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After we eat, the pancreas releases glucagon to convert incoming calories to energy. True or False?

User Pwas
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Final answer:

The pancreas does not release glucagon after we eat to convert calories to energy, but instead releases insulin to lower blood glucose levels. Glucagon is released when blood glucose levels are low, helping to increase them.

Step-by-step explanation:

The statement that the pancreas releases glucagon after we eat to convert incoming calories to energy is false. After consuming food, blood glucose levels rise, prompting the beta cells in the pancreas to secrete insulin, not glucagon. Insulin facilitates the uptake of glucose by cells and the conversion of excess glucose to glycogen in the liver, thereby lowering blood glucose levels to maintain homeostasis. Glucagon, on the other hand, is secreted by the alpha cells in the pancreas when blood glucose levels are low, such as between meals or during fasting. It promotes the breakdown of glycogen back into glucose in the liver to raise blood glucose levels, an effect that is opposite to that of insulin. Both insulin and glucagon are part of a negative-feedback system that stabilizes blood glucose levels.

User ZJR
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