During fetal development, the heart primarily relies on carbohydrates for energy, as fatty acids are in limited supply. But after birth, the availability of circulating fatty acids increases dramatically, prompting the heart to shift its energy source to fats. This metabolic transition is essential for normal cardiac function—but when it goes awry, it can contribute to serious disease.
What signals prompt the fetal heart to prepare the machinery needed to take up and metabolize lipids is still poorly understood.
Understanding this process becomes even more critical when we consider preterm birth. In these cases, the usual signals and nutrients that help the heart mature and adapt to fat-based energy are often disrupted, putting preterm infants at greater risk for metabolic complications.
Find this paper at Physiological Reports and Pubmed.