Glucagon
Glucagon
Glucagon: Your Body's Emergency Glucose Generator
Glucagon is a hormone your pancreas releases when your blood sugar crashes too low. Think of it as your body's emergency glucose factory—when insulin has done its job bringing blood sugar down and things get too quiet, glucagon springs into action to bring levels back up. Doctors also use it as an emergency injection for severe low blood sugar situations where someone can't eat or drink safely.
Here's how it works: when glucagon hits your bloodstream, it primarily targets your liver like a foreman shouting orders at a warehouse. Your liver responds by breaking down stored glucose (called glycogen) and manufacturing brand-new glucose from raw materials, quickly pushing blood sugar back up where it needs to be. It's like having an emergency backup power generator kick on automatically.
But glucagon does more than just manage glucose. It also tells your fat cells to release their stored energy and your liver to burn fat for fuel, which is why newer medications that activate glucagon receptors alongside other hormones are being studied for weight loss. Your body normally keeps insulin and glucagon in careful balance—insulin stores energy when you've eaten, glucagon releases it when you need it. When this system gets out of whack in diabetes, blood sugar spirals, which is why controlling glucagon has become a key target for modern metabolic drugs.
Dosage Information
Typical Dose
1 mg for hypoglycemia emergency
Frequency
As needed for hypoglycemia
Administration
Intramuscular, subcutaneous, or intranasal (Baqsimi)
Half-Life
3–6 minutes
Notes
Primarily used as emergency treatment for severe hypoglycemia. Intranasal formulation (Baqsimi) available without injection for emergency use. Not used for metabolic optimization — serves as mechanistic reference for multi-agonist peptide therapeutics.
Why this matters
Extremely short; used in emergency hypoglycemia rescue.
Protocol cycle
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Where does Glucagon sit?
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Evidence Score
0.73
Compound Data
Molecular Formula
C153H225N43O49S
Molecular Weight
3482.70 g/mol
IUPAC Name
(3S)-3-[[(2S)-5-amino-2-[[(2S)-2-[[(2S)-2-[[(2S)-2-[[(2S)-2-[[(2S)-2-[[(2S)-2-[[(2S)-2-[[(2S)-6-amino-2-[[(2S)-2-[[(2S)-2-[[(2S)-2-[[(2S)-2-[[(2S,3R)-2-[[(2S)-2-[[(2S,3R)-2-[[2-[[(2S)-5-amino-2-[[(2S)-2-[[(2S)-2-amino-3-(1H-imidazol-5-yl)propanoyl]amino]-3-hydroxypropanoyl]amino]-5-oxopentanoyl]amino]acetyl]amino]-3-hydroxybutanoyl]amino]-3-phenylpropanoyl]amino]-3-hydroxybutanoyl]amino]-3-hydroxypropanoyl]amino]-3-carboxypropanoyl]amino]-3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)propanoyl]amino]-3-hydroxypropanoyl]amino]hexanoyl]amino]-3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)propanoyl]amino]-4-methylpentanoyl]amino]-3-carboxypropanoyl]amino]-3-hydroxypropanoyl]amino]-5-carbamimidamidopentanoyl]amino]-5-carbamimidamidopentanoyl]amino]propanoyl]amino]-5-oxopentanoyl]amino]-4-[[(2S)-1-[[(2S)-1-[[(2S)-5-amino-1-[[(2S)-1-[[(2S)-1-[[(2S)-1-[[(2S)-4-amino-1-[[(1S,2R)-1-carboxy-2-hydroxypropyl]amino]-1,4-dioxobutan-2-yl]amino]-4-methylsulfanyl-1-oxobutan-2-yl]amino]-4-methyl-1-oxopentan-2-yl]amino]-3-(1H-indol-3-yl)-1-oxopropan-2-yl]amino]-1,5-dioxopentan-2-yl]amino]-3-methyl-1-oxobutan-2-yl]amino]-1-oxo-3-phenylpropan-2-yl]amino]-4-oxobutanoic acid
PubChem CID
16132283Potential Side Effects
Glucagon discussions
Quick Facts
- Administration
- Intramuscular, subcutaneous, or intranasal (Baqsimi)
- Typical Dose
- 1 mg for hypoglycemia emergency
- Frequency
- As needed for hypoglycemia
- References
- 0 curated + 53 from PubMed
- Clinical Trials
- 83 registered
- Evidence Score
- 0.7 / 100
Frequently Asked Questions about Glucagon
What is Glucagon?
Glucagon is a 29-amino-acid peptide hormone produced by alpha cells of the pancreatic islets of Langerhans that acts as the primary counter-regulatory hormone to insulin. It is FDA-approved for emergency treatment of severe hypoglycemia and as a diagnostic agent in GI imaging. Glucagon is fundamental to understanding glucose homeostasis and serves as a key mechanistic reference for the dual GIP/GLP-1 and glucagon receptor agonist class of metabolic peptides under development. New generation multi-agonist compounds targeting both GLP-1 and glucagon receptors show enhanced fat loss beyond single GLP-1 agonism.
How does Glucagon work?
Glucagon acts through the glucagon receptor (GCGR) — a G-protein-coupled receptor coupled to adenylyl cyclase — primarily expressed in the liver. Receptor activation rapidly stimulates glycogenolysis (glycogen breakdown) and gluconeogenesis (new glucose synthesis) in hepatocytes raising blood glucose. Glucagon also stimulates hepatic fatty acid oxidation and ketone body production. In the cardiovascular system glucagon has positive inotropic and chronotropic effects through cardiac GCGR expression. In adipose tissue glucagon stimulates lipolysis contributing to fat mobilization. The opposing actions of insulin and glucagon create the hormonal balance that maintains glucose homeostasis. In obesity and type 2 diabetes glucagon secretion is inappropriately elevated worsening hyperglycemia — suppression of glucagon is one mechanism by which GLP-1 receptor agonists improve glycemic control.
What is the recommended dosage for Glucagon?
The typical dose is 1 mg for hypoglycemia emergency. As needed for hypoglycemia. Administration: Intramuscular, subcutaneous, or intranasal (Baqsimi). Primarily used as emergency treatment for severe hypoglycemia. Intranasal formulation (Baqsimi) available without injection for emergency use. Not used for metabolic optimization — serves as mechanistic reference for multi-agonist peptide therapeutics.
What are the side effects of Glucagon?
Nausea and vomiting (common). Tachycardia (common). Hypertension (uncommon). Hyperglycemia following hypoglycemia treatment (expected)
What is the Glucagon cycle protocol?
Glucagon is typically cycled as needed. Emergency use only for severe hypoglycemia
Questions reflect common community inquiries. This is not medical advice.