Diabetes & Blood Sugar Test

Glucose, or dextrose as it is also called, is needed for the body’s cells to get enough energy to perform their normal functions. Glucose is also the body’s and brain’s main source of energy. The body strives to keep blood sugar at an even level. When you eat, the blood sugar level in the blood rises, and the pancreas then produces the hormone insulin, which acts as a key that opens the cells for the introduction of the sugar. When this happens, the blood sugar drops. When the blood sugar drops to an excessively low level, e.g. during intense physical exercise or prolonged fasting, the pancreas produces the hormone glucagon which stimulates the liver cells to release stored glucose into the bloodstream. When insulin production in the pancreas is insufficient or if the body’s cells have reduced sensitivity to insulin, blood sugar levels are too high. This is what happens in diabetes.