Medical Health Encyclopedia

Gastrin

How the test will feel:

When the needle is inserted to draw blood, some people feel moderate pain, while others feel only a prick or stinging sensation. Afterward, there may be some throbbing.

Why the test is performed:

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This test may be ordered when disorders associated with abnormal gastrin production are suspected. Too much gastrin causes severe peptic ulcer  disease.

Gastrin is a hormone produced by specialized cells in the stomach. When there is food in the stomach, gastrin is secreted into the blood. Gastrin in the bloodstream stimulates cells in the stomach to secrete acid. Small amounts of gastrin may also be produced by the pancreas and possibly the intestines. As stomach and intestinal acidity rises, gastrin production normally decreases.

Zollinger-Ellison syndrome is a gastrin-producing tumor which may be present in the stomach or pancreas. G-cell hyperplasia is an overactivity of the gastrin-producing cells of the stomach.

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