ABSTRACT
The purpose of this chapter is to present an overview of the metabolism of the key nutrients, glucose, fatty acids, and amino acids in the body, and how the interactions involved in the metabolic processing of these nutrients affect glucose homeostasis. We will pay particular attention to the interplay of the metabolism of fatty acids and glucose, which are the major fuel sources in the post-absorptive state. We will then explore how knowledge of the interrelationships of the metabolism of these nutrients has been used so far and the potential for additional use to design effective treatment strategies for type 2 diabetes. The discussion will be focused on human studies, but results from animal experiments will also be discussed where human data are either limited or not available.
