How does the Body Control Glucose in the Blood?

To help understand diabetes, let’s look at how the body controls blood glucose in people without diabetes. The normal blood glucose level ranges between 3.5-7.8 mmol/l.

Where does glucose come from?

Glucose (a sugar) comes from foods that contain carbohydrate. Carbohydrate is another name for starch and sugar.

Starches are in foods such as bread, rice, pasta, grains, cereals and starchy vegetables, such as potatoes and corn.

Fruit, milk and yogurt contain natural sugars. Soft drinks, confectionery, cake and sweet biscuits contain added sugars.

The Glucose Journey – from food to fuel via the blood stream.

Follow glucose on its journey through the body. See how the body uses glucose for fuel.

Glucose starts its  journey as a carbohydrate food. When the food is eaten, it passes through the mouth, stomach and small intestine. All of these areas help to digest (break down) the food to glucose.

First Stop – Bloodstream The glucose is absorbed from the small intestine into the blood stream. The blood stream carries the glucose to its next stop, all the body’s cells, particularly muscles, the brain and the liver.

Second Stop – Muscle, brain... The glucose can only enter the cells with the help of insulin, a hormone which is made in the pancreas.

Third Stop - Cells... As the blood glucose level rises after eating, the pancreas releases insulin into the blood stream. Insulin travels to the cells, where it works to allow glucose to enter the cells. Glucose is also directed to the liver to be stored for later use. Between meals and overnight our body can draw on the stored glucose for energy.

Final Destination - Fuel

• Once inside the cells, glucose completes its journey to provide fuel for energy.
• With this fuel, the body is able to perform everyday tasks.

What happens in the body with diabetes?

Diabetes develops when the pancreas stops producing insulin (type 1 diabetes) or when the body does not respond properly to insulin (type 2 diabetes)