Insulin and Glucagon?

Question

Hi, can someone explain how the levels of insulin and glucagon are regulated in the body? And what does the renal threshold for glucose mean?

Answer 1

Insulin is a hormone and is the only hormone that can lower blood sugar. It is regulated through the pancreas which can detect elevated blood sugars and produces insulin to lower the sugar to normal levels by moving the sugar into the cells of our body and/or storing it as fat. High blood sugar causes the blood to become very thick (compare water to corn syrup) and this thicker blood is hard on the heart and organs. Glucagon, also produced in the pancreas, can raise blood sugars for those times when it's getting low and we can't get to food. Glucagon causes the liver to release its stores of sugar, this is called glycogenesis. If the liver uses up its stores of sugar then it can actually make sugar, this is called glyconeogenesis. Renal refers to our kidneys and we all have a different point at which the kidneys will start losing sugar into the urine. Sugar is NOT a normal part of our urine. Some people will show sugar in their urine with a blood sugar at 250 and others may not spill any sugar even with a blood sugar over 500. That's why urine testing for diabetes isn't real reliable. A 5-6 hour glucose tolerance test is the best way to test for diabetes.