B3.3.2 - Controlling blood sugar

Question 1

What happens if the blood sugar levels stay risen for a long period of time?

Answer 1

Body systems can be damaged, especially the nerves and blood vessels

Question 2

What is insulin?

Answer 2

A hormone which stimulates the liver to turn glucose into glycogen

Question 3

What is glucagon?

Answer 3

A hormone which stimulates the liver to turn glycogen into glucose

Question 4

What happens if blood sugar levels are too high?

Answer 4

This is detected by the pancreas which releases insulin. It travels in the blood to the liver and stimulates the liver to turn glucose into glycogen (via a series of enzyme-controlled reaction). The glycogen is them stored in the liver

Question 5

What happens if blood sugar levels are too low?

Answer 5

This is detected by the pancreas which releases glucagon? This travels in the blood to the liver and stimulates the glycogen into glucose (via a series of enzyme-controlled reactions).

Question 6

What is Type 1 diabetes?

Answer 6

When people cannot produce insulin.

Question 7

What is the cause of Type 1 diabetes?

Answer 7

The person’s own immune system has destroyed the pancreatic cells that make insulin

Question 8

How is Type 1 diabetes controlled?

Answer 8

By regular injections of insulin

Question 9

What is Type 2 diabetes?

Answer 9

When people cannot effectively use insulin

Question 10

What is the cause of Type 2 diabetes?

Answer 10

The person’s cells do not produce enough insulin or the body’s cells do not respond properly to insulin

Question 11

How is Type 2 diabetes controlled?

Answer 11

By regulating a person’s carbohydrate intake through their diet and matching this to their exercise levels