Henry Family Blog

In your body, you need to regulate your blood glucose level.  This is regulated by two hormones, insulin and glucagon.  They are secreted by the endocrine pancreas.  Insulin is secreted by the beta cells while glucagon is secreted by the alpha cells.  Insulin promotes glucose uptake from blood which decreases blood glucose.  Another role is amino acid uptake from your blood.  It promotes protein synthesis, lipogenisis and glycogenesis while slowing glycogenolysis.  This is important during youth and puberty.  Glucagon promotes the release of glucose into the blood which increases blood glucose.

The process is regulated via negative feedback. (The activity of the effector produces a result that opposes the stimulus).  Low blood glucose stimulates release of glucagon.  High blood glucose stimulates secretion of insulin. 

Your blood glucose is affected by the food you eat.  Also, as noted in an earlier post, your hormone levels are constantly changing.  They change to meet the needs of more or less glucose in your blood.

Tags: Education, Health //