Fatty Acid Oxidation Pathway (FAO)

The fatty acid oxidation pathway, often referred to as β-oxidation, is a central metabolic process by which fatty acids are broken down in cells to generate energy. This pathway primarily occurs in the mitochondria of eukaryotic cells and involves the sequential removal of two-carbon units from fatty acids, producing acetyl-CoA, NADH, and FADH₂. These products feed into the citric acid cycle (TCA cycle) and electron transport chain for ATP synthesis. Defects in any step can lead to metabolic diseases such as primary carnitine deficiency or medium-chain acyl-coenzyme A dehydrogenase deficiency (MCADD). Impaired FAO leads to hypoglycemia during fasting due to insufficient alternative energy production.