Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSide EffectsWhat Is Glucagon?How Do Insulin and Glucagon Work Together?Symptoms of High Blood SugarSymptoms of Low Blood SugarWhat Conditions Impact Insulin and Glucagon Levels?Summary
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Side Effects
What Is Glucagon?
How Do Insulin and Glucagon Work Together?
Symptoms of High Blood Sugar
Symptoms of Low Blood Sugar
What Conditions Impact Insulin and Glucagon Levels?
Summary
When you eat foods that contain sugar or carbohydrates, your blood sugar levels tend to rise.To keep your blood sugar level in check, a specific type of cell in your pancreas secretes insulin in response to any sugar or carbohydrates you eat.Insulin then lowers your blood sugar levels in several ways.
On the other hand, when your blood sugar levels drop too low, your pancreas releases the hormoneglucagon, which raises your blood sugar levels.
Some people, such as those with diabetes, are unable to produce or use insulin or glucagon effectively. In this case, healthcare providers prescribe insulin and glucagon as medications that people can take to help regulate blood sugar levels.
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What Is Insulin?
Insulinis a naturally occurring hormone in your body crucial for maintaining normal blood sugar levels. It mainly helps your muscle and fat cells take up sugars after you eat or drink.
However, if you havediabetes, you may need to takeinsulin as a medicationto keep your blood sugar levels under control.
The normal ranges for fasting insulin levels vary and include the following ranges: 5 to 13 microunits per milliliter (5 μU/mL to 13 μU/mL), less than or equal to 30 μU/mL, and 3 μU/mL to 28 μU/mL.
How Does Insulin Work
In healthy people, thepancreasreleases insulin in response to food ingestion, and the cells are sensitive to its effects.
However, in people with diabetes, the pancreas does not secrete insulin, or the cells are not sensitive to its effects.
The pancreas releases glucagon hormone into the bloodstream to raise blood sugar levels.Glucagon has several uses, including the following:
People with diabetes who take insulin are at an increased risk of low blood sugar levels. Glucagon might be prescribed along with insulin in case blood sugar levels drop too low.
If you have diabetes, those around you must know how to give you glucagon if you experience low blood sugar levels.
Normal blood glucagon levels are less than 50 picograms per milliliter (pg/mL).
How Does Glucagon Work?
In healthy individuals, glucagon acts on your liver to stimulate sugar production and break down stored sugar when your blood sugar is low.
However, in people with diabetes, post-meal glucagon levels may be higher.High glucagon levels paired with not enough insulin in diabetes contribute to excess sugar production in the liver. This causes high fasting blood sugar levels.
How Do Insulin and Glucagon Work Together to Control Blood Sugar?
The insulin and glucagon in your body counteract each other to maintain a stable blood sugar level.
In individuals without diabetes, high blood sugar promotes insulin release to lower blood sugar levels. On the other hand, low blood sugar promotes glucagon release, which raises your blood sugar levels.
In individuals with diabetes, taking insulin helps decrease and manage your blood sugar after meals. You may also need to take glucagon as a medication if your blood sugar levels drop too low.
Symptoms of high blood sugar levels include the following:
Symptoms of low blood sugar levels include the following:
Diabetes is the main condition that impacts the body’s ability to produce or use insulin and glucagon. The primary causes of diabetes vary depending on the type. In general, excess sugar in the blood over a prolonged period is one symptom of diabetes.
In diabetes, problems with how the body releases insulin and glucagon lead to high blood sugar levels.
Insulin and glucagon medications are available to aid in diabetes management, along with dietary changes and increasing exercise.
