Controlling blood glucose level

• • Glucose is a type of sugar
  • The blood glucose varies when:
  • Eating foods containing carbohydrates puts glucose into the blood
  • Normal metabolism of cells removes glucose from the blood
  • Vigorous exercise removes much more glucose from the blood
• What are changes in the blood glucose level detected by?

  Pancreas
• Pancreas produces hormones which help to control the blood glucose level
• Insulin

  • Hormone produced by the pancreas
  • Decreases blood glucose level when it gets too high

  1. After eating a meal containing carbohydrates, a persons blood glucose level rises. This is detected by the pancreas
  2. The pancreas responds by producing insulin, which is secreted in the blood
  3. Insulin causes body cells to take up more glucose from the blood. Cells in the liver and muscles can take up glucose and convert it into a storage molecule called glycogen
  4. This causes the blood glucose level to fall
• What is glucagon?

  Hormone produced by the pancreas to increase the blood glucose level
• Glucagon

  1. If a persons blood glucose level decreases the fall is detected by the pancreas
  2. Pancreas responds by producing glucagon which is secreted into the blood
  3. Glucose can be stored in the muscles and liver as glycogen. Glucagon causes the glycogen to be converted back into glucose which enters the blood
  4. This causes the blood glucose level to rise