Diabetes Information

Insulin is a powerful hormone which enables the liver to store glucose in the form of glycogen. With the help of insulin, the muscles take up glucose for energy or store it and the fat depots take up glucose and store it in the form of fat. Through insulin, the muscle proteins get replenished by amino acids derived from food. In other words, insulin is essential for the utilization and storage of body fuels. Therefore, it lowers the blood glucose level.
Before insulin acts, it has to get itself attached to the binding sites or receptors on the surface of the cells. Insulin fits into the receptors, just as a key fits into a lock. After insulin fits into the receptors, signals are sent to the cell to carry out the action of insulin.

OTHER HORMONES
Glucagons produced by the alpha cells of the islets of Langerhans converts glycogen in the liver into glucose. Some hormones of the adrenal glands stimulate the fat depots to produce fatty acids. Growth hormone secreted from the front part of the pituitary glands also opposes insulin action and increases the blood glucose level.
In the fasting state, the production of insulin is at a low level. Therefore, the fuels are mobilized from the depots into the blood stream. When the person is “fed”, the production of insulin in increased. Insulin thus released, enables the fuels to be used and stored in depots, as explained earlier.
In the normal person, there is a fine adjustment between insulin and other hormones, with the result that the blood glucose level neither falls to a very low level while fasting nor rises excessively after meals.

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Filed under: Insulin