Skip to main content

Ketogenesis

Meaning

Ketogenesis is the critical metabolic process occurring predominantly in the hepatic mitochondria, involving the enzymatic synthesis of ketone bodies—acetoacetate, beta-hydroxybutyrate, and acetone—from the breakdown products of fatty acids. This pathway becomes significantly active during prolonged fasting, strenuous exercise, or carbohydrate restriction, serving as an essential alternative energy source for extrahepatic tissues, especially the brain, when glucose availability is limited. It is a highly regulated process integral to systemic energy homeostasis.