“High levels of glucose in your blood can be damaging and WorldMags.net even fatal” SCIENCE
The importance of insulin
The pancreas produces insulin for the body to be able to absorb glucose
The hormone that controls your blood sugar levels When you eat, your digestive system breaks down the food and passes its nutrients into your bloodstream. These nutrients include glucose (sugar), but high levels of glucose in your blood can be damaging and even fatal. To keep these levels low, your pancreas produces insulin to help cells absorb the glucose so they can use it as energy. As well as helping fat and muscle cells to absorb glucose, insulin helps your liver hold
Injecting insulin There are two main types of diabetes. Type 1 occurs when the pancreas does not produce any insulin, and Type 2 occurs when the pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or if the body’s cells do not react to the insulin being produced. Although there is no cure for diabetes, people with Type 1 can control the systems by regularly injecting themselves with insulin or using a pump that constantly sends insulin into their blood at a rate they control. They also need to monitor their blood sugar levels by pricking their finger and placing a drop of blood on the testing strip of a blood glucose meter. Doing this before and after meals will help them adjust their insulin injections and diet accordingly. People with Type 2 diabetes can control their symptoms by eating a healthy, balanced diet and exercising more regularly, but may need injections if their condition progresses.
on to any excess glucose in your body so that it can release it when it is needed, such as between meals, when exercising or if your blood sugar level is too low. If your body fails to produce any or enough insulin, or if your cells become resistant to the hormone, this results in a condition known as diabetes. It increases your blood sugar level and you can develop hyperglycaemia. To try to get rid of the excess glucose in your blood, your
body will pass it in your urine. But it will also take more water with it, leading to an increase in frequency and volume of urination and an increase in thirst. If left untreated, it can lead to a condition called diabetic ketoacidosis, where the body breaks down fats and proteins for energy instead of sugars, resulting in a build-up of ketones (acids) in the blood. This can lead to unconsciousness and even death.
Insulin in action How the body’s cells absorb glucose for energy Glucose absorbed The insulin stimulates glucose transporter molecules to move to the outer membrane, allowing the cell to absorb glucose.
Insulin produced When the concentration of glucose in the blood increases, the beta cells of the islets of Langerhans in the pancreas produce insulin.
Insulin attaches Insulin binds to the insulin receptors on the outer membrane of the body’s fat and muscle cells.
Insulin can be injected into the abdomen, upper arm, upper buttocks or outer thigh
040 | How It Works
In fat-tissue cells, glucose increases the uptake of fatty acids to create the storage form of fat.
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Muscle cells (myocytes) In muscle-tissue cells, glucose is stored as glycogen, which is broken down to supply the muscles with energy when needed.
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Fat cells (adipocytes)
