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Glucoregulation

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Glucose

Glucose is a type of sugar. It is the basic fuel for aerobic

respiration, which provides the body with energy.

Glucose is present in food,

either on its own or bound up

in complex carbohydrates

such as starch.

Glucose is readily absorbed into the bloodstream, where

it is transported to the cells for use in respiration. The amount

of glucose in the blood is called the blood glucose level.

Complex carbohydrates

are broken down during

digestion to release glucose.

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Diet and blood glucose

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Regulating blood glucose

The body needs to achieve a balance

between the glucose locked away as

glycogen and the glucose free in the

blood. This is called glucoregulation.

Not all of the glucose in the blood is used for respiration

immediately. Much of it is stored for later use.

What would happen if this did not occur?

The body stores glucose in the form of a

complex carbohydrate called glycogen.

Glycogen is found in the liver and muscles.

Why can’t glucose simply be left in the

blood until it is needed?

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The hormones of the pancreas

Blood glucose levels are controlled by the pancreas.

pancreas

The pancreas manufactures hormones and secretes them

into the bloodstream.

What other function does the pancreas perform?

The hormones affect cells in the liver and muscles.

Depending on the hormone they receive, the cells will either

remove glucose from the blood or release it into the blood.

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Insulin and glucagon

glucose

in blood

glycogen

in cells

insulin

glucagon

If blood glucose levels are too high, the pancreas releases

the hormone insulin. Insulin causes cells in the liver and

muscles to take up glucose from the blood, where it is

stored as glycogen.

If blood glucose levels are too low, the pancreas releases

the hormone glucagon. Glucagon makes the liver convert

glycogen into glucose, and release it into the blood.

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Maintaining a safe blood glucose level

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Key terms

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What is diabetes?

Diabetes mellitus is a disease in which the body’s insulin

control mechanism is impaired.

The symptoms of diabetes can become very serious if the

disease is not managed properly.

The disruption in insulin control causes two problems:

glucose

in blood

glycogen

in cells

insulin

glucagon

blood glucose concentrations become

dangerously high

glucose cannot be stored for later use.

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Type 1 diabetes

Type 1 diabetes develops when the insulin

producing cells in the pancreas are destroyed.

Insulin production is greatly

reduced, so cells in the liver and

muscles lack sufficient signals to

remove glucose from the blood.

Type 1 diabetes often

develops in childhood.

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Type 2 diabetes

Type 2 diabetes typically

affects people over 40

years old. Obesity and

high sugar diets increase

the risk of developing

type 2 diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes develops when the body

becomes resistant to insulin.

Insulin continues to be

produced, but the body’s

cells do not respond to it.

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How does diabetes affect the body?

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Correlating insulin and blood glucose

How does blood glucose affect insulin production?

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Treating type 1 diabetes

People with type 1 diabetes do not produce enough insulin,

so the illness can be treated by administering insulin.

Type 1 diabetics must inject

themselves with insulin before

they eat. This helps to keep

blood glucose at a safe level.

Insulin is usually injected

into the subcutaneous fat,

which is the fat stored

directly beneath the skin.

The amount of insulin needed depends on how much the

person eats and how active they are.

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Treating type 2 diabetes

Most people with type 2 diabetes can manage their illness

through diet and exercise.

Physical activity reduces the

amount of glucose in the blood.

Eating small, regular meals can stabilize blood glucose

levels, and avoiding sugary foods can prevent blood

glucose levels from rising.

A carefully managed diet and

exercise regime can also be

helpful for type 1 diabetics.

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Type 1 or type 2?

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The link between obesity and diabetes

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Developing diabetes treatments

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Evaluating medical treatments

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Recap

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Glossary

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Anagrams

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Multiple-choice quiz