Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas to control levels of glucose in the blood. In cases of Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, the body either cannot produce enough insulin or has trouble utilizing it. This allows the amount of glucose in the blood to rise. Injections are the most efficient way to receive insulin if your diabetic. If taken orally, stomach acids would destroy it before it had a chance to enter the bloodstream.
How Insulin Works
When glucose levels in the blood begin to rise, the pancreas releases more insulin into the blood to break it down. Muscle and liver cells become more permeable as insulin molecules bind to their receptors. This also causes reactions between enzymes within the cells. Glucose is drawn into the cells from the bloodstream and used as fuel or stored as glycogen, according to the website Blood Sugar Diabetic. As the body uses glucose, the amount that remains in the bloodstream decreases. As glucose levels begin to return to normal, insulin production is reduced.
Normal Glucose Levels
Normal blood glucose levels are approximately 90mg/100mL, according to Blood Sugar Diabetic. Every individual is different in both the amount of insulin produced and the rate it is utilized by the body. Other factors that determine insulin usage are the type of foods that are eaten, the time meals are eaten, the amount of exercise and stress levels.
Glucose is used as energy by mitochondria within the cells. It fuels every process in the body and nourishes our DNA. Glucose that is not needed for energy is converted by insulin into glycogen and stored as fatty acids in fat cells.
What Affects Insulin Production
Diabetics must remain on a precise schedule to keep blood sugar levels within a normal range. The amount of time between meals and the types of foods that are eaten directly affect the amount of insulin produced. Enough insulin must be produced to breakdown excess amounts of glucose. If glucose is allowed to build up in the blood, it can damage tissue and organs. Each individual is different. The amount of time between meals will vary for each person.
Exercise burns more fuel and decreases glucose levels, this means that less insulin is needed to help break it down. Smoking, on the other hand, will reduce the amount of insulin your body is able to assimilate.
Types of Insulin
There are many forms of insulin. The body manufactures its own as its needed. If a person is diabetic and insulin needs to be received by other means, one or more types may be needed to stabilize an individuals blood glucose. There are two main types of insulin, animal source and recombinant DNA. Animal source insulin is comes from animals, while recombinant DNA insulin is manufactured in a test tube, according to Arturo Rolla, M.D. of Harvard University.
There are several variations of insulin that will last for different lengths of time in the body. You should only mix insulin according to a physician's recommendation. A physician will work with you to determine exactly how much and how often your body needs insulin.
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