Controlling Blood Glucose + Diabetes

• What are the two hormones involved with controlling blood glucose?


  Insulin and glucagon.
• How do insulin and glucagon control blood glucose levels?

  1. Eating foods containing carbohydrates puts glucose into the blood from the gut.
  2. The normal metabolism of cells removes glucose from the blood.
  3. Vigorous exercise removes much more glucose from the blood.
  4. Excess glucose can be stored as glycogen in the liver and in the muscles.
  5. 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.
• What happens when blood glucose levels are too high?

  Insulin is secreted by the pancreas. Glucose moves from blood into the liver and muscle cells. Insulin makes liver turn glucose into glycogen. Blood glucose is reduced.
• What happens when blood glucose level is too low?

  Glucagon is secreted by the pancreas. Glucagon makes the liver turn glycogen into glucose. Glucose released into blood by the liver. Blood glucose increases.
• What is diabetes?


  A condition that affects your ability to control your blood sugar levels.
• What is type 1 diabetes?


  Where the pancreas doesn't produce enough insulin. This means a person's blood glucose level can rise to a level that can kill them.
• How do you treat type 1 diabetes?

  Need insulin therapy, involving several injections of insulin throughout the day, most likely at meal times. This makes sure glucose is removed from the blood quickly once the food has been digested, stopping the level getting too high. The amount of insulin depends on the person's diet and how active they are.
• What is type 2 diabetes?

  Where a person becomes resistant to their own insulin, which can cause a person's blood sugar level to rise to a dangerous level.
• What can cause type 2 diabetes and how can It be controlled?

  Being overweight can increase your chances of developing type two diabetes, as obesity is a major risk factor in the development of the disease. It can be controlled by eating a carbohydrate-controlled diet and getting regular exercise.