Hormonal
Elevated intramyocellular lipid (IMCL) content in skeletal muscle is associated with insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes, particularly when this elevation results from high fat availability and low oxidative capacity rather than endurance training.
High levels of fat stored inside your muscles are not inherently bad; they are a fuel source for exercise. However, if you are sedentary and consume a high-fat diet, this fat accumulates without being used, which can impair your body's ability to use insulin. To mitigate this, prioritize physical activity to oxidize these fats rather than just restricting dietary fat.
IMCL content is highest in oxidative, type 1 muscle fibers... However, elevation of plasma fatty acid levels or dietary fat content also increases IMCL content, suggesting that skeletal muscle also stores fat simply if the availability of fatty acids is high. Under these conditions, the uptake into skeletal muscle may have negative consequences on insulin sensitivity.
Why this rating
The paper is a review citing multiple studies (biochemical, EM, MRS) showing consistent correlations, though causality is debated.
Source
Intramyocellular Lipid Content in Human Skeletal Muscle
Vera B. Schrauwen‐Hinderling et al. · Obesity · 2006
DOI 10.1038/oby.2006.47
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