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Glucacin nurtures Kidney Yin and removes Kidney Deficiency Heat. It helps reduce the blood sugar levels by decreasing the glucagon secretion. It helps regulate the cellular response of the pancreatic islet alfa cells for glucagon release as well as the neural and hormonal responses of glucagon release. Glacier formula is also required to help bring down the fasting glucose levels by reducing chronic inflammation.
It helps reduce blood sugar levels by decreasing the stress hormones such as epinephrine, norepinephrine and cortisol that stimulate glucagon secretion, inhibit insulin secretion and attenuate insulin effects.
The blood sugar levels are regulated by insulin and glucagon secreted from the pancreas. The regulation of insulin and glucagon secretion involves the pancreatic islet cells, autonomic nervous systems and hormones. When blood sugar levels are high, it triggers insulin secretion from the beta cells to increase the glucose uptake by the liver, skeletal muscles, and adipose tissues. Low blood sugar levels trigger glucagon secretion by the alpha cells to increase glucose production and inhibit glucose uptake by the liver. Type 2 diabetes is a “bi-hormonal disorder.” The role of glucagon is as important as insulin. Increased glucagon release can counter the effects of insulin resulting in elevated blood sugar levels. Patients will experience persistent elevated blood sugar levels with blood sugar spikes after dinner even with insulin treatment.
1. Pancreatic Regulation of the Blood Sugar
The release of insulin from beta cells in response to increased blood glucose levels is controlled by its ATP-sensitive potassium (K+) and calcium ion (Ca2+) channels on the cell membrane. Low blood glucose levels cause low intracellular ATP levels and the K+ channels are open allowing K+ to be pumped out of cells. When glucose levels rise, ATP levels also increase causing closure of the K+ channels. This triggers a depolarization of the cell membrane which opens Ca2+ channels, causing an influx of Ca2+ and triggers insulin release to the outside.
The release of glucagon from alfa cells in response to decreased glucose levels is controled by its ATP-sensitive potassium (K+) and calcium ion (Ca2+) channels as well. High blood glucose levels cause high intracellular ATP levels and the K+ channels are open allowing K+ to be pumped out of cells. When glucose levels drop, the ATP levels are decreased causing closure of the K+ channels. This triggers a depolarization of the cell membrane which opens Ca2+ channels, causing an influx of Ca2+ and triggers glucagon release.
Over reaction of the alfa in response to decreased blood sugar levels can cause increased glucagon release resulting in high blood sugar levels leading to the development of type II diabetes.
2. Autonomic and Hormonal Regulation of the Blood Sugar
Autonomic nervous system and hormones also participate in the regulation of blood sugar levels. Hormones such as growth hormones stimulate insulin release. The parasympathetic nervous system which uses acetylcholine promotes insulin release. Epinephrine and sympathetic nervous systems inhibit insulin release. Epinephrine is also a powerful stimulant for glucagon secretion. Epinephrine activates β-adrenergic receptors on the alfa cells, increasing Ca2+ current and glucagon granules. Increased epinephrine and degreased growth hormone as well as decreased parasympathetic activity and increased sympathetic nerves activities can cause increased glucagon secretion and decreased insulin secretion causing high blood sugar levels and leading to the development of type II diabetes.
Hypoglycemia is dangerous and can be lifethreatening when blood sugar drop too low. The nervous system, hormones and pancreas work synergistically to prevent hypoglycemia from occurring. There are multiple glucosesensing neurons in the brain including the brainstem, cerebellum and the hypothalamus. Low blood sugar levels activate these neurons. The activated neurons further activate the sympathetic nerve that innervates the pancreatic islet and resulting in norepinephrine release near alpha cells and triggering glucagon secretion. The activated sympathetic nerve also stimulates the inner part of the adrenal gland to release epinephrine which inhibits insulin secretion and stimulates glucagon secretion.
Overactivation of the glucose‐sensing neurons, sympathetic nerves and adrenal gland can cause increased secretion of glucagon resulting in high blood sugar levels which can lead to the development of type II diabetes.
