8th February 2024

Hormones and associated disorders

There are a myriad of hormones that are secreted by the GI tract. Most act locally within the GI tract to regulate the digestion process. We summarise the action of these hormones in the table below. 

Table 4: Summary of hormones secreted by the GI tract. Own table. 

In most conditions, pathology develops in excess of these hormones rather than deficiencies. Increased gastrin levels can be found in gastrinomas, Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, achlorhydria, vagotomy, short bowel syndrome and iatrogenic ( PPI/H2 antagonist). Increased VIP can be seen in VIPoma. Increased PP can be seen in pancreatic malignancies. Decreased gastrin levels can be found in fasting patients and conditions stimulating hyperacidity.