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How Blood Glucose Level is Regulated: Everything You Need To Know!

People with diabetes need to monitor their blood sugar (or blood glucose) regularly. Moreover, people with diabetes need to understand how their body regulates their blood glucose level.

By Peter FinneganPublished 3 years ago 4 min read
How Blood Glucose Level is Regulated: Everything You Need To Know!
Photo by Diabetesmagazijn.nl on Unsplash

Blood glucose level needs to be regulated because when it is too high, the excess glucose will damage organs and tissues. Too low a blood glucose level can cause hypoglycemia that results in fatigue, confusion, dizziness, nausea and weakness. High blood sugar can also lead to serious complications like diabetic kidney disease, blindness, nerve problems and stroke. This article explains everything you need to know about how the body maintains the right balance of blood sugar levels.

What is Blood Glucose?

Blood glucose, also known as blood sugar, is sugar that is found in your blood. Glucose is a simple sugar that makes up the main source of energy for your body. Glucose is also found in different foods like fruits, vegetables, grains and milk products. Your body also makes glucose from protein. Glucose is transported around your body in your blood in small molecules called "blood glucose". Blood glucose is regulated by insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas. When glucose enters the bloodstream after eating, the pancreas releases insulin into the blood to direct cells to take up the glucose found in the blood. This maintains the right blood glucose level.

How does the body maintain the right blood sugar level?

Insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas, is the major regulator of blood glucose level. When you eat, the pancreas releases insulin into your blood. Insulin is like a key that unlocks cells in the body so glucose can come out of the blood and enter the cells. Blood glucose level is affected by the following factors: - 1. The amount of glucose in your diet - When you eat, the glucose in the food you eat enters your body and gets into the blood. This causes your blood glucose level to rise. 2. The amount of glucose in your liver - When you eat, the liver is the organ that stores excess glucose as glycogen. Then, when blood glucose level falls, the liver releases glucose back into the blood. The amount of glucose stored in the liver can affect blood glucose level. 3. The amount of glucose in your muscles - If the blood glucose level is too high, the excess glucose gets into the liver and the muscles. The cells of your muscles can store glucose as glycogen. The amount of glucose stored in the muscles can affect blood glucose level. 4. The amount of glucose in your kidneys - If the blood glucose level is too high, the excess glucose gets into the kidneys. The amount of glucose in the kidneys can affect blood glucose level. 5. The amount of glucose in your other organs - Other organs, like the heart and the brain, also take up glucose from the blood. The amount of glucose in these organs can affect blood glucose level.

>> See how other people lowered their blood sugar and got a healthier lifestyle (Click Here To Get More Information)

How does the body produce insulin?

Insulin is produced by the pancreas, an organ located behind the stomach. The pancreas has two types of cells – alpha cells and beta cells. The alpha cells produce somatostatin, a hormone that stops the release of insulin. The beta cells produce insulin, a hormone that helps the body convert glucose into energy. When you eat, hormones like glucose, amino acids and fatty acids get released into the blood. The beta cells in the pancreas release insulin into the blood. Insulin travels through the blood to reach the liver and muscles. There, insulin signals the liver to convert excess glucose into glycogen and store it.

What happens when you have diabetes and cannot produce enough insulin?

When you have diabetes and cannot produce enough insulin, the glucose remains in the blood. As a result, the blood glucose level goes up. If the blood glucose level gets too high, it can lead to serious complications like diabetic kidney disease and diabetic retinopathy (a condition that damages the retina of the eye and leads to blindness). High blood glucose can also damage the small blood vessels in the body. This is called diabetic neuropathy, diabetic foot and diabetic eye disease. When the blood vessels are damaged, the nerves and small blood vessels do not get enough blood flow. This leads to numbness, tingling and other symptoms.

>> See how other people lowered their blood sugar and got a healthier lifestyle (Click Here To Get More Information)

What happens when you have diabetes and your body produces too much insulin?

If you have diabetes and your body produces too much insulin, the blood glucose level goes down. When the blood glucose level is too low, it can lead to hypoglycemia (low blood glucose). If your blood glucose level goes down, it can lead to fatigue, confusion, dizziness and nausea. If your low blood glucose level is not treated, it can lead to unconsciousness and even death.

Conclusion

Blood glucose level needs to be regulated to prevent serious complications like diabetic kidney disease, blindness and nerve problems. To maintain the right blood glucose level, it is important to eat a healthy diet, do physical activity and take the right medications.

>> See how other people lowered their blood sugar and got a healthier lifestyle (Click Here To Get More Information)

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