16 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Norton L, Shannon C, Gastaldelli A, DeFronzo RA.Insulin: the master regulator of glucose metabolism.Metabolism. 2022;129:155142. doi:10.1016/j.metabol.2022.155142Kolb H, Kempf K, Röhling M, Martin S.Insulin: too much of a good thing is bad.BMC Med. 2020;18(1):224. Published 2020 Aug 21. doi:10.1186/s12916-020-01688-6Rahman MS, Hossain KS, Das S, et al.Role of insulin in health and disease: an update.Int J Mol Sci. 2021;22(12):6403. Published 2021 Jun 15. doi:10.3390/ijms22126403Zeigerer A, Sekar R, Kleinert M, et al.Glucagon’s metabolic action in health and disease.Compr Physiol. 2021;11(2):1759-1783. Published 2021 Apr 1. doi:10.1002/cphy.c200013Graudins A, Lee HM, Druda D.Calcium channel antagonist and beta-blocker overdose: antidotes and adjunct therapies.Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2016;81(3):453-461. doi:10.1111/bcp.12763Bergsland E.Glucagonoma and the glucagonoma syndrome.Jia Y, Liu Y, Feng L, et al.Role of glucagon and its receptor in the pathogenesis of diabetes.Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2022;13:928016. Published 2022 Jun 16. doi:10.3389/fendo.2022.928016Lawrence MC.Understanding insulin and its receptor from their three-dimensional structures.Mol Metab. 2021;52:101255. doi:10.1016/j.molmet.2021.101255Hædersdal S, Lund A, Knop FK, Vilsbøll T.The role of glucagon in the pathophysiology and treatment of type 2 diabetes.Mayo Clin Proc. 2018;93(2):217-239. doi:10.1016/j.mayocp.2017.12.003MedlinePlus.Hyperglycemia.MedlinePlus.Hypoglycemia.Bisgaard Bengtsen M, Møller N.Mini-review: Glucagon responses in type 1 diabetes – a matter of complexity.Physiol Rep. 2021;9(16):e15009. doi:10.14814/phy2.15009Sweeting A, Wong J, Murphy HR, Ross GP.A clinical update on gestational diabetes mellitus.Endocr Rev. 2022;43(5):763-793. doi:10.1210/endrev/bnac003Horie I, Haraguchi A, Ito A, et al.Impaired early-phase suppression of glucagon secretion after glucose load is associated with insulin requirement during pregnancy in gestational diabetes.J Diabetes Investig. 2020;11(1):232-240. doi:10.1111/jdi.13096Carris NW, Magness RR, Labovitz AJ.Prevention of diabetes mellitus in patients with prediabetes.Am J Cardiol. 2019;123(3):507-512. doi:10.1016/j.amjcard.2018.10.032Brannick B, Dagogo-Jack S.Prediabetes and cardiovascular disease: pathophysiology and interventions for prevention and risk reduction.Endocrinol Metab Clin North Am. 2018;47(1):33-50. doi:10.1016/j.ecl.2017.10.001
16 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Norton L, Shannon C, Gastaldelli A, DeFronzo RA.Insulin: the master regulator of glucose metabolism.Metabolism. 2022;129:155142. doi:10.1016/j.metabol.2022.155142Kolb H, Kempf K, Röhling M, Martin S.Insulin: too much of a good thing is bad.BMC Med. 2020;18(1):224. Published 2020 Aug 21. doi:10.1186/s12916-020-01688-6Rahman MS, Hossain KS, Das S, et al.Role of insulin in health and disease: an update.Int J Mol Sci. 2021;22(12):6403. Published 2021 Jun 15. doi:10.3390/ijms22126403Zeigerer A, Sekar R, Kleinert M, et al.Glucagon’s metabolic action in health and disease.Compr Physiol. 2021;11(2):1759-1783. Published 2021 Apr 1. doi:10.1002/cphy.c200013Graudins A, Lee HM, Druda D.Calcium channel antagonist and beta-blocker overdose: antidotes and adjunct therapies.Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2016;81(3):453-461. doi:10.1111/bcp.12763Bergsland E.Glucagonoma and the glucagonoma syndrome.Jia Y, Liu Y, Feng L, et al.Role of glucagon and its receptor in the pathogenesis of diabetes.Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2022;13:928016. Published 2022 Jun 16. doi:10.3389/fendo.2022.928016Lawrence MC.Understanding insulin and its receptor from their three-dimensional structures.Mol Metab. 2021;52:101255. doi:10.1016/j.molmet.2021.101255Hædersdal S, Lund A, Knop FK, Vilsbøll T.The role of glucagon in the pathophysiology and treatment of type 2 diabetes.Mayo Clin Proc. 2018;93(2):217-239. doi:10.1016/j.mayocp.2017.12.003MedlinePlus.Hyperglycemia.MedlinePlus.Hypoglycemia.Bisgaard Bengtsen M, Møller N.Mini-review: Glucagon responses in type 1 diabetes – a matter of complexity.Physiol Rep. 2021;9(16):e15009. doi:10.14814/phy2.15009Sweeting A, Wong J, Murphy HR, Ross GP.A clinical update on gestational diabetes mellitus.Endocr Rev. 2022;43(5):763-793. doi:10.1210/endrev/bnac003Horie I, Haraguchi A, Ito A, et al.Impaired early-phase suppression of glucagon secretion after glucose load is associated with insulin requirement during pregnancy in gestational diabetes.J Diabetes Investig. 2020;11(1):232-240. doi:10.1111/jdi.13096Carris NW, Magness RR, Labovitz AJ.Prevention of diabetes mellitus in patients with prediabetes.Am J Cardiol. 2019;123(3):507-512. doi:10.1016/j.amjcard.2018.10.032Brannick B, Dagogo-Jack S.Prediabetes and cardiovascular disease: pathophysiology and interventions for prevention and risk reduction.Endocrinol Metab Clin North Am. 2018;47(1):33-50. doi:10.1016/j.ecl.2017.10.001
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Norton L, Shannon C, Gastaldelli A, DeFronzo RA.Insulin: the master regulator of glucose metabolism.Metabolism. 2022;129:155142. doi:10.1016/j.metabol.2022.155142Kolb H, Kempf K, Röhling M, Martin S.Insulin: too much of a good thing is bad.BMC Med. 2020;18(1):224. Published 2020 Aug 21. doi:10.1186/s12916-020-01688-6Rahman MS, Hossain KS, Das S, et al.Role of insulin in health and disease: an update.Int J Mol Sci. 2021;22(12):6403. Published 2021 Jun 15. doi:10.3390/ijms22126403Zeigerer A, Sekar R, Kleinert M, et al.Glucagon’s metabolic action in health and disease.Compr Physiol. 2021;11(2):1759-1783. Published 2021 Apr 1. doi:10.1002/cphy.c200013Graudins A, Lee HM, Druda D.Calcium channel antagonist and beta-blocker overdose: antidotes and adjunct therapies.Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2016;81(3):453-461. doi:10.1111/bcp.12763Bergsland E.Glucagonoma and the glucagonoma syndrome.Jia Y, Liu Y, Feng L, et al.Role of glucagon and its receptor in the pathogenesis of diabetes.Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2022;13:928016. Published 2022 Jun 16. doi:10.3389/fendo.2022.928016Lawrence MC.Understanding insulin and its receptor from their three-dimensional structures.Mol Metab. 