Insulin:
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What Is Insulin? |
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Since 1922 the production and supply of Insulin has been greatly improved and high quality Insulin is now available to all diabetics in civilised countries; the first Insulin preparations, known as bovine and porcine Insulin, came from the pancreases of slaughtered cows and pigs, which was purified, bottled and sold and works very well for the majority of diabetics; today human and synthetic Insulins, which are genetically engineered and structurally identical to that made by a functioning human pancreas are also used. Lack of Insulin, or Insulin resistance, in the body means high blood glucose levels because the cells do not absorb glucose from the bloodstream; the body goes into starvation mode and the pancreatic alpha cells secrete glucagon causing a rise in blood glucose levels to feed the cells. |
The glucagon then breaks down the stored glycogen in the liver and muscles,
which releases glucose into the blood, further increasing the blood glucose
levels to a point that the kidneys can no longer absorb all of the glucose,
so it is passed with the urine, enabling glucose test strip detection.
The pancreas is located below the stomach in the abdomen, on the left hand side of the body; in diabetics the pancreas either produces too little Insulin, or the cells do not respond well to the Insulin, resulting in dangerously high levels of blood sugar which can cause a condition called Hyperglycaemia, which means far too much glucose is circulating in the blood and can be caused by not taking the right amount of Insulin, eating too many sugary foods or drinks and being ill or stressed; the resulting high blood glucose levels lead to glucose in the urine and frequent urination. The opposite to Hyperglycaemia is Ketoacidosis, which is a serious condition that can lead to diabetic coma or even death; it occurs when their isn't enough Insulin in the blood and the body starts to break down proteins for energy instead of using blood sugar; this process creates dangerously high levels of ketones in the blood, which can poison the body; they are a warning sign that the diabetes is out of control. |
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