The concentration of sugar (glucose) in the body is controlled by the pancreas which produces a hormone called insulin.

If the concentration of glucose in the blood is too high, the pancreas releases insulin into the blood. This causes the body cells to absorb the glucose and so the amount in the blood is reduced.

If the concentration of glucose in the blood is too low the pancreas does not produce any insulin. This means that less glucose is absorbed by the cells and so the amount in the blood increases.

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The pancreas also produces a hormone called glucagon. It releases this when the level of glucose in the blood is low. It increases the sugar concentration in the blood by causing stored glycogen to be converted into glucose and released into the blood.

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Type 1 diabetes

Type 1 diabetes is a condition which causes the pancreas to stop producing enough insulin. This means that the level of glucose in the blood cannot be controlled properly. If the glucose level gets too high the results can be fatal.

It is possible to control the condition by insulin injections. Injections are usually taken before a meal and replace the insulin that can’t be made naturally. The result is that glucose is taken up by the liver as well as other tissues and the blood sugar concentration stays at a safe level.

People with this condition are also encouraged to pay attention to their how much they exercise and their diet. It’s important that they pay attention to the amount of sugar they eat or drink, including carbohydrates which are broken down by the body to form glucose.