The adult human heart preferentially metabolizes fatty acids over glucose for energy
The healthy adult human heart relies predominantly on fatty acid oxidation over glucose to meet its continuous, high energy demands.
The retrieved literature consistently supports the well-established physiological principle that while immature fetal cardiomyocytes rely largely on glycolysis, the mature mammalian and human heart undergoes a metabolic shift to preferentially utilize fatty acids via beta-oxidation for the majority of its ATP production.
Yuichi Horikoshi, Yasheng Yan, M. Terashvili, C. Wells, Hisako Horikoshi, S. Fujita, Z. Bosnjak, X. Bai. Fatty Acid-Treated Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Human Cardiomyocytes Exhibit Adult Cardiomyocyte-Like Energy Metabolism Phenotypes. 2019. https://doi.org/10.3390/cells8091095
As cardiomyocytes mature during development, fatty acid beta-oxidation becomes a key energy source to meet the adult heart's high energy demand.
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Xiaoqian Ji, Zihao Chen, Qiyuan Wang, Bin Li, Yan Wei, Yun Li, Jianqing Lin, Weisheng Cheng, Yijie Guo, Shilin Wu, Longkun Mao, Y. Xiang, Tian Lan, Shanshan Gu, Meng Wei, Joe Z. Zhang, Lan Jiang, Jia Wang, Jin Xu, Nan Cao. Sphingolipid metabolism controls mammalian heart regeneration.. 2024. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2024.01.017
The utilization of lipids as energy substrates after birth characterizes adult cardiomyocyte metabolism.
Goldberg IJ, Young ME, Schulze PC, Drosatos K. Cardiac Lipid Metabolism: Cells, Metabolites, and Rhythms.. 2026. https://doi.org/10.1161/circresaha.126.327471
The adult heart depends heavily on lipid uptake and utilization for proper function and energy production.
Liu L, Steimle JD, Tsai CR, Meng F, Morikawa Y, Zhao Y, Carmichael S, Li X, Martin JF. YAP Induces a Prorenewal Metabolic State in Cardiomyocytes.. 2026. https://doi.org/10.1161/circulationaha.125.074956
Maturing cardiomyocytes undergo a metabolic shift from predominantly glycolysis in the neonatal state to increased fatty acid oxidation in the mature state.
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