2021;52:101255. doi:10.1016/j.molmet.2021.101255Hædersdal S, Lund A, Knop FK, Vilsbøll T.The role of glucagon in the pathophysiology and treatment of type 2 diabetes.Mayo Clin Proc. 2018;93(2):217-239. doi:10.1016/j.mayocp.2017.12.003MedlinePlus.Hyperglycemia.MedlinePlus.Hypoglycemia.Bisgaard Bengtsen M, Møller N.Mini-review: Glucagon responses in type 1 diabetes – a matter of complexity.Physiol Rep. 2021;9(16):e15009. doi:10.14814/phy2.15009Sweeting A, Wong J, Murphy HR, Ross GP.A clinical update on gestational diabetes mellitus.Endocr Rev. 2022;43(5):763-793. doi:10.1210/endrev/bnac003Horie I, Haraguchi A, Ito A, et al.Impaired early-phase suppression of glucagon secretion after glucose load is associated with insulin requirement during pregnancy in gestational diabetes.J Diabetes Investig. 2020;11(1):232-240. doi:10.1111/jdi.13096Carris NW, Magness RR, Labovitz AJ.Prevention of diabetes mellitus in patients with prediabetes.Am J Cardiol. 2019;123(3):507-512. doi:10.1016/j.amjcard.2018.10.032Brannick B, Dagogo-Jack S.Prediabetes and cardiovascular disease: pathophysiology and interventions for prevention and risk reduction.Endocrinol Metab Clin North Am. 2018;47(1):33-50. doi:10.1016/j.ecl.2017.10.001
Norton L, Shannon C, Gastaldelli A, DeFronzo RA.Insulin: the master regulator of glucose metabolism.Metabolism. 2022;129:155142. doi:10.1016/j.metabol.2022.155142
Kolb H, Kempf K, Röhling M, Martin S.Insulin: too much of a good thing is bad.BMC Med. 2020;18(1):224. Published 2020 Aug 21. doi:10.1186/s12916-020-01688-6
Rahman MS, Hossain KS, Das S, et al.Role of insulin in health and disease: an update.Int J Mol Sci. 2021;22(12):6403. Published 2021 Jun 15. doi:10.3390/ijms22126403
Zeigerer A, Sekar R, Kleinert M, et al.Glucagon’s metabolic action in health and disease.Compr Physiol. 2021;11(2):1759-1783. Published 2021 Apr 1. doi:10.1002/cphy.c200013
Graudins A, Lee HM, Druda D.Calcium channel antagonist and beta-blocker overdose: antidotes and adjunct therapies.Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2016;81(3):453-461. doi:10.1111/bcp.12763
Bergsland E.Glucagonoma and the glucagonoma syndrome.
Jia Y, Liu Y, Feng L, et al.Role of glucagon and its receptor in the pathogenesis of diabetes.Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2022;13:928016. Published 2022 Jun 16. doi:10.3389/fendo.2022.928016
Lawrence MC.Understanding insulin and its receptor from their three-dimensional structures.Mol Metab. 2021;52:101255. doi:10.1016/j.molmet.2021.101255
Hædersdal S, Lund A, Knop FK, Vilsbøll T.The role of glucagon in the pathophysiology and treatment of type 2 diabetes.Mayo Clin Proc. 2018;93(2):217-239. doi:10.1016/j.mayocp.2017.12.003
MedlinePlus.Hyperglycemia.
MedlinePlus.Hypoglycemia.
Bisgaard Bengtsen M, Møller N.Mini-review: Glucagon responses in type 1 diabetes – a matter of complexity.Physiol Rep. 2021;9(16):e15009. doi:10.14814/phy2.15009
Sweeting A, Wong J, Murphy HR, Ross GP.A clinical update on gestational diabetes mellitus.Endocr Rev. 2022;43(5):763-793. doi:10.1210/endrev/bnac003
Horie I, Haraguchi A, Ito A, et al.Impaired early-phase suppression of glucagon secretion after glucose load is associated with insulin requirement during pregnancy in gestational diabetes.J Diabetes Investig. 2020;11(1):232-240. doi:10.1111/jdi.13096
Carris NW, Magness RR, Labovitz AJ.Prevention of diabetes mellitus in patients with prediabetes.Am J Cardiol. 2019;123(3):507-512. doi:10.1016/j.amjcard.2018.10.032
Brannick B, Dagogo-Jack S.Prediabetes and cardiovascular disease: pathophysiology and interventions for prevention and risk reduction.Endocrinol Metab Clin North Am. 2018;47(1):33-50. doi:10.1016/j.ecl.2017.10.001
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