The Obesity Epidemic: What Caused It? How Can We Stop It?

by Zoe Harcombe

When a non diabetic person consumes carbohydrate, insulin is released by the functioning pancreas. This has the role of: converting glucose to glycogen; facilitating the cellular uptake of glucose and converting excess glucose to fat. The lesser known hormone secreted by the pancreas is glucagon, which converts glycogen to glucose. Insulin and glucagon are working almost in equal and opposite ways to regulate blood glucose levels. When blood glucose levels rise, insulin is released to return blood glucose levels to normal. Insulin does this by turning the glucose in the blood stream into glycogen. The pancreas releases glucagon when blood glucose levels fall too low. Glucagon causes the liver to convert stored glycogen into glucose, which is released into the bloodstream.