Skip to main content

Energy Partitioning Failure

Meaning

Energy Partitioning Failure is a state of metabolic dysfunction where the body inappropriately allocates ingested energy substrates, directing them preferentially toward fat storage rather than toward lean mass maintenance or productive energy expenditure. This clinical phenomenon represents a breakdown in the homeostatic mechanisms that normally regulate how calories are distributed among muscle, adipose tissue, and the liver. It is a key factor in the pathogenesis of metabolic syndrome and is characterized by a high propensity for central fat gain despite moderate caloric intake.