Blood Sugar Levels    back                           

The two organs that are involved in controlling the blood glucose(sugar) levels are:

 

THE PANCREAS (the one that looks like a leaf or a feather):

This has three roles:

1. It detects the glucose levels in the blood and secretes one of two hormones.

2. It produces the hormone INSULIN if sugar levels are too high

3. It produces the hormone GLUCAGON if sugar levels are too low.
 

THE LIVER

 

This is where the hormones (insulin and glucaon travel to).

Insulin causes the liver to convert the excess glucose in the blood into glycogen (glucose's storage form)

Glucagon causes the reverse to happen. The liver converts the stored glycogen (found in the liver) into glucose, which then travels around in the blood.

Click here to have a look at a 'simple' flow diagram showing how the body controls its sugar levels.

 

Click here to learn about DIABETES