Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas to help metabolize and use food to obtain energy throughout the body.This is a key biological function, so a problem with insulin can have a generalized effect on any or all tissues, organs and body systems.
Insulin is so important to health in general, and even survival, that when there are problems with the production or use of insulin, as with diabetes, supplementary insulin is often needed throughout the day.
In fact, in the case of type 1 diabetes, an autoimmune disease in which the body does not produce insulin, supplementary insulin is vital.Supplementary insulin is not always necessary to treat type 2 diabetes, in which insulin production is lower than normal and / or the body cannot use it efficiently, a condition called insulin resistance .1
If you have any type of diabetes, learning how the hormone works naturally in the body can help you understand why taking daily insulin injections or using a pump or insulin patch can be a key aspect of your treatment plan.It may be useful to be familiar with the participation of insulin in metabolism and the use of fats and proteins in the diet as well.
Supplementary insulin for type 1 diabetes and type 2 dibetes
How insulin occurs
Insulin is produced by the pancreas, an organ similar to a gland located in the duodenum curve (the first part of the thin intestine) just behind the stomach.The pancreas works as an exocrine gland and an endocrine gland.
The pancreas
The exocrine function of pancreas is basically helping with digestion.In the paper of endocrine gland, the pancreas produces insulin, as well as another hormone called glucagon.
Insulin is produced by beta cells specialized in the pancreas, which are grouped into groups called Langerhans islets.There are approximately one million islets in a healthy adult pancreas, which occupies about 5 percent of the entire organ.(Pancreatic cells produced by glucagon are called alpha cells) .1
What you should know about the different types of insulin
How insulin works
Insulin is energy storage hormone.After a meal, it helps cells to use carbohydrates, fats and proteins as necessary, and to store what remains (mainly as fat) for the future.The body breaks down these nutrients in sugar molecules, amino acid molecules and lipid molecules, respectively.The body can also store and reensate these molecules in more complex forms.1
Carbohydrate metabolism
Blood sugar levels increase when most foods are consumed, but increase faster and dramatically with carbohydrates.The digestive system releases glucose from food and glucose molecules are absorbed in the bloodstream.The increase in glucose levels tells the pancreas that insulin secrete to eliminate glucose from the bloodstream.
To do this, the insulina joins the receptorsof insulin on the surface of the cells, acting as a key that opens the cells to receive glucose.There are insulin receptors in almost all body tissues, including muscle cells and fats.