Hormones: controlling blood glucose, water content and kidney failure

Question 1

What is glucose?

Answer 1

A type of sugar.

Question 2

Give examples where the blood glucose level varies.

Answer 2

• Eating foods containing carbohydrate puts glucose into the blood from the digestive system.
• The normal metabolism of cells removes glucose from the blood.
• Vigorous exercise removes much more glucose from the blood.

Question 3

State the function of the pancreas?

Answer 3

Used to regulate the blood glucose level and produces the hormone insulin.

Question 4

What does insulin do?

Answer 4

It decreases the blood glucose levels when it gets too high.

Question 5

Describes the process of how insulin decreases the blood glucose levels.

Answer 5

1. After a meal containing carbohydrate, a person’s blood glucose level rises and this is detected by the pancreas.
2. The pancreas responds by producing insulin, which is secreted into the blood.
3. Insulin causes blood cells to take up more glucose from the blood. Cells in the liver and muscles take up glucose and convert it into a storage molecule called glycogen.
4. This causes the blood glucose level to fall.

Question 6

What does carbohydrate do?

Answer 6

Puts glucose into the blood.

Question 7

How is glucose removed from the blood?

Answer 7

By cells as they use it for energy (respiration).

Question 8

What happens if the blood glucose concentration gets too high?

Answer 8

The pancreas releases the hormone insulin.

Question 9

What can glucose be stored as and where is it converted into this molecule?

Answer 9

Can be stored as glycogen and is converted to glycogen in liver and muscle cells.

Question 10

What disease causes your body to not being able to control your blood sugar level?

Answer 10

Diabetes

Question 11

What is Type 1 diabetes?

Answer 11

Where the pancreas produces little or no insulin.

- This means a person’s blood glucose level can rise to a level that can kill them.

Question 12

How can Type 1 diabetes be controlled?

Answer 12

• Injections of insulin are needed throughout the day if you have Type 1 diabetes.
• The injections make sure that glucose is removed from the blood quickly after the food is digested.

Question 13

What is Type 2 diabetes?

Answer 13

Where a person becomes resistant to their own insulin.
- They still produce insulin, but their body cells don’t respond properly to it - causes a person’s blood sugar levels to rise to a dangerous level.

Question 14

What increases your chance of developing diabetes?

Answer 14

Being obese.

Question 15

How can Type 2 diabetes be controlled?

Answer 15

• By eating a carbohydrate-controlled diet, this is where the amount of carbohydrates eaten is carefully measured.
• By exercising regularly

Question 16

What harmful effects can large amounts of glucose in your blood have?

Answer 16

Can damage organs like the heart.