Controlling Blood Sugar Level

Controlling Blood Sugar Level

Understanding Blood Sugar

  • Blood sugar or glucose is a form of sugar that travels through the bloodstream and supplies energy to all the cells in our body.
  • Blood sugar levels indicate the amount of glucose present in our bloodstream at any given time.
  • Maintaining a balanced blood sugar level is crucial for the proper functioning of many body systems, particularly the brain.

The Role of Pancreas and Insulin in Regulating Blood Sugar

  • The pancreas plays a key role in controlling blood sugar levels. It creates two crucial hormones - insulin and glucagon.
  • When blood sugar levels rise after a meal, the pancreas secretes insulin.
  • Insulin helps cells in the body take in glucose from the bloodstream. It also stimulates the liver to store glucose for when it’s needed later.

Glucagon and Blood Sugar Control

  • When blood sugar levels fall, due to not eating for a while, the pancreas secretes glucagon.
  • Glucagon prompts the liver to release stored glucose back into the bloodstream to increase blood sugar levels.

Negative Feedback System in Blood Sugar Regulation

  • The interaction of insulin and glucagon to maintain a balanced blood sugar level represents a negative feedback system.
  • Negative feedback is self-regulating as when glucose levels rise, insulin is triggered to bring them back down, and when glucose levels drop, glucagon is stimulated to raise them.

Issues with Blood Sugar Regulation

  • If this insulin-glucagon balance is disrupted, blood sugar levels can fluctuate widely leading to medical conditions like diabetes.
  • Type 1 diabetes is caused by the body’s immune system destroying insulin-producing cells in the pancreas, while Type 2 diabetes is generally associated with insulin resistance.

Summary

  • The control of blood sugar involves the diligent work of insulin and glucagon produced by the pancreas. This delicate balance forms a negative feedback system critical for our body’s functioning. Disease states can arise if this delicate balancing mechanism gets disrupted.