Which one of the following hormones is essential for the uptake of glucose by cells in the human body?

Insulin is the primary hormone essential for the uptake of glucose by cells in the human body. When blood sugar levels rise, the pancreas secretes insulin, which facilitates the transport of glucose into target tissues such as skeletal muscle and adipose tissue [2]. Specifically, insulin promotes the translocation of the glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) from intracellular locations to the plasma membrane, allowing glucose to enter the cells [3]. While other hormones like Growth Hormone (GH), Cortisol, and Thyroxin (regulated by TSH) play roles in metabolism, they often act as counter-regulatory hormones. For instance, GH and Cortisol can actually inhibit glucose uptake or promote insulin resistance to maintain blood sugar levels during fasting or stress. Therefore, insulin is the specific hormone that enables cellular glucose utilization and maintains homeostasis by lowering blood sugar [2].

Sources

1. [2] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8987680/
2. [3] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7672939/
3. [4] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2451847625000727