Starvation their normal body weight. Once the loss reaches 40% death is almost inevitable. Under normal metabolic conditions, the human body relies on free blood glucose as its primary energy source. The level of blood sugar is tightly regulated; as blood glucose is consumed, the pancreas releases glucagon, a hormone that stimulates the liver to convert stored glycogen into glucose. The glycogen stores are ordinarily replenished after every meal, but if the store is depleted before it can be replenished, the body enters hypoglycemia, and begins the starvation response. After the exhaustion of the glycogen reserve, and for the next 2–3
Glycogen synthase protein phosphatase 1 (PP1), which activates glycogen synthase via dephosphorylation. PP1 is targeted to the glycogen pellet by four targeting subunits, G, G, PTG and R6. These regulatory enzymes are regulated by insulin and glucagon signaling pathways. Mutations in the "GYS1" gene are associated with glycogen storage disease type 0. In humans, defects in the tight control of glucose uptake and utilization are also associated with diabetes and hyperglycemia. Patients with type 2 diabetes normally exhibit low glycogen storage levels because of impairments in insulin-stimulated glycogen synthesis and suppression of glycogenolysis. Insulin stimulates glycogen synthase by inhibiting glycogen synthase kinases