Researcher discovers a muscle that can promote glucose and fat burning to fuel metabolism for hours [View all]

Last edited Thu Sep 22, 2022, 05:24 AM - Edit history (1)

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2022-09-muscle-glucose-fat-fuel-metabolism.amp

From the same mind whose research propelled the notion that "sitting too much is not the same as exercising too little," comes a groundbreaking discovery set to turn a sedentary lifestyle on its ear: The soleus muscle in the calf, though only 1% of your body weight, can do big things to improve the metabolic health in the rest of your body if activated correctly.

metabolism is the process by which oxygen is used to burn metabolites like blood glucose or fats, but it depends, in part, on the immediate energy needs of the muscle when it's working.

When the SPU was tested, the whole-body effects on blood chemistry included a 52% improvement in the excursion of blood glucose (sugar) and 60% less insulin requirement over three hours after ingesting a glucose drink.

In brief, while seated with feet flat on the floor and muscles relaxed, the heel rises while the front of the foot stays put. When the heel gets to the top of its range of motion, the foot is passively released to come back down. The aim is to simultaneously shorten the calf muscle while the soleus is naturally activated by its motor neurons.

Much more at link!

On edit: exercise is called the soleus pushup, in case anyone wants to look up videos.