Question

What two hormones are most involved with energy storage and metabolism? Discuss the effects of each and when their levels rise and fall. ?

Answer 1

Insulin and glucagon are the two hormones most involved with energy storage and metabolism. Insulin helps control blood glucose levelsby signaling the liver and muscle and fat cells to take in glucose from the blood. Insulin therefore helps cells to take in glucose to be used for energy. If the body has sufficient energy, insulin signals the liver to take up glucose and store it as glycogen. On the other hand, the effect of glucagon is the opposite. Glucagon's role in the body is to prevent blood glucose levels dropping too low. It works to raise the concentration of glucose in the bloodstream by the converting stored glycogen.

The two hormones work in a negative feedback loop. During digestion, foods that contain carbohydrates are converted into glucose. Most of this glucose is sent into the bloodstream, causing a rise in blood glucose levels. This increase in blood glucose signals the pancreas to produce insulin. As time passes, the glucose levels in your blood decrease, triggering the pancreas to produce glucagon which signals the liver and muscle cells to change the stored glycogen back into glucose. These cells then release the glucose into your bloodstream so the other cells can use it for energy.