Controlling Blood Glucose

• Insulin


  Hormone that controls how much glucose there is in your blood
• Glucagon


  Hormone that controls how much glucose there is in your blood
• Controlling blood glucose


  1. Eating foods containing carbohydrate puts glucose into the blood from the gut

  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 in the muscles

  5. The level of glucose in the blood must be kept steady
• Blood glucose level too HIGH

  INSULIN is added
• Blood glucose level too LOW

  GLUCAGON is added
• Insulin and glucagon control blood glucose level


  1. Insulin makes liver turn reduced glucose into glycogen

  2. Insulin removes glucose from the blood

  3. Glucagon makes liver turn glycogen into glucose

  4. Glucagon releases glucose into blood by liver
• People used to think that insulin and glucagon worked in opposition, but they actually work together in a negative feedback cycle to control blood glucose level