Homeostasis Flashcards
What is meant by homeostasis?
All of the functions of your body that try to maintain a ‘constant internal environment’
Name the bodily levels that need to be controlled
- Ion content
- Sugar content
- Water content
How is ion content regulated?
By the kidneys. Ions are taken into the body in food, then absorbed into the blood. If the food contains too much of any kind of ions then it needs to be removed. Some ions are lost in sweat. The kidneys will remove the excess from the blood which is then removed in the urine
How are blood sugar levels controlled?
Eating foods containing carbohydrates puts glucose into the blood from the gut. The normal metabolism of cells removes glucose from the blood but if you do vigorous exercise, much more glucose is removed. A hormone called insulin helps maintain the right level of glucose in your blood so your cells get a constant supply of energy
How are water levels controlled?
It is lost :
- Through the skin as sweat
- Via the lungs in breath
- Via the kidneys as urine
- Some water is also lost is faeces
Explain the balance between sweat and urine
On a cold day/when you’re not exercising, you don’t sweat much so you’ll produce more urine which will be pale (since the waste carried in the urine is more diluted)
On a hot day/when you’re exercising, you sweat a lot and so you will produce less urine, and this will be more concentrated. You will also lose more water through your breath when you exercise because of deeper and faster breathing
How is body temperature controlled?
By the brain. All enzymes work best at a certain temperature. Enzymes within the body work best at 37° therefore the body tries to maintain this. A part of the brain is sensitive to blood temperature in the brain and it receives messages from the skin that provide information about skin temperature
How do sports drinks help maintain levels in the body?
When salt is lost in sweat, the electrolytes in the sports drink replaces them and carbohydrates in the drink gives an energy boost
