Pancreas

Insulin Response

The pancreas secretes insulin, a hormone which is critical to the metabolism of glucose (blood sugar). Insulin continues to be produced in sufficient quantities in older adults but their muscle cells may become less sensitive to the effects of insulin (probably due to a loss in the number of insulin receptor sites in the cell wall). After age 50, the "normal" fasting glucose level rises 6 to 14 milligrams per deciliter every 10 years. Adult onset diabetes or Type II diabetes occurs when the body develops resistance to insulin. It is usually managed through diet, exercise, and oral hypoglycemic medications. Sometimes people stop producing insulin and then insulin injections are needed. A number of studies indicate that adult onset diabetes is related to obesity and inactivity.