Glucose Homeostasis and Starvation
Glucose Homeostasis: the balance of insulin and glucagon to maintain blood glucose.
Insulin: secreted by the pancreas in response to elevated blood glucose following a meal.
Insulin lowers blood glucose by increasing glucose uptake in muscle and adipose tissue and by promoting glycolysis and glycogenesis in liver and muscle.
Insulin:Glucagon Ratio: everything that happens to glucose, amino acids and fat in the well fed state depends upon a high insulin to glucagon ratio.
Glucagon: a fall in blood glucose increases the release of glucagon from the pancreas to promote glucose production.
Glucose Tolerance Test: evaluates how quickly an individual can restore their blood glucose to normal following ingestion of a large amount of glucose, i.e. measures an individuals ability to maintain glucose homeostasis