Nearly 24 million Americans have diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association. Upon diagnosis, one of the most important parts of managing this disease is understanding how it affects your body. Knowing about diabetes, glucose and glycogen can help you manage your blood glucose.
Glycogen
Glycogen is the stored form of glucose. When you eat a carbohydrate, your body breaks down the food and absorbs it as glucose. If your body does not immediately need to use the glucose, it stores it as glycogen. When you are in need of glucose, your body breaks the glycogen into individual glucose molecules that are readily available for energy production.
Insulin and Glycogen
The main mechanism your body uses to move blood glucose into your cells for glycogen storage is insulin. This is a hormone produced and secreted by your pancreas. High levels of blood glucose stimulate its release. Insulin is a building hormone, meaning that it triggers your body's cells to take in the glucose and use it or store it as glycogen.
Characteristics of Diabetes
Diabetes occurs when there is a problem moving glucose from your blood into the cells that use and store it. When you have diabetes, either your pancreas is unable to produce insulin, or your cells become resistant to its presence. If cellular resistance is the cause, and you do nothing to improve your condition, your pancreas may tire of making insulin and stop producing it. Without adequate insulin, your body cannot store glycogen. If your body stops producing insulin, your doctor may prescribe insulin injections for you to take daily. This is not ideal, so to avoid this, control your blood-glucose levels.
Diabetes and Liver Glycogen
The liver does many jobs, including trying to balance out your blood-glucose levels. The insulin in your bloodstream also stimulates the liver to take in glucose and convert it to glycogen. But this function is flawed in the diabetic. The liver of a diabetic increases the breakdown of its stores of glycogen, adding to the problem of high glucose.
References
- American Diabetes Association: Diabetes Basics
- "Anatomy and Physiology"; Kenneth S. Saladin; 2004
- Diabetes Self Management.com: Glycogen; May 22, 2006
- "Expert Opinion on Investigational Drugs"; Glycogen Phosphorylase Inhibitors For Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus; Judith L. Treadway, et al.; March 2001
- American Diabetes Association: Diabetes Statistics
