Question

What are the consequences of under-secretion of glucagon?

Answer 1

glucagon has the opposite effect of insulin, it is released when blood glucose levels are detected to be too low and stimulates the production and release of glucose into the blood by the liver. so under-secretion of glucose will result in hypoglycaemia. the brain requires glucose as its energy source as fatty acids (the main energy source of normal cell metabolism) do not cross the blood brain barrier and therefore do not get from the blood into the neurons. So low blood sugar means the brain lacks fuel causing fainting, irratabilty, irrationality, light headedness, vision problems, coma and death.