Question

1. what is the normal level of glucose in the blood? why is this called a \set point\.

Explanation:

1. Normal Blood Glucose Level: The normal fasting blood glucose level (when not eating for at least 8 hours) is typically around 70 - 100 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) or 3.9 - 5.6 millimoles per liter (mmol/L). For non - fasting (random) blood glucose, it is usually less than 140 mg/dL (7.8 mmol/L).
2. Reason for being a "Set Point": The body's homeostatic mechanisms (like the actions of insulin and glucagon from the pancreas) work to maintain blood glucose at this relatively stable level. The "set point" refers to the target level that the body's regulatory systems aim to achieve and maintain. Deviations from this set point (either too high, like in diabetes, or too low, like in hypoglycemia) trigger physiological responses to bring the glucose level back to this normal range. For example, if blood glucose rises (after a meal), insulin is released to help cells take up glucose, lowering the blood level. If it drops (during fasting or exercise), glucagon is released to stimulate the liver to release stored glucose, raising the blood level. So, this level is the set point because the body's feedback mechanisms act to keep blood glucose close to this value, maintaining internal stability.

Answer:

• Normal blood glucose level (fasting): 70 - 100 mg/dL (3.9 - 5.6 mmol/L); non - fasting (random): < 140 mg/dL (7.8 mmol/L).
• It is a "set point" because the body's homeostatic mechanisms (e.g., insulin - glucagon regulation) act to maintain blood glucose near this level, resisting deviations to ensure internal stability.