Blood sugar

• Insulin


  Hormone that controls blood glucose level by making the liver turn glucose into glycogen
• Glucagon


  Hormone that controls blood glucose level by making the liver turn glycogen into glucose
• Insulin and Glucagon Control Blood Glucose Level

  1. Eating foods containing carbohydrate puts glucose into the blood

  2. 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 muscles

  5. The load of glucose in the blood must be kept steady

  6. Changes are monitored and controlled by the pancreas using insulin and glucagon in a negative feedback cycle
• Blood glucose level too HIGH

  Insulin is added
• Blood glucose level too LOW


  Glucagon is added
• Diabetes


  • Type 1 Diabetes: Pancreas does not produce insulin
  • Type 2 Diabetes: Cells become resistant to insulin
• People used to think the pancreas only produced insulin, but it also produces glucagon
• This stuff can seem a bit confusing at first, but it should get a bit easier