With diabetes, glucose metabolism doesn’t work the same as it does in the body of a non-diabetic. It’s important because glucose metabolism is the way your body turns the foods you eat into energy that your body needs. If you have diabetes, glucose metabolism is either stopped or slowed down severely because your body isn’t producing any (or enough) insulin. Insulin is a hormone that the body needs to turn your glucose (blood sugar) into fuel for your cells. Let’s take a look at the diabetes/glucose metabolism relationship.

 

Blood Sugar Metabolism

 

Every time you eat something, your digestive system uses enzymes to break the food down into proteins, carbohydrates, amino acids, fats, and sugars. These digestive system byproducts are then absorbed into the bloodstream to be used as energy by your body’s cells.

Of all the byproducts, the most important is glucose, or blood sugar. After eating, the …