What is the primary action of insulin on blood glucose levels?

What is the primary action of insulin on blood glucose levels?

• A. Decreases glucose uptake in muscle
• B. Promotes glucose uptake in muscle and adipose tissue and inhibits hepatic glucose production
• C. Increases gluconeogenesis
• D. Stimulates glycogenolysis

Answer: (B)

Insulin works to lower blood glucose by acting as an anabolic signal after a meal. It promotes glucose uptake into muscle and adipose tissue, helping remove glucose from the bloodstream, and it also dampens the liver’s glucose production. In muscle and fat, insulin triggers the movement of GLUT4 transporters to the cell surface, allowing glucose to enter cells and be used for energy or stored. In the liver, insulin suppresses gluconeogenesis and glycogenolysis while encouraging glycogen synthesis, further reducing the amount of glucose released into the blood. So the best description is that insulin promotes glucose uptake in muscle and adipose tissue and inhibits hepatic glucose production. The other options describe actions that would raise blood glucose rather than lower it (decreasing uptake, increasing gluconeogenesis, or stimulating glycogenolysis).

Insulin works to lower blood glucose by acting as an anabolic signal after a meal. It promotes glucose uptake into muscle and adipose tissue, helping remove glucose from the bloodstream, and it also dampens the liver’s glucose production. In muscle and fat, insulin triggers the movement of GLUT4 transporters to the cell surface, allowing glucose to enter cells and be used for energy or stored. In the liver, insulin suppresses gluconeogenesis and glycogenolysis while encouraging glycogen synthesis, further reducing the amount of glucose released into the blood.

So the best description is that insulin promotes glucose uptake in muscle and adipose tissue and inhibits hepatic glucose production. The other options describe actions that would raise blood glucose rather than lower it (decreasing uptake, increasing gluconeogenesis, or stimulating glycogenolysis).