Acetone is an indispensable compound that serves as a building block, whether in the body or in an organic chemistry lab.
In the human body, acetone is known as a ketone body. It is naturally produced through normal metabolism in the liver.
Our bodies use ketones, such as acetone, as an important source of energy. Ketones are especially useful during exercise and while on low-carbohydrate diets for weight loss or fasting. Even the brain uses ketones for energy if it has to, but it would rather use them for creating vital brain lipids.
Any ketones that are not needed by the body will end up in the urine as waste or exhaled out of the lungs in breath.
Acetone is widely used as an industrial solvent that dissolves things and keeps them in solution. At low levels, it does not cause adverse effects on health or the environment. It’s interesting that roughly 97% of the acetone released into our atmosphere comes from nature through decaying vegetation and natural forest fires.
Acetone is also an indirect additive often found in consumer products such as cosmetics and foods, and can be present in foods such as beverages, baked goods, preserves and desserts, and people consume it also from natural food sources such as human breast milk, grapes, tomatoes, beans, dairy, cauliflower and onions.
Although acetone is a common, daily-use cleanser used in medical practices, some consumers assume it is toxic.