Research

Hormonal

Local thyroid hormone activation in skeletal muscle via D2 drives a shift from slow-twitch (Type I) to fast-twitch (Type II) fibers, increasing energy expenditure and influencing insulin sensitivity.

Skeletal muscle uses local thyroid hormone activation to adjust its metabolic profile. Higher local T3 levels promote fast-twitch fibers and increase energy expenditure through heat production and glucose uptake. This suggests that muscle-specific thyroid regulation plays a key role in metabolic flexibility and insulin sensitivity.

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High TH levels induce a shift from type I fibers (slow) to type II fibers (fast), which results in up-regulation of sarcoendoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ATPase, of glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) and of uncoupling protein 3 (UCP3) thereby producing heat and increasing energy expenditure.
Annunziata Gaetana Cicatiello et al. · Frontiers in Endocrinology · 2018

Why this rating

Supported by D2KO mouse models showing insulin resistance and fiber type shifts.

Source

Metabolic Effects of the Intracellular Regulation of Thyroid Hormone: Old Players, New Concepts

Annunziata Gaetana Cicatiello et al. · Frontiers in Endocrinology · 2018

DOI 10.3389/fendo.2018.00474

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DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

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