Connection Between Insulin Sensitivity and Vascularity?

Hey
So I was wondering if there is a connection between being highly sensitive towards insulin and vascularity when you eat a lot of carbs.
I’ve read different articles about insulin sensitivity. Am I correct that you can handle carbs better (meaning it won’t be stored as fast as easily) when you have a high insulin sensitivity? I’ve started carb cycling (eating carbs only around your workout time) because I wanted to shred down a little while being on a slight caloric deficit. I did it for about a year and decided to go back to eating more carbs as I did before without carb cycling. When I compare my leanness of when I did carb cycling to non-carb cycling (same calories in both cases) I see no difference. However, what I do notice when eating few carbs / carb cycling is that my veins are by far not as visible as when i eat carbs normally.
So I’m wondering is there a connection between more vascularity and high carb intake when you are a person that has the benefit of high insulin sensitivity? My veins are so much more visible when I eat a lot of carbs and I don’t seem to have better or worse body fat when doing so.

I stared to go back to eating carbs regularly mainly because I have much more energy throughout the day that I need bc of university. But I love fat veins so if somebody knows more about why my veins pop up so much when eating more carbs let me know pls. (Or maybe I’m just imagining things??:thinking:)

Vascularity depends on: body fat levels; glycogen storage; and whether you have developed any veins in the first place through training. So, assuming you have some reasonable muscular development, if you body fat is low enough and your glycogen levels are topped up - you will appear vascular. When you start restricting carbs, glycogen levels drop and you start to become flat. When I’m strict keto and/or fasting, it is almost non-existent. That’s why bodybuilders carb up pre-contest.

Thank you! This confirms my assumptions.

Are there any studies on this or articles here on tnation about vascularity and carb intake? Can’t seem to find any :man_shrugging:

I recall CT writing about this but, to be honest, just Google how bodybuilders carb load for contest day. There’s no magic or science required. The carbs pull in water and that’s it.

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