During moderate aerobic exercise in a healthy individual, which change in blood glucose and dominant metabolic pathway is most likely?

• A. Blood glucose will always sharply increase because exercise shuts down hepatic glucose production while muscle releases glucose into the blood via glycogen synthesis.
• B. Exercise in healthy individuals switches off adipose lipolysis entirely and forces the pancreas to secrete glucagon only, leading to rapid hyperglycemia regardless of muscle activity.
• C. Blood glucose becomes zero because all glucose is permanently converted into glycogen in muscle within minutes of starting exercise.
• D. Blood glucose may decrease moderately as muscle glucose uptake increases (insulin-independent transporters are activated by exercise) and hepatic glycogenolysis increases to supply glucose—balance depends on exercise intensity and duration.

Answer: (D)