Video Transcript
Which of the following activities
will increase a person’s blood glucose level? (A) Going for a long walk, (B)
eating a large meal, (C) sprinting 100 meters, or (D) sleeping eight hours.
This question asks us to identify
an activity that will increase a person’s blood glucose level. Blood glucose level refers to the
amount of free glucose in the bloodstream, which is regulated by the pancreas. Do you know why blood glucose
levels and their regulation is important?
Glucose is the main source of
energy in the human body as it is metabolized during cellular respiration. This process releases the energy
stored within the bonds of the glucose molecule and transfers this energy to the
bonds of ATP, which is often referred to as the energy currency of cells. The energy stored in ATP can be
released and used for chemical reactions. Now, let’s discuss some activities
that might alter blood glucose levels.
It makes sense that when cells
require more energy, they will require more glucose. Therefore, when a person is
exercising, or engaging in activities that require more energy, their blood glucose
levels will decrease. When this occurs, the pancreas
secretes a hormone called glucagon to help raise blood glucose levels. This stimulates the breakdown of
glycogen in the liver. Can you guess what type of molecule
glycogen stores? Glucose.
Another way of increasing blood
glucose levels is ingesting a meal high in carbohydrates. Foods such as sweets, pasta, and
bread will contain a lot of glucose. Once digested and absorbed, this
will cause the levels of glucose in the blood to rise. If the blood glucose level remains
high, it can have a range of negative impacts on health, including damage to blood
vessels.
To combat the negative effects of
high blood glucose, the pancreas can release a second hormone called insulin. This will cause the body cells to
take up free glucose from the bloodstream. It will also stimulate liver cells
to start storing free glucose as glycogen. Ultimately, these effects will help
to lower blood glucose levels back to the optimum.
Now that we have reviewed some of
the causes of changes in blood glucose levels, let’s take another look at our
question. We are asked which of the following
activities will increase a person’s blood glucose level. So, we are looking for a response
that either involves the hormone glucagon or the consumption of food. So, the correct answer to our
question is (B), eating a large meal.
