Glucagon

What is glucagon?

  • Glucagon is a type of peptide hormone, produced by alpha cells of the pancreas.
  • Crucial function: to maintain stable blood sugar (glucose) level.
  • Glycogenolysis: stimulate the conversion of glycogen stored in the liver to glucose, in order to be released into the bloodstream.
  • Gluconeogenesis: promote the production of glucose from amino acid molecules.
  • It reduces glucose consumption by the liver so that as much glucose as possible can be secreted into the bloodstream to maintain blood glucose levels.

How it works?

  • A process called Glycogenolysis. After 4 – 6 hours of food intake, body’s blood sugar started to decrease, and it stimulates the pancreas to secrete glucagon. Glucagon enables the stored glycogen in muscle and liver convert to glucose, thus releasing to bloodstream as energy.

Why is it important?

  • Glucagon and insulin must linked together whenever either of them is mentioned, it is because both hormones work in balance to regulate blood sugar levels. If the level of one hormone is higher or lower than the ideal range, blood sugar levels may spike or drop.

    Insulin and glucagon help maintain a state called homeostasis in which conditions inside the body remain steady. When blood sugar is too high, the pancreas secretes more insulin. When blood sugar levels drop, the pancreas releases glucagon to raise them.

    This balance helps provide sufficient energy to the cells while preventing the nerve damage that can result from consistently high levels of blood sugar.

There are poses to help balancing the glucagon level in our body:

  1. Sirsasana (Headstand pose)

Supported Headstand (Salamba Sirsasana) - Yoga Journal

2. Half Spinal Twist Pose (Ardha Matsyendrasana)

Half Lord of the Fishes Pose (Ardha Matsyendrasana) - Yoga Journal3. Bhujangasana( Cobra pose)

Cobra Pose | Ekhart Yoga4. Dhanurasana (Bow Pose)

Bow Pose (Dhanurasana) - Yoga Journal5. Mayurasana(Peacock asana)

How to do Peacock Pose: Techniques, Benefits, Variations