Futile lipid cycling: from biochemistry to physiology

Our body tends to produce excess FAs to ensure that the FA availability is not limiting. The surplus FAs are actively re-esterified into glycerides, initiating a cycle of breakdown and resynthesis of glycerides. This cycle consumes energy without generating a new product and is commonly referred to as the ‘futile lipid cycle’ or the glyceride/FA cycle. In this Review, the authors discussed the metabolic regulation and physiological implications of the glyceride/FA cycle and its mechanistic underpinnings.