Insulin is one of the hormones vital for the proper functioning of our body. It greatly affects our metabolism, as well as other functions of our body systems. However, its primary purpose is to ensure that our body cells will absorb and use glucose from our bloodstream. Through the help of insulin, the glucose that is absorbed by the body from the food that we consume is stored as “glycogen” in our liver and our muscles. As a result, our body will stop using fat as its energy source.
If you want to keep your body full of energy and if you want to make sure that you can maintain your weight within your ideal level, then you ought to make sure that you can maintain blood sugar stability. A healthy sugar level is also important in the prevention of other body imbalances.
The food we consume contains the natural form of sugar - Glucose. Glucose is one of the most essential food elements that are needed by our body, especially our brain. All of the cells in our body need it in order to produce energy that we consume on a daily basis as we perform our day to day activities. To make sure that the body functions perfectly, we need to have just the right amount of glucose in our cells.
If we have inadequate amount of glucose in our body, we might lose consciousness and end up in coma. With a very low sugar level in our blood, our body cannot function well. We can lose energy and feel tired easily. In addition to that, we will also end up irritable. Low sugar level can also result to headaches, stomachaches, and digestive problems. In contrast, if we have an excessive amount of glucose, such will be transformed into body fuel or body fat that may clog up our arteries and veins.
Every time the level of glucose increases in our bloodstream, our pancreas produces and excretes insulin. In this sense, insulin transports glucose from the blood into our body cells so energy can be produced. In simple terms, the hormone insulin is responsible for controlling our sugar levels in order to promote fat build-up in our veins. However, if the cells are already gorged with too much fat or if the veins and arteries are already clogged, then the efficiency of insulin in controlling our sugar levels is also minimized. As a result, we end up having low energy levels. In some cases, diabetes mellitus occurs. This is often the result of consuming too many fat-rich foods while having a very inactive lifestyle.
Aside from having fatty build up in our veins, insulin imbalance may have other negative effects in our body. If the level of hormone insulin in our body is quite low, the glucose that we consumed from our food will not be absorbed by our cells. As a result, lipids from adipose tissues will be transported to the liver and such will be used as an energy resource. When this insufficiency in insulin happens, other body systems that use the insulin as a central control signal also dysfunctions. In contrast, insulin imbalance in the form of hypoglycaemia (excessive insulin production) can lead to fast pulse, poor concentration, irritability, dizziness, and various diseases in the pancreas.