Question

How do Glucoregulatory hormones allow us to maintain glucose concentrations during exercise?

Answer 1

Glucoregulatory hormones include insulin, glucagon, amylin, epinephrine, cortisol, etc. Their work is to regulate blood glucose level so that the cells continue to get sufficient amounts of glucose to produce energy for the body.

During exercise the plasma insulin and C-peptide concentrations decreased. The plasma glucagon increased slightly as the demand for glucose grew. The function of insulin and glucagon is opposite to each other. Insulin helps to convert excess blood sugar into glycogen to be stored in the liver cells. When there is scarecity of glucose in blood, the glucagon helps the liver to release the stored glycogen as glucose to meet the body's need. This is why during exercise, the blood insulin level goes down but the glucagon level rises.

These two hormones play a major role in maintaining the correct glucose concentration during exercise.