UTILIZATION OF THE KETONE BODIES IN NORMAL ANIMALS AND IN THOSE WITH KETOSIS

Abstract

The ketone body utilization of animals in a state of ketosis caused by pancreatic diabetes or phloridzin was measured by detn. of the simultaneous ketone body and O2 arteriovenous differences. The avg. fraction of the O2 difference utilized by burning ketone bodies was 44% and normal animals injected with B-hydroxybutyric acid showed no greater utilization. The production of ketone bodies by the liver and utilization of them by the other tissues is an important, though not necessarily inevitable, route for the catabolism of fatty acids. Increases in metabolic rate (exercise) of an organism in a state of ketosis probably increase the rates of production and utilization of these substances.