Insulin helps blood vessels relax better when the signal comes from the vessel lining, but not when the signal bypasses it—meaning insulin probably boosts the lining's ability to release a blood-vessel-relaxing chemical called nitric oxide.

38

Pro

0

Against

Evidence from Studies

Supporting (1)

38

Community contributions welcome

38

Insulin-mediated skeletal muscle vasodilation is nitric oxide dependent. A novel action of insulin to increase nitric oxide release.

Cross-Sectional Study

Human

1994 Sep

The study shows that insulin makes blood vessels respond better to a signal that tells them to relax using the body's natural nitric oxide system, but doesn’t make them more sensitive to the relaxing chemical itself, which supports the idea that insulin boosts the body’s ability to produce nitric oxide.

Contradicting (0)

0

Community contributions welcome

No contradicting evidence found

Gold Standard Evidence Needed

According to GRADE and EBM methodology, here is what ideal scientific evidence would look like to definitively prove or disprove this specific claim, ordered from strongest to weakest evidence.

Source Study

Insulin-mediated skeletal muscle vasodilation is nitric oxide dependent. A novel action of insulin to increase nitric oxide release.

Score: 38

DOI: 10.1172/JCI117433

Similar Assertions

In healthy adults, insulin doesn't make blood vessels relax more when nitric oxide is already at work — meaning insulin probably doesn't improve blood flow by boosting the muscle's response to nitric oxide.

38

0

87%

Insulin helps more blood flow to muscles in rats and people by using a substance called nitric oxide, which helps sugar get into muscle cells better.

2

0

77%

Chronic insulin resistance impairs endothelial function by reducing nitric oxide production, leading to arterial stiffness and increased vascular resistance.

0

47

76%

Insulin helps open up blood vessels in your muscles, letting more blood through so nutrients like creatine can get to the muscle cells more easily.

38

0

74%

When the body can't make nitric oxide, blood flow to the heart drops, but the heart still takes in sugar normally when insulin is around — meaning nitric oxide isn't needed for insulin to help the heart use sugar.

40

0

72%