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Muscle as Metabolic Sink

Meaning

Muscle as Metabolic Sink is a critical concept emphasizing the profound, systemic role of skeletal muscle tissue as the body’s primary site for peripheral glucose disposal and a major determinant of whole-body insulin sensitivity. This substantial tissue mass is physiologically responsible for taking up and storing a large percentage of ingested glucose, thereby significantly buffering acute postprandial blood sugar spikes. Clinically, maintaining and strategically increasing lean muscle mass is a crucial, non-pharmacological strategy for preventing insulin resistance and effectively mitigating the risk of metabolic syndrome. It functions as the body’s largest, most dynamic reservoir for carbohydrate energy.