Are diabetics unable to produce glucagon?!
Question: There are several different types of diabetes but the most commonly known ones are due to a defect in either the production or activation of insulin, rather than glucagon.
Diabetes mellitus type 1 is caused by an autoimmune disease that causes the beta cells of the pancreas which produce insulin to die. Since insulin is the hormone that reduces blood sugar levels, this results in hyperglycaemia. Diabetes mellitus type 2 is caused by an insensitivity of adipose tissue (fat cells) to insulin which results in the same symptoms (high blood sugar levels) though the cause is different. This is the one that the obese are more at risk of developing.
Glucagon is the hormone which antagonises or counteracts the effects of insulin ie it acts to raise blood glucose levels. Someone with an insufficiency of this will have very low blood sugar levels. Diabetics will often have high levels of this since it tries to lower hyperglycaemia.
There is also another type of diabetes known as diabetes insipidus (cranial and nephrogenic) which has similar symptoms to diabetes mellitus but entirely different causes and has nothing to do with hyperglycaemia and/or insulin/glucagon levels.
Answers: There are several different types of diabetes but the most commonly known ones are due to a defect in either the production or activation of insulin, rather than glucagon.
Diabetes mellitus type 1 is caused by an autoimmune disease that causes the beta cells of the pancreas which produce insulin to die. Since insulin is the hormone that reduces blood sugar levels, this results in hyperglycaemia. Diabetes mellitus type 2 is caused by an insensitivity of adipose tissue (fat cells) to insulin which results in the same symptoms (high blood sugar levels) though the cause is different. This is the one that the obese are more at risk of developing.
Glucagon is the hormone which antagonises or counteracts the effects of insulin ie it acts to raise blood glucose levels. Someone with an insufficiency of this will have very low blood sugar levels. Diabetics will often have high levels of this since it tries to lower hyperglycaemia.
There is also another type of diabetes known as diabetes insipidus (cranial and nephrogenic) which has similar symptoms to diabetes mellitus but entirely different causes and has nothing to do with hyperglycaemia and/or insulin/glucagon levels.
Its diabetics arent able to produce insulin :L
Glucagon levels may be measured in persons who show symptoms of mild diabetes, low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), unexplained weight loss, or a particular skin rash (necrolytic migratory erythema).
Glucagon is a hormone that is produced by cells in the pancreas. It helps to regulate blood sugar levels. As the level of blood sugar is decreased, the pancreas releases more glucagon, and vice versa. The hormone acts by stimulating the liver to release glucose.
In a rare syndrome, a pancreatic tumor can produce excess glucagon.
Glucagon is the stored glucose release triggered by the liver to prevent starvation. This is what causes Dawn Phenomenom problems for some of us. It is also why we are told to eat small meals frequently throughout the day.
there are two types of diabetes hypoglycemic (not enough sugar in body) and hyperglycemic ( too much sugar in the body)