What is the role of insulin?

summary

Insulin is produced by the islets in the pancreas β A protein hormone secreted by cells stimulated by endogenous or exogenous substances such as glucose, lactose, ribose, arginine, glucagon, etc. Insulin is the only hormone in the body to reduce blood sugar, and promote the synthesis of glycogen, fat and protein. Exogenous insulin is mainly used in the treatment of diabetes. What is the specific role of insulin? Let's get to know.

What is the role of insulin?

Physiological function; The main physiological function of insulin is to regulate the metabolic process. On glucose metabolism: promote tissue cells to glucose uptake and utilization, promote glycogen synthesis, inhibit gluconeogenesis, reduce blood glucose; On fat metabolism: promote fatty acid synthesis and fat storage, reduce fat decomposition; For protein: promote amino acids into cells, promote all aspects of protein synthesis to increase protein synthesis. The total effect is to promote anabolism. Insulin is the only hormone in the body to reduce blood sugar, and also the only hormone to promote the synthesis of glycogen, fat and protein. The mechanism of action belongs to receptor tyrosine kinase mechanism.

Regulating glucose metabolism; Insulin can promote the uptake and utilization of glucose by cells in the whole body, and inhibit glycogen decomposition and gluconeogenesis. Therefore, insulin has the effect of reducing blood glucose. When the insulin secretion is excessive, the blood sugar drops rapidly, and the brain tissue is most affected. Convulsion, coma and even insulin shock may occur. On the contrary, insufficiencies of insulin secretion or lack of insulin receptor often lead to hyperglycemia; If it exceeds the renal glucose threshold, the glucose is excreted from the urine, causing diabetes; At the same time, changes in blood composition (including excessive glucose) also lead to hypertension, coronary heart disease and retinal vascular disease.

Regulating fat metabolism; Insulin can promote the synthesis and storage of fat, reduce the free fatty acids in blood, and inhibit the decomposition and oxidation of fat. Insulin deficiency can lead to disorder of fat metabolism, decrease of fat storage, enhancement of fat decomposition, and increase of blood lipid. For a long time, it can cause arteriosclerosis, and then lead to serious cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases; At the same time, the lack of insulin will lead to the body fat decomposition, the formation of a large number of ketones, ketoacidosis.

matters needing attention

In order to prevent the sudden drop of blood sugar and the loss of consciousness due to the lack of time to call for help, each patient should be given a card with the condition of the disease and the use of insulin, so as to seize the opportunity for timely rescue and treatment. The injection site may have skin redness, subcutaneous nodules and subcutaneous fat atrophy and other local reactions. Therefore, the injection site should be changed frequently. A few patients may develop insulin tolerance. At this time, the preparation of different animal species can be replaced or oral hypoglycemic drugs can be added.