Ketone bodies are three water-soluble compounds that are produced as by-products when fatty acids are broken down for energy in the liver. Two of the three are used as a source of energy in the heart and brain while the third is a waste product excreted from the body. In the brain, they are a vital source of energy during fasting. Although termed "bodies", they are dissolved substances, not particles.
The three endogenous ketone bodies are acetone, acetoacetic acid, and beta-hydroxybutyric acid, although beta-hydroxybutyric acid is not technically a ketone but a carboxylic acid. Other ketone bodies such as beta-ketopentanoate and beta-hydroxypentanoate may be created as a result of the metabolism of synthetic triglycerides such as triheptanoin.
Read more about Ketone Bodies: Uses in The Heart and Brain, Production, Ketosis and Ketoacidosis, Impact Upon PH
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