Insulin: Unlocking the Sugar Secrets

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Insulin In Demand
People often say: ”I have a low blood sugar and need to eat something.” This is attributed to insulin production. Common misconceptions may suggest that diabetics are the only victims that deal with insulin, when in fact all mammalians unknowingly deal with insulin production on a daily basis. Every form of glucose that the body takes in must be processed into a form that the body can use. One may think of insulin as a key that unlocks sugars (glucose). Without insulin, an accumulation of glucose builds up within the bloodstream, which inhibits energy production. Without insulin unlocking the sugars, the body is forced to find other energy sources; in laymen’s terms the body eats itself. In our current society, Type 2 Diabetes is becoming more prevalent. As obesity is on the rise, so is its positive correlation with Type 2 Diabetes. This condition, having been in the spotlight, has made way for more research about insulin, insulin production, and how to avoid this life-changing disease.
Insulin is a hormone that is produced within the pancreas. The pancreas contains three types of cells: α, β, and σ (Striegel, Hara, and Periwal 1). Alpha cells (α) produce a hormone called glucagon. Glucagon is the antidote of insulin, which means its function is not to decrease blood sugar levels, but to bring blood sugar levels back to normal. Beta Cells (β) secrete insulin. The delta cells (σ), which produce somatostatin, regulate both insulin and glucagon to stabilize the body’s energy amounts. According to Striegel, Hara and Periwal (2015), researchers from the Laboratory of Biological Modeling at the National Institute of Health in Bethesda, Maryland, and the Department of Medicine at the University of Chicago, these types...

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... that kill beta cells. Cytokines are another type of receptor that controls the life cycle of cells; they signal to the nucleus of the cell when to commence apoptosis (cell death). In many cases of pre-diabetes cytokine responses were premature, and resulted in unneeded cell death. If this technique of protection of islets was used it could potentially be used to prevent Type 2 Diabetes (1-9).
Insulin is an essential hormone that is used in everyday life. Through its ability to unlock glucose (sugars) into a form the body can use, insulin is essential to convert energy, and to regulate it. There can be more research conducted to pinpoint exactly what causes diseases such as diabetes with the many tools that scientists have today. With new and coming methods of research, the future is hopeful not only to diabetics but also others with life threatening conditions.

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