3. Regulation of the Blood Sugar from Stress Response
The body’s fight-or-flight response to stress also activates the sympathetic nervous system that directly triggers increased glucagon release to raise blood sugar levels to handle the emergency. At the same time, the sympathetic nervous system sends signals to the inner part of the adrenal glands to release epinephrine and epinephrine (adrenaline) levels which trigger further increased glucagon secretion. Stress response also causes increased cortisol levels. Cortisol is a steroid hormone in the glucocorticoid class that increases blood glucose by making the body tissues (muscle and fat) less sensitive to insulin (insulin resistance) so that more glucose is available in the blood stream. Cortisol also suppresses many body functions that are unnecessary for a fight-or-flight response including the immune system, food digestion, reproductive activities and growth processes.
The body has a quick response and a slow response system to stress. The immediate response involves sympathetic nerves sending signals to the inner part of adrenal glands to release epinephrine which inhibits insulin secretion and stimulates glucagon secretion to raise blood sugar levels and increase cardiac output, heart rate, and blood pressure to prepare the brain and muscles to handle the emergency. Such response is quick because it bypasses the cerebral cortex and does not involve the cognitive processes. After the danger has passed, the parasympathetic nervous system calms the body down by promoting the "rest and digest" process and insulin release is restored.
If the stress continues after the initial surge of epinephrine subsides, the cerebral cortex starts to get involved and cognition interprets the situation as a danger, the hypothalamus activates the second component of the stress response system, the HPA axis. This network consists of the hypothalamus, the pituitary gland, and the outer part of the adrenal glands. In this response, the hypothalamus releases corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH), which triggers the pituitary gland to release adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). ACTH triggers the outer part of the adrenal glands to release cortisol. The second response is slow due to the involvement of the cerebral cortex.
Overactivation of the stress response systems can cause chronic elevated glucagon and cortisol levels with decreased insulin release with insulin resistance resulting in increased blood sugar levels and the development of type II diabetes.
The elevated response to blood sugar levels with increased glucagon and other hormone release is referred to as Kidney Yin Deficiency with Kidney Deficiency Heat in TCM. Glucacin nurtures Kidney Yin and removes Kidney Deficiency Heat to help reduce glucagon release and blood sugar levels by regulating the alfa cell and the neural and hormonal response systems. Patients can experience blood sugar level reductions, especially the evening spiked levels after dinner, within 3 days. As chronic inflammation can cause insulin resistance with increased fasting glucose levels, Glacier is also required in combination with the Glucacin to reduce chronic inflammation and the resulting insulin resistance and elevated fasting glucose levels. Patients can experience reduced fasting glucose levels within 3 days. 2-4 weeks of treatment is required to bring the blood sugar levels into normal range.
Suggested Dosage: 3 capsules, 3 times a day
Ingredients: Fructus Corni, Fructus Schisandrae, Gypsum Fibrosum, Poria, Radix Astragali, Radix Ginseng, Radix Ophiopogonis, Radix Polygoni, Radix Puerariae, Radix Rehmanniae, Radix Scrophulariae, Radix Trichosanthis, Rhizoma Anemarrhenae, Rhizoma Coptidis, Rhizoma Dioscoreae
Pin Yin Name: Dihuang, Fuling, Gegen, Heshouwu, Huanglian, Huangqi, Maidong, Renshen, Shanyao, Shanzhuyu, Shigao, Tianhuafen, Wuweizi, Xuanshen, Zhimu
Additional Products That May be Required:
Glacier
Reference
1. Taborsky GJ Jr. The physiology of glucagon. J Diabetes Sci Technol. 2010 Nov 1;4(6):1338-44. doi: 10.1177/193229681000400607. PMID: 21129328; PMCID: PMC3005043. 2. Honzawa, N.; Fujimoto, K.; Kitamura, T. Cell Autonomous Dysfunction and Insulin Resistance in Pancreatic α Cells. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2019, 20, 3699. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms20153699
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