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Randle Cycle

Meaning

The Randle Cycle, formally known as the glucose-fatty acid cycle, is a fundamental biochemical regulatory mechanism describing the reciprocal relationship between the oxidation of glucose and the oxidation of fatty acids for energy production in most tissues. When one fuel source is preferentially utilized, it inhibits the metabolic pathways responsible for utilizing the other. This metabolic flexibility is essential for energy homeostasis, but its dysregulation, particularly the chronic preferential use of fat over glucose, contributes significantly to insulin resistance and metabolic dysfunction in conditions like type 2 diabetes.