When glucose levels in the blood rise after a meal, the pancreas releases a horm

Question

When glucose levels in the blood rise after a meal, the pancreas releases a hormone called insulin. The function of insulin is to bind receptors on the surface of fat, muscle, and liver cells, and to alert them that glucose in the blood needs to be imported into the cells for energy. Examine the illustration below. The onset of pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes occurs when communication between the pancreas and our body cells break down, and the levels of glucose in our blood remain higher than they should. Propose two ways that our bodies can overcome this breakdown in communication naturally (without the use of medication). Use the image to help formulate your response.

Explanation / Answer

Because one of insulin’s vital roles in the body relates to fat storage: it inhibits the breakdown of fat cells and stimulates the creation of body fat. That is, insulin tells the body to stop burning its fat stores and instead, absorb some of the fatty acids and glucose in the blood and turn them into more body fat.

This makes it an easy target , The “logic” goes like this:

High-carb diet = high insulin levels = burn less fat and store more = get fatter and fatter

And then, as a corollary:

Low-carb diet = low insulin levels = burn more fat and store less = stay lean

During absorption and digestion, the carbohydrates in the food you eat are reduced to their simplest form, glucose.

Excess glucose is then removed from the blood, with the majority of it being converted into glycogen, the storage form of glucose, by the liver’s hepatic cells via a process called glycogenesis.

Glycogenolysis

When blood glucose concentration declines, the liver initiates glycogenolysis.

The hepatic cells reconvert their glycogen stores into glucose, and continually release them into the blood until levels approach normal range.

However, when blood glucose levels fall during a long fast, the body’s glycogen stores dwindle and additional sources of blood sugar are required.

To help make up this shortfall, the liver, along with the kidneys, uses amino acids, lactic acid and glycerol to produce glucose.

This process is known as gluconeogenesis.

The liver may also convert other sugars such as sucrose, fructose, and galactose into glucose if your body’s glucose needs not being met by your diet.

Ketones

Ketones are alternative fuels that are produced by the liver from fats when sugar is in short supply.

When your body’s glycogen storage runs low, the body starts conserving the sugar supplies for the organs that always require sugar, including the brain, red blood cells and parts of the kidney. To supplement the limited sugar supply, the liver makes ketones in a process called ketogenesis.

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