Controlling blood glucose

• Insulin and glucagon control blood glucose levels
• eating carbs puts glucose into the blood from the gut
• the normal metabolism of cells removes glucose from the blood
• vigorous exercise removes much more glucose from the blood
• Excess glucose can be stored as glycogen in the liver and in the muscles
• the level of glucose in the blood must be kept steady. Changes are monitored and controlled by the pancreas using the hormones insulin and glucagon in a negative feedback cycle

  1. glucose is absorbed from the small intestine
  2. glucose is converted into glycogen in the liver
• 1. glucose is absorbed from the small intestine
  2. glucose is converted into glycogen in the liver
• blood glucose levels too high

  insulin is added
• blood glucose levels too low

  Glucagon is added