Glucose is a form of sugar found in the blood. Cells use glucose as a source of energy, but too much or too little can cause serious health issues. So, the body uses the hormone insulin to regulate glucose in the blood.

Question

Insulin helps maintain glucose levels in the blood. If blood glucose levels got very high, what would you expect to see happen to insulin levels?

Insulin levels would decrease.

Insulin levels would increase.

Insulin levels would not change.

Answer 1

If blood glucose levels are very high, you would expect to see insulin levels increase. Insulin is released by the pancreas in response to elevated blood glucose levels to help lower those levels by facilitating the uptake of glucose into cells and promoting its storage as glycogen. Therefore, the correct answer is:

Insulin levels would increase.