HOW TO MAKE SOAP IN THE PANCREAS

Understanding how soap is made will help you under-stand why patients with pancreatitis can have low blood calcium.

Soap and water remove grease (fat or oil) because soap is composed of a unique molecule: one end is fatty and is not soluble in water; the other end is made from salt and is soluble in water. When soap is added to grease, the fatty end of the soap molecule embeds in the grease, leaving the water-soluble end protruding. When water is added, the water-soluble end of the soap molecule dissolves in the water. The result is that the soap molecule has grease on one end and water on the other, and the flushing action of additional water carries the grease away.

In pancreatitis, soap is made from normal fat found in and around the pancreas and from water-soluble calcium salts present in biliary and pancreatic juices and blood. Blood calcium levels fall as calcium is consumed in the process.

Molecular Medicine