Somatotatin is one of the three hormones produced by the pancreas, the other two being insulin and glucagon. Somatostatin is also known as growth hormone inhibiting hormone (GHIH) or somatotropin release-inhibiting hormone (SRIF). Insulin controls and lowers the level of blood sugar by moving sugar into cells, and glucagon raises the level of blood sugar in the blood by stimulating the liver to release glucose stored in it. On the other hand, somatostatin is classified as an inhibitory hormone with many actions in the body. In the context of diabetes, it acts mainly in two ways[1]:
- It inhibits the release of insulin
- It inhibit the release of glucagon