Fat oxidation

Fat oxidation refers collectively to the biochemical processes by which fatty acids are broken down for energy production. This primarily occurs through β‑oxidation—a cyclic series of reactions that take place mainly in mitochondria. In each round, two carbons are removed from activated long-chain fatty acids as acetyl‑CoA units via four main enzymatic steps catalyzed by acyl‑CoA dehydrogenase, enoyl‑CoA hydratase, β-hydroxyacyl‑CoA dehydrogenase, and thiolase. The resulting acetyl‑CoA enters the citric acid cycle for further ATP generation through oxidative phosphorylation. This process is essential during fasting states when glucose availability is low and provides more than twice as much energy per gram compared with carbohydrates or proteins. Because “fat oxidation” encompasses many molecules and steps rather than one discrete targetable entity—and because its regulation involves numerous proteins—this term should not be used where precise molecular targeting information is required.

Other names

Fatty acid oxidationβ-oxidationBeta-oxidation

Not applicable for "fat oxidation" itself; mechanisms relate to modulation of individual enzymes or transporters within the pathway. Examples include: Activation/inhibition of acyl-CoA dehydrogenases; Modulation of carnitine palmitoyltransferase activity.