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How does insulin work?

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Quick answer

Insulin is a hormone that lets your body use sugar for energy. After you eat, it signals cells to absorb glucose from the blood, keeping blood sugar in a healthy range. Without enough insulin, sugar builds up — the basis of diabetes.

Step by step

  1. Insulin is a hormone made by the pancreas.
  2. It acts like a key, letting cells take in glucose from the blood.
  3. This lowers blood sugar and stores energy for later.
  4. Too little insulin (or resistance to it) causes diabetes.

People also ask

What does insulin do in the body?
It signals cells to absorb glucose from the blood, lowering blood sugar and supplying cells with energy.
What happens without enough insulin?
Glucose can't enter cells properly, so it builds up in the blood — the core problem in diabetes.
Where is insulin made?
In the pancreas, by clusters of cells called the islets of Langerhans.