Blood sugar and insulin share an intimate relationship. When blood sugar rises, insulin levels also increase. Other factors influence how insulin affects blood sugar as well. Glucose is essentially energy; every cell in the body requires it to function. As your body's needs change, insulin levels fluctuate. Your diet also plays a key role in insulin production.
Activity
Circulating blood sugar provides energy for active cells. When you exercise, the need increases to match the demands of your body for fuel. Insulin and glucagon are two hormones that help control your blood sugar. Insulin is released after you eat to lower blood sugar to normal levels. With increasing activity, your pancreas releases glucagon, which in turn, stimulates the liver to break down sugar reserves. This feedback system ensures that you have sugar when you need it.
Diet
Your diet also affects insulin levels. The glycemic index (GI) measures how quickly sugar enters your bloodstream after eating. Foods with a high GI, like potatoes, cause blood sugar levels to spike more quickly than lower GI foods such as barley. Your blood sugar spikes first, followed by the increase in insulin. To stabilize blood sugar levels, insulin stimulates the liver to convert blood sugar into a stored form called glycogen. Both the liver and muscles store glycogen.
Meal Timing
The combination of eating high GI foods and waiting too long to eat can cause a drop in your blood sugar, or hypoglycemia. It is essential to eat regular meals to avoid these unsafe drops in blood glucose, which can progress rapidly to a life-threatening situation. Diabetics and individuals who are hypersensitive to the effects of blood sugar should eat frequent meals. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases recommends eating every three hours as a preventive measure.
Diabetes Management
Diabetes involves a condition where the body either cannot produce insulin or it is resistant to its effects on blood sugar. If the body cannot produce insulin, you may need to take insulin shots to compensate for your body's lack of this essential hormone. There are several types of insulin that vary in strength and how quickly they act. The type you use will depend upon your health status. Injected insulin acts the same way as naturally-produced insulin by lowering blood sugar to stable levels. You will likely need to monitor your blood glucose on a daily basis. With proper treatment, you can reduce your risk of complications.
References
- Colorado State University Extension; Glucagon; R. Bowen; June 15, 1999
- University of Wisconsin: Glycemic Index
- "Principles of Anatomy and Physiology"; G. Tortora et al; 2005
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases: Hypoglycemia
- American Diabetes Association; Diabetes Statistics; January 26, 2011
- American Diabetes Association: Insulin Basics
