Hydroxybutyric Acid

Hydroxybutyric acid

Hydroxybutyric acid is an intermediate product of the oxidation of fatty acids in the body, which is a monocarboxylic hydroxy acid of the acyclic series. Hydroxybutyric acid belongs to the acetone bodies.

Hydroxybutyric acid is formed during the β-oxidation of fatty acids in the mitochondria of liver, kidney, cardiac and skeletal muscle cells. Normally, hydroxybutyric acid enters the blood in small quantities, where it binds to albumin and is further metabolized to form acetyl-CoA, which enters the Krebs cycle.

In cases of fatty acid metabolism disorders (for example, diabetes), the level of hydroxybutyric acid in the blood increases, which leads to the development of ketoacidosis. In addition, excess hydroxybutyric acid has a toxic effect on the body, in particular, it disrupts the function of the central nervous system.

Thus, hydroxybutyric acid is an important link in the metabolism of fatty acids, and its excess indicates disturbances in this process and the development of pathological conditions. Monitoring the level of hydroxybutyric acid has diagnostic value.

Hydroxybutyric acid is a substance consisting of a molecule of butyric acid and a fragment of an α-keto group (acetone). This is the so-called hydrated acetone or dimethyl ketone. The natural significance of this molecule is that when carrying out energy metabolism, the body does not need to spend energy to synthesize it.