Carbohydrate

How does the body regulate blood glucose (sugar) levels?

It is important for the body to tightly control blood glucose concentrations.

If blood glucose levels are not well controlled the body would have to withstand the extremes of hypoglycaemia (low blood glucose levels) and hyperglycaemia (high blood glucose levels). Extremes of blood glucose levels can at worst be life threatening.

So how does the body keep tight control over blood glucose levels?

Basically, blood glucose levels are controlled by 2 hormones; insulin and glucagon.

• After you have eaten a meal the rise in blood glucose levels stimulates the pancreas to release insulin.
• Insulin stimulates the uptake of glucose from the blood stream, into the cells to be stored. Liver and muscle cells will store this as glycogen.
• Later, the fall in blood glucose levels stimulates the pancreas to secrete the hormone glucagon into the bloodstream.
• Glucagon stimulates liver cells to breakdown stored carbohydrate and release glucose into the bloodstream.