deuterated water

Deuterated water (D2O), also known as heavy water, is a stable isotope tracer used in clinical research to quantify metabolic flux. In the context of studies conducted by Columbia University, it is administered to patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), insulin resistance, and hyperinsulinemia to measure hepatic de novo lipogenesis (DNL). By tracking the incorporation of deuterium into newly synthesized triglycerides or glucose, researchers can assess the rate of these metabolic pathways. This diagnostic tool is essential for understanding the pathogenesis of NAFLD and evaluating how therapeutic interventions, such as diazoxide, affect the liver's handling of fat and sugar.

Other names

heavy waterdeuterium oxide