What effect would be expected when the secretion of epinephrine is stimulated by physical or emotional stress?

What effect would be expected when the secretion of epinephrine is stimulated by physical or emotional stress?

• A. Decreased blood glucose level
• B. Increased blood glucose level
• C. Increased glycogen storage
• D. No effect on blood glucose or glycogen levels

Answer: (B)

The question tests how epinephrine drives rapid metabolic changes during stress to raise the amount of glucose in the blood, providing quick energy for muscles and the brain. During stress, epinephrine is released and acts on liver cells by activating a cascade that increases cAMP. This activates enzymes that promote glycogen breakdown (glycogenolysis) and the subsequent release of glucose into the bloodstream. At the same time, epinephrine suppresses insulin release and promotes glucagon release, shifting metabolism toward glucose production and release rather than storage. While muscle glycogen can be broken down, the glucose released from muscles isn’t sent into the blood, so the net systemic effect is higher blood glucose. So the best answer is an increase in blood glucose level because epinephrine mobilizes stored glucose and reduces its uptake into tissues, aligning with the body’s need for quick energy during stress. The other options don’t fit: stress does not decrease blood glucose; epinephrine’s action is not to increase glycogen storage (that would require an insulin-dominant state); and there is a clear effect rather than none.

The question tests how epinephrine drives rapid metabolic changes during stress to raise the amount of glucose in the blood, providing quick energy for muscles and the brain.

During stress, epinephrine is released and acts on liver cells by activating a cascade that increases cAMP. This activates enzymes that promote glycogen breakdown (glycogenolysis) and the subsequent release of glucose into the bloodstream. At the same time, epinephrine suppresses insulin release and promotes glucagon release, shifting metabolism toward glucose production and release rather than storage. While muscle glycogen can be broken down, the glucose released from muscles isn’t sent into the blood, so the net systemic effect is higher blood glucose.

So the best answer is an increase in blood glucose level because epinephrine mobilizes stored glucose and reduces its uptake into tissues, aligning with the body’s need for quick energy during stress.

The other options don’t fit: stress does not decrease blood glucose; epinephrine’s action is not to increase glycogen storage (that would require an insulin-dominant state); and there is a clear effect rather than none.