed dietary fats. In patients suffering from chronic inflammation of the pancreas, the amount of pancreatic tissue gradually decreases.

If the part of the pancreas responsible for the formation of digestive enzymes (so-called exocrine tissue) is affected, the enzyme deficiency mentioned above occurs, resulting in flatulence, abdominal pain and fatty stools. In order to alleviate the symptoms of a lack of digestive enzymes, there are drugs that replace the required enzymes. These must be taken daily and for the rest of your life with meals. The flatulence and stools are often almost completely reduced.

Diarrhoea

Since the pancreas produces numerous enzymes that we need to digest our food, disturbances in the production of these enzymes initially lead to flatulence, later to diarrhoea and fatty stools (steatorrhoea). One group of digestive enzymes is used to break down the proteins taken in with food. A second group of enzymes takes care of the breakdown and splitting of carbohydrates.

The so-called pancreatic lipase is now responsible for splitting fats. If, for example, there is a deficiency of these enzymes in the pancreas, this can lead to very fatty and voluminous stools. However, diarrhoea and fatty stools are not early symptoms of pancreatic diseases, but symptoms which only appear at a later stage. The diarrhoea and fatty stools are the result of a massive enzyme deficiency, which leads to considerable disturbances in the digestion of food and usually only occurs when only about ten percent of the original pancreatic tissue is still present and able to work. Therefore, if there are no other symptoms, such as typical pain, fever and/or nausea, indicating a pancreatic disease, the probability that the trigger for diarrhoea is a pancreatic disease is relatively low.

Diabetes mellitus

If the pancreatic tissue responsible for the formation of insulin (endocrine tissue) is destroyed, insulin deficiency occurs and this leads to diabetes mellitus. The insulin deficiency causes too little sugar to be transported from the blood into the body cells and the blood sugar level rises. Diabetes, like diarrhoea and fatty stools, occurs relatively late, as the tissue loss must be 80-90%.

Diabetes mellitus usually proceeds with few symptoms and uncharacteristically with general symptoms such as fatigue, exhaustion and reduced performance. In the later course of the disease, increased urination (polyuria), increased thirst (polydipsia) and possibly recurring urinary tract infections can occur, since the sugar is excreted with the urine and is a natural food for bacteria. You can read more information on this topic here: Diabetes mellitus and symptoms of diabetes mellitus