Β-Hydroxybutyric acid
Β-Hydroxybutyric acid (also known as 3-hydroxybutyric acid or 3HB) is a organic compound that plays a significant role in the human body. It is a ketone body, which are water-soluble molecules produced by the liver from fatty acids during periods of low food intake (fasting), carbohydrate restrictive diets, starvation, prolonged intense exercise, or in untreated (or inadequately treated) type 1 diabetes mellitus.
Chemistry[edit | edit source]
Β-Hydroxybutyric acid is a chiral compound with two enantiomers: D-3-hydroxybutyric acid and L-3-hydroxybutyric acid. The D-isomer is the biologically active form that is endogenously produced by humans and used as an energy source.
Biosynthesis[edit | edit source]
Β-Hydroxybutyric acid is synthesized in the liver from acetyl-CoA in a reaction catalyzed by the enzyme beta-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase. This process occurs when glucose levels are low, such as during fasting or starvation, and is part of the ketosis metabolic pathway.
Role in the body[edit | edit source]
Β-Hydroxybutyric acid serves as a source of energy for the brain, heart, and muscles during periods of fasting or starvation. It can cross the blood-brain barrier and is converted into acetyl-CoA, which is then used in the citric acid cycle to generate ATP, the body's main energy currency.
Clinical significance[edit | edit source]
Β-Hydroxybutyric acid is used as a diagnostic marker in the detection of ketoacidosis, a serious complication of diabetes. High levels of β-hydroxybutyric acid in the blood can lead to a decrease in blood pH, resulting in acidosis.
See also[edit | edit source]
Navigation: Wellness - Encyclopedia - Health topics - Disease Index - Drugs - World Directory - Gray's Anatomy - Keto diet - Recipes
Search WikiMD
Ad.Tired of being Overweight? Try W8MD's physician weight loss program.
Semaglutide (Ozempic / Wegovy and Tirzepatide (Mounjaro / Zepbound) available.
Advertise on WikiMD
WikiMD is not a substitute for professional medical advice. See full disclaimer.
Credits:Most images are courtesy of Wikimedia commons, and templates Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY SA or similar.
Translate this page: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
தமிழ்,
తెలుగు,
Urdu,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
বাংলা
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
Greek,
português do Brasil,
polski,
română,
русский,
Nederlands,
norsk,
svenska,
suomi,
Italian
Middle Eastern & African
عربى,
Turkish,
Persian,
Hebrew,
Afrikaans,
isiZulu,
Kiswahili,
Other
Bulgarian,
Hungarian,
Czech,
Swedish,
മലയാളം,
मराठी,
ਪੰਜਾਬੀ,
ગુજરાતી,
Portuguese,
Ukrainian
Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD