Obesity and the accompanying metabolic disorders can have additional consequences. In particular, the heart and skeletal muscles may lose an important reserve energy source. This is the conclusion of researchers from Düsseldorf University Clinic, published in the journal eBioMedicine.
Experts have shown that in obesity, type 2 diabetes, and metabolic syndrome, cells are less efficient at using ketone bodies—breakdown products of fats that help provide energy to organs when glucose is scarce, reports Planet Today.
Ketone bodies are synthesized by the liver from fatty acids and serve as an alternative energy source for the heart, skeletal muscles, kidneys, and some other organs. Levels of ketones can be increased through fasting, physical activity, or a low-carbohydrate diet.
The problem is that in all forms of insulin resistance, mitochondria extract energy from ketone bodies less effectively. This effect is especially pronounced in people with excess weight and type 2 diabetes.
Other risks include the combination of obesity, hypertension, high blood sugar, and elevated triglycerides in the blood. In such cases, the liver suffers significantly. Targeting ketone metabolism may help mitigate these effects.
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