Glucagon is your body’s fat-burning hormone. It works opposite of insulin. When you’re not eating—like during sleep, fasting, or low-carb eating—glucagon tells your body to burn stored fat for energy. Learn how to turn it on naturally and feel your best.
🔬 What’s This Big Word All About?
Big words don’t scare us anymore. But if they still do, let’s shrink this one down:
- “Gluco” = sugar
- “Neo” = new
- “Genesis” = creation
So, why would I create a blog post about a word most people will never search for? Because I think if you’re lucky enough to stumble across this one, you can know what your body is doing, why it’s doing it, an how it’s doing it, and you can then manage the results you get from it. In my case, that losing over 44 lb (20 kg) since the beginning of the year, reducing my blood pressure into the normal range and making my diabetes and insulin resistance a thing that the old me put up with, for far too long.
So, it’s worth us learning one stupidly long word we’ll never use except when bragging to friends about how much weight we’ve lost, while still feeling mentally sharp and physically energetic all the time!
Anyway, put all three parts together and you get: “making new sugar.” That’s gluconeogenesis.
When I first heard it, it sounded like something from a science fiction movie. But now? It feels like one of my best health allies. Here’s why…
When you’re fasting (or just not eating for a while), some parts of your body still need a bit of sugar to keep going—especially your brain and red blood cells. That’s when gluconeogenesis kicks in.
Think of it like a backup generator. 💡
When the fridge isn’t plugged in, the generator hums to life—keeping everything running.
🧠 Why Your Body Still Needs Glucose (Even When You’re Not Eating)
You might wonder, “If I’m not eating sugar, how is my brain still working?”
I asked the same thing.
Here’s what I’ve learned:
🧠 Your brain can run on ketones, which come from fat. But it still needs just a little sugar to keep firing right.
💉 Red blood cells? They only run on sugar.
That’s why your body has a plan. It doesn’t wait for you to eat a cookie.
It makes sugar on its own—and it does it like a pro.
🔍 Fun Fact: You can fast for days—even weeks—and still think clearly. That’s gluconeogenesis working in the background, like a quiet superhero.
🥚 Where Does This “New Sugar” Come From?
No bread?
No fruit?
No problem.
Your body pulls from other stuff to make the sugar it needs:
- Amino acids 🥩 (from protein)
- Lactate 🏋️ (from your muscles after movement)
- Glycerol 🧈 (from breaking down fat)
Basically, your body says, “Relax—I’ve got this.”
And no, you’re not losing muscle.
That’s another myth. Your body knows what it’s doing—especially if your fast is short and you’re eating enough protein when you do eat.
💪 “The body is not dumb. It knows how to keep you alive and strong.”
🆚 Fasting ≠ Starving
Let’s get something straight:
Fasting is not starving.
Fasting is planned. Starving is not.
Fasting is short-term. Starving is long-term and dangerous.
Gluconeogenesis helps during fasting by keeping your blood sugar steady.
No crashes. No hunger craziness. Just clean, steady energy.
🧠 Tip: Many people, including me, feel sharper when fasting. Like brain fog just… disappears.
🌟 Why This Process is Actually GREAT for You
I didn’t believe this at first. But now I do.
Gluconeogenesis is one of your body’s secret weapons. Here’s why it matters:
✅ Keeps your blood sugar balanced
✅ Stops those dreaded energy crashes
✅ Helps burn fat (especially belly fat!)
✅ Protects your muscles
✅ Makes your metabolism more flexible
When your body can switch fuel sources easily, you feel more in control, more energized, and less hangry.
🔥 Your body’s a genius. Fasting lets it show off.
😟 What If You’re Worried About Muscle Loss?
I was too. I mean, who wants to lose hard-earned muscle?
But here’s the truth:
Your body doesn’t gobble up muscle just because you skipped breakfast.
In fact, it protects it—especially if you’re fat-adapted and eating well between fasts.
Only during extreme starvation—like many days with no food at all—would your body start breaking down muscle for fuel.
🧩 Quick Look:
Fat → Ketones = Brain Fuel
Fat → Glycerol = Glucose
✅ That’s healthy fasting, not panic mode.
🙌 How to Support Gluconeogenesis During Your Fast
If you want to help your body do this job even better, here’s what’s been working for me:
🥩 Eat enough protein during your eating windows
💧 Drink water (lots of it!)
🏃♂️ Ease into exercise if you’re new to fasting
🧘♀️ Rest when you need it
✅ Pro Tip: Feeling lightheaded? Don’t tough it out. Break your fast gently with protein and healthy fat.
💡 Trust Your Body’s Built-In Backup System
Here’s the thing I want you to take away from this:
Gluconeogenesis is not your enemy.
It’s your body’s secret plan to keep you running strong, clear, and focused—even when you’re not eating.
It’s the reason fasting doesn’t break you—it builds you.
✨ Final Thought: “Fasting doesn’t make your body panic—it helps your body prepare.”
🧠 ⭐ Bonus: Myth Buster Corner!
❌ Myth: Fasting makes your body eat your muscles!
✅ Truth: Your body protects your muscles and makes just enough sugar to keep you sharp and safe.
✅ CTA (Call to Action):
Want to make fasting work even better for you? Start by trusting your body. Then, give it the support it needs. Let gluconeogenesis do what it was designed to do—and watch your energy soar.
See you! 😊
Warmly,
Paul
