From Anabolic to Reponic: Reclassifying Insulin's Primary Metabolic Role.

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology
• Metabolic Science
• Physiology

Background:

• Insulin is commonly classified as an anabolic hormone, similar to testosterone.
• This classification overlooks insulin's primary role in energy storage and its contribution to metabolic diseases.
• A precise classification is needed to clarify insulin's function in pathophysiology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To challenge the traditional classification of insulin as primarily anabolic.
• To propose a new classification, 'reponic,' signifying energy storage.
• To analyze the association between insulin, testosterone, and metabolic health indicators.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of data from 2,910 U.S. adults from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2011-2018).
• Statistical examination of the relationship between insulin levels, testosterone levels, central adiposity, and dyslipidemia.

Main Results:

• Higher insulin levels correlated significantly with increased central adiposity and dyslipidemia.
• Higher testosterone levels, especially in males, were linked to a leaner phenotype.
• Testosterone's metabolic profile was found to be antagonistic to insulin's effects.

Conclusions:

• Insulin's primary physiological role is energy storage, supporting the proposed 'reponic' classification.
• The traditional anabolic classification obscures insulin's role in metabolic disease.
• Adopting the 'reponic' classification offers a clearer framework for understanding hyperinsulinemia and its consequences.