This organ controls your sugar levels and produces a special juice that releases the nutrients from your food to help keep you in the best possible shape.

這個器官會控制你的血糖值並製造一種特別的液體，用來釋放你所吃食物的營養，以幫助你保持最佳狀態。

The pancreas sits just behind your stomach⏤an appropriate home, as one of its jobs is to break down the food you eat.

胰臟正位在你的胃後面，一個適當的家，因為它的其中一項工作就是分解你所吃進的食物。

It aids digestion by producing a special tonic made of water, sodium bicarbonate, and digestive enzymes.

胰臟透過製造一種由水製成的特別液體、小蘇打及消化酶來協助消化。

Sodium bicarbonate neutralizes the stomach's natural acidity so these digestive enzymes can perform their jobs.

小蘇打會中和胃臟中天然的酸，讓這些消化酶可以發揮作用。

Lipase breaks down fatty substances, protease splits up proteins, and amylase divides carbohydrates to create energy-rich sugars.

脂肪酶會分解脂肪、蛋白酶會分解蛋白質，而澱粉酶則會分解碳水化合物以製造富含能量的糖分。

Most of those nutrients then get absorbed into the blood stream and go on to enrich the body.

這些養分大多隨後會被人體吸收進入血液中並持續滋養身體。

While all this is happening, the pancreas works on another critical task: controlling the amount of sugar in your blood.

當這些都在發生時，胰臟也正執行另一項重要任務，也就是控制血液中的糖分含量。

It achieves this with the hormones insulin and glucagon, which are produced in special cells called the Islets of Langerhans.

胰臟依靠稱為胰島素和升糖素的荷爾蒙達成這項任務，而這些荷爾蒙都是在稱為胰島的特別細胞中所製造。

Having too much or too little sugar can be life threatening, so the pancreas must stay on constant alert.

擁有過多或是過少的糖分都可能有生命威脅，因此胰臟必須隨時保持警覺。

After a big meal, the blood often becomes flushed with sugar.

在一頓大餐後，血液中通常會充滿糖分。

To bring us back to normal, the pancreas releases insulin,

為了讓我們回到正常狀態，胰臟會釋放胰島素，

which makes the excess sugar move into cells where it's either used as an energy source or stored for later.

胰島素則會將多餘的糖分移到細胞中，當作能量來源使用或是儲存以備日後之需。

Insulin also tells the liver to shut down sugar production.

胰島素也會指揮肝臟停止製造糖分。

On the other hand, if blood sugar is low, the pancreas releases a hormone called glucagon that tells the body's cells and liver to release stored sugars back into the bloodstream.

另一方面，如果血糖較低，胰臟會釋放稱為升糖素的荷爾蒙，它會進而通知身體細胞和肝臟將儲藏的糖分釋放回血液中。

The interplay between insulin and glucagon is what keeps our sugar levels balanced.

正是胰島素和升糖素的交互作用讓我們血糖值得以保持平衡。

But a faulty pancreas can no longer coach us like this, meaning that this healthy balance is destroyed.

但是一個有缺陷的胰臟就無法再像這樣指導我們，意味著這健康的平衡被破壞了。

If it's weakened by disease, the organ's ability to produce insulin may be reduced or even extinguished, which can trigger the condition known as diabetes.

如果它是因疾病而變得衰弱，這個器官製造胰島素的能力可能會降低甚或消失，可能引發所為糖尿病的病狀。

Without regular insulin release, sugar steadily builds up in the blood, eventually hardening the blood vessels and causing heart attacks, kidney failure, and strokes.

沒有了規律釋放的胰島素，糖分會慢慢累積在血液中，最終使得血管硬化並引發心臟病、腎衰竭和中風。

The same lack of insulin deprives cells of the energy-rich sugar they need to grow and function.

缺乏胰島素一樣會剝奪細胞賴以成長和運作、富含能量的糖分。

People with diabetes also tend to have higher levels of glucagon, which makes even more sugar circulate.

糖尿病患者的升糖素值一般也偏高，導致更多糖分在體內循環。

Without this internal health coach, our sugar levels would go haywire, and we wouldn't be able to digest important nutrients.

少了這個體內的健康教練，我們的血糖值會大亂，讓我們將無法消化重要的營養素。

But, like any coach, it's not the pancreas' job alone to keep us healthy.

但就像任何教練一樣，保持我們的健康不只是胰臟的工作。

It needs our conscious participation, too.

它也需要我們有意識地參與。