β-oxidation

Beta-oxidation is a metabolic process that breaks down fatty acids into smaller units to generate energy for the cell. This process occurs within the mitochondria, the powerhouses of the cell.12

Here's a simplified overview:
* Fatty acids are converted into a molecule called coenzyme A (CoA).
* These fatty acid-CoA molecules then undergo a series of four reactions known as beta-oxidation.
* This series of reactions removes two-carbon fragments at a time from the fatty acid chain.
* These two-carbon fragments are released as acetyl-CoA, which can then enter the citric acid cycle to produce adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the cell's main energy currency.13

Beta-oxidation is crucial for mobilizing stored fat as an energy source, especially when glucose is scarce.1