ketone body
noun Biochemistry.
any of three compounds, acetoacetic acid, beta-hydroxybutyric acid, or acetone, that are intermediate in the metabolism of fatty acids and that are found in abnormal quantities in the blood and urine during certain pathological conditions, as diabetes mellitus.
Also called
acetone body.
Origin of ketone body
First recorded in 1910–15
Words nearby ketone body
ketole,
ketolysis,
ketolytic,
ketonaemia,
ketone,
ketone body,
ketone group,
ketonemia,
ketonuria,
ketose,
ketosis
British Dictionary definitions for ketone body
ketone body
noun
biochem
any of three compounds (acetoacetic acid, 3-hydroxybutanoic acid, and acetone) produced when fatty acids are broken down in the liver to provide a source of energy. Excess ketone bodies are present in the blood and urine of people unable to use glucose as an energy source, as in diabetes and starvation
Also called: acetone body
Medical definitions for ketone body
ketone body
n.
A ketone-containing substance, such as acetoacetic acid, that is an intermediate product of fatty acid metabolism, tends to accumulate in the blood, and is excreted in the urine of individuals affected by starvation or uncontrolled diabetes mellitus.
acetone body
Scientific definitions for ketone body
ketone body
A ketone-containing substance that is an intermediate product of the metabolism of fatty acids. Ketone bodies tend to accumulate in the blood and urine of individuals affected by starvation or uncontrolled diabetes mellitus.