Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Hypoglycemia and Glucagon01:15

Hypoglycemia and Glucagon

Without prolonged fasting, healthy individuals maintain blood glucose levels above 3.5 mM due to a well-adapted neuroendocrine counterregulatory system that effectively prevents acute hypoglycemia, a potentially life-threatening condition. The primary clinical scenarios for hypoglycemia encompass diabetes treatment, inappropriate production of endogenous insulin or insulin-like substances by tumors, and the use of glucose-lowering agents in non-diabetic individuals. Notably, hypoglycemia in the...
Hyperglycemia01:29

Hyperglycemia

Hyperglycemia is an abnormally high blood glucose level. It is diagnosed by fasting glucose ≥126 mg/dL, 2-hour oral glucose tolerance test (or OGTT) ≥200 mg/dL, random glucose ≥200 mg/dL with symptoms, or HbA1c ≥6.5%. However, HbA1c results may be unreliable in certain conditions, such as anemia or hemoglobinopathies, and the diagnosis should be confirmed unless classic symptoms are present. Postprandial hyperglycemia is typically considered significant when glucose levels exceed 180 mg/dL two...
Diabetes Mellitus: Type 2 and Gestational01:22

Diabetes Mellitus: Type 2 and Gestational

Type 2 diabetes, characterized by insulin resistance, arises when the insulin receptors on cells lose responsiveness to insulin, diminishing the cell's capacity to take up glucose, resulting in elevated blood glucose levels. To receive a diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes, a series of blood glucose tests are necessary to assess whether the blood glucose falls within normal parameters. If the result is out of the normal range, a patient may be diagnosed as prediabetic or diabetic, depending on the...
Overview of Carbohydrate Metabolism01:19

Overview of Carbohydrate Metabolism

Carbohydrate metabolism is a fundamental biochemical process that ensures a constant supply of energy to living cells. The most important carbohydrate is glucose, which can be broken down via glycolysis to enter into the Krebs cycle and eventually lead to the production of ATP through oxidative phosphorylation.
Glucose transport into cells is facilitated by a family of transport proteins called GLUT (Glucose Transporters). GLUT4 is the primary glucose transporter for insulin-stimulated glucose...
Glucose Homeostasis: Regulation of Blood Glucose01:02

Glucose Homeostasis: Regulation of Blood Glucose

Carbohydrates consumed through foods are converted into glucose, a crucial energy source for the body. In the prandial state, high blood glucose levels stimulate the secretion of insulin from the pancreas. Insulin inhibits hepatic glucose production and stimulates glucose uptake and metabolism by muscle and adipose tissue. The excess glucose is converted into glycogen and stored in the liver and muscles.
During fasting, when blood glucose levels are low, the pancreas secretes glucagon. it...
Hormones Regulating Blood Glucose01:16

Hormones Regulating Blood Glucose

Insulin is released by beta cells of the pancreas when blood glucose levels are high. It facilitates glucose absorption and utilization in insulin-dependent cells with insulin receptors on their plasma membranes. Insulin promotes glucose uptake by increasing the number of glucose transport proteins in the cell membrane, allowing glucose to enter the cell. As a result, glucose utilization and ATP production are enhanced.
In addition to accelerating glucose uptake and utilization, insulin has...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

The history of IUBMB Life (1980-2020).

IUBMB life·2021
Same author

Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Is Associated With Arterial Distensibility and Carotid Intima-Media Thickness: (from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis).

The American journal of cardiology·2019
Same author

Primary Monoblock Inset Reverse Shoulder Arthroplasty Resulted in Decreased Pain and Improved Function.

Clinical orthopaedics and related research·2019
Same author

Midterm results of anatomic total shoulder arthroplasty with a third-generation implant.

Journal of shoulder and elbow surgery·2018
Same author

Engineering Monomeric Glycogenin.

TheScientificWorldJournal·2018
Same author

A Missing Step in Glycogen Synthesis.

TheScientificWorldJournal·2018

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 10, 2026

Randomized Controlled Trial to Study the Acute Effects of Strength Exercise on Insulin Sensitivity in Obese Adults
06:13

Randomized Controlled Trial to Study the Acute Effects of Strength Exercise on Insulin Sensitivity in Obese Adults

Published on: December 1, 2023

The glycemic response is a personal attribute.

William J Whelan1, Danielle Hollar, Arthur Agatston

  • 1Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33101, USA. wwhelan@miami.edu

IUBMB Life
|August 4, 2010
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Published Glycemic Index (GI) values may not accurately guide individuals seeking to manage blood sugar. Individual glycemic responses to foods vary significantly, making GI lists potentially misleading for controlling hyperglycemia.

More Related Videos

A Method for Manipulating Blood Glucose and Measuring Resulting Changes in Cognitive Accessibility of Target Stimuli
08:01

A Method for Manipulating Blood Glucose and Measuring Resulting Changes in Cognitive Accessibility of Target Stimuli

Published on: August 12, 2016

Characterization of Metabolic Status in Nonhuman Primates with the Intravenous Glucose Tolerance Test
06:59

Characterization of Metabolic Status in Nonhuman Primates with the Intravenous Glucose Tolerance Test

Published on: November 13, 2016

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 10, 2026

Randomized Controlled Trial to Study the Acute Effects of Strength Exercise on Insulin Sensitivity in Obese Adults
06:13

Randomized Controlled Trial to Study the Acute Effects of Strength Exercise on Insulin Sensitivity in Obese Adults

Published on: December 1, 2023

A Method for Manipulating Blood Glucose and Measuring Resulting Changes in Cognitive Accessibility of Target Stimuli
08:01

A Method for Manipulating Blood Glucose and Measuring Resulting Changes in Cognitive Accessibility of Target Stimuli

Published on: August 12, 2016

Characterization of Metabolic Status in Nonhuman Primates with the Intravenous Glucose Tolerance Test
06:59

Characterization of Metabolic Status in Nonhuman Primates with the Intravenous Glucose Tolerance Test

Published on: November 13, 2016

Area of Science:

  • Nutrition Science
  • Metabolic Health
  • Endocrinology

Background:

  • The Glycemic Index (GI) quantifies blood glucose changes after consuming carbohydrates relative to a standard.
  • Accurate glycemic control is crucial for managing blood sugar and body weight, and preventing hyperglycemia.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate if published Glycemic Index (GI) values sufficiently guide individuals in avoiding large glycemic responses.
  • To assess the reliability of GI values in predicting individual blood glucose fluctuations.

Main Methods:

  • Volunteers consumed four specific foods after overnight fasting.
  • Glycemic responses were measured over 2 hours by analyzing areas under the blood glucose/time curves (AUCs).
  • Individual AUCs were compared across testers for each food.

Main Results:

  • Significant inter-individual variability (up to 5-fold) was observed in glycemic responses to the same food.
  • Each participant exhibited unique, consistent glycemic responses to specific foods.
  • Published GI values, being relative and normalized, may not reflect actual individual AUCs.

Conclusions:

  • Published GI values alone are not fully informative for individuals aiming to control their glycemic response.
  • Reliance on GI lists without considering personal glycemic variability can be misleading for blood sugar management.
  • Understanding individual blood glucose response patterns is essential for effective dietary strategies.