Is it true that...

[ejb3]

The liver stores Glucose as glycogen and if so, what would cause the release of that particular glycogen store to be released into the bloodstream? Just curious b/c ever since I have been eating a bedtime meal such as 1cup cottage cheese with 2tbls of natty pb I see that my glucose rises on waking. I'm assuming this might have to do with the process of gluconeogenesis which converts protein into glucose.

What I'm thinking is that the nightime snack is partially converted to gluclose by the liver(?) then stored as glycogen and maybe released at night which can increase blood glucose levels causing slin to be released by the body? (not in my case since I would adjust basal rates of slin pump which im doing)

When I asked my endo about this topic he didn't really seem to have much of a suggestion or, info pertaining to it other then "Don't eat protein before bed"...WTF...lol

Any point in the right direction would be appreciated...just trying to get a little feedback and/or possibly some information pertaining to why a protein snack would raise blood glucose levels.

[sonnygll]

Not true. Liver converts glucose into triglycerides. Cheese and a casein shake is usually what I eat.

A protein snack is only going to raise glucose, if it is a fast acting source such as whey, and is more than your body can use in it's short digestion period. Some of it will not digest, but some will convert to glucose. This is why you don't have a fast acting protein at bed time. You stick with a slow one that will give you a little at a time over several hours.

[InsaneInTheMembrane]

To add to what has been said,

When you don't typically eat before bed, your blood sugar is low in the morning because your glycogen stores have been providing glucose for your basal metabolism.

A protein/fat meal pre-bed may increase your glucose level in the AM, but perhaps not by the mechanism you suggested. It is indirect. A slow fat/protein meal will sustainably provide energy for your body to burn throughout the night...This would spare your body from releasing its glycogen stores and the sugar in your blood would be stable because your body has not gone into fasting mode and sucking your blood dry of sugars.

cheers

[MuscleScience]

The liver stores glucose as glycogen, when blood sugar is low the pancreas releases a hormone called glucagon. Glucagon causes the breakdown of stored glycogen in the liver to be released into the blood stream. Glucagon doenst not have an effect on muscle cells since they dont have a receptor for this particular hormone. The liver will also release Fatty acids, and break down some protein to create glucose in gluconeogenesis. Glucagon also has an affect on adipocytes causing them to release fatty acids for energy as well. However the brain can not use fatty acids as a fuel source so most of the glucose released at night is used by the brain. The brain can use ketone bodies for energy which it will do also if the body is in extreme fasting conditions.

[ejb3]

First off I would like to thank you all for the knowledge. I think I may have a better picture as to what may be happening.

I guess it just boils down to me dialing in my basal rate some more over the course of the night. Was just confused b/c before I started consuming cottage cheese and natty pb pre-bed my glucose on rising was in the 90-120 ballpark and ever since I have been eating pre-bed I rise in the 150-170 range.