Insulin and its metabolic effects

Insulin and Its Metabolic Effects

Insulin was first isolated from the pancreas in 1922 by Banting and Best, and almost overnight the outlook for the severely diabetic patient changed from one of rapid decline and death to that of a nearly normal person.

Historically, insulin has been  associated with “blood sugar”, and true enough, insulin has profound effects on carbohydrate metabolism.

Yet it is abnormalities of fat metabolism, causing such conditions as acidosis and arteriosclerosis, that are the sual causes of death in diabetic patients.

 Also, in patients with prolonged diabetes, diminished ability to synthesize proteins leads to wasting of the issues as well as many cellular functional disorders.

Therefore, it is clear that insulin affects fat and protein metabolism almost as much as it does carbohydrate metabolism.

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