Treatment of pancreatic insufficiency

The treatment of pancreatic insufficiency is first and foremost about eliminating the cause as far as possible. Consequently, the consumption of alcohol should first be limited to an absolute minimum or, preferably, completely stopped. If a gallstone is the cause, it must be removed, which can be done in different ways depending on the composition and size of the stone.

Afterwards, the body must be supplied with replacements for the digestive enzymes that are produced in too small a quantity due to the weakness of the pancreas. For this purpose, patients are given an enzyme mixture made from pancreases from pigs, known as pancreatin. There are also herbal alternatives, but their effectiveness is still being discussed.

More severely affected patients also need preparations containing the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K. Since undigested fat is the main factor in the symptoms of pancreatic weakness (abdominal pain, flatulence, malodorous diarrhoea), it helps many affected patients if they reduce the amount of fat in their diet. So try low-fat yoghurt or low-fat milk, use margarine instead of butter and fry foods in less oil than usual or even in water – works amazingly well! Alcohol should be taboo as far as possible and should only be consumed in very small amounts, preferably not at all.

It has also been known for some time that bitter substances can stimulate the activity of the stomach and pancreas. They are contained in curry, cinnamon, rocket and artichokes, for example. Espresso after a meal is also a proven remedy thanks to its bitter substances.

To relieve the strain on the intestines and pancreas, you should also make sure to eat slowly and chew your food thoroughly before swallowing. However, the most important factor for the well-being of the patients is, first and foremost, the regular intake of the replacement preparations before meals, as this compensates for the reduced enzyme content in the intestine due to the weakness of the pancreas and in this way helps to keep the extent of the necessary change in diet at a bearable level. Homeopaths attribute a positive influence on the activity of the pancreas above all to the thick-stemmed water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes).

Others recommend taking Pancreatinum or Phosphorus. However, it should be emphasised that there is no scientific evidence of the effectiveness of homeopathic treatments beyond the placebo effect and that the supposed principle of homeopathy contradicts all scientific and logical considerations. Homeopathy should therefore only be used in the case of pancreatic weakness, if at all, as a supplement to conventional medical treatment and not as an either-or alternative.

Course of the disease with pancreatic weakness

A weakness of the pancreas is usually irreversible. The prognosis is strongly dependent on the cause, the extent of the hypofunction and the time of diagnosis and initiation of therapy: For example, it is not unlikely that an acute inflammation of the pancreas due to a gallstone, which is detected and treated immediately, will result in only relatively minor functional impairment of the organ, or that its function will even recover completely after a few weeks or months. On the other hand, however, particularly in the case of chronic causes (e.g. alcohol consumption), the pancreas often shows an ever-decreasing function, which causes increasingly severe symptoms and requires a constant intensification of the therapeutic measures.

An existing weakness of the pancreas is usually not completely curable. However, even if the affected person consequently has to deal with the disease throughout his or her life, most courses of the disease can be influenced very positively with the means available today. Nevertheless, over the course of time there is usually a gradual deterioration in the functioning of the organ. In order to be able to monitor this and its possible consequences, consistent adherence to regular check-ups is highly recommended.