What is happening in the body?

Insulin

• Insulin is a hormone that is released from the pancreas into the blood.
• It lowers blood glucose by instructing cells of the body to take glucose out of the blood.
• Insulin also instructs the body to make and store fat.

Insulin is a hormone. Hormones are the chemical messengers of the body. When released they travel in the blood and give instructions to cells around the body.

Insulin is made in the pancreas. When the pancreas senses there is too much glucose in the blood it releases insulin. The insulin is then transported around the body and instructs cells to reduce the amount of glucose in the blood. Insulin tells the liver, muscles, and fat tissue to extract the glucose from the blood, and also tells the liver to stop making glucose.

In addition to lowering blood glucose insulin also tells the liver and fat tissue to make and store fat.

Insulin can be considered a blood glucose lowering and a fat storing hormone.