to be construed to limit the scope of the invention in any way substituted unsaturated or branched heptanoate as well as other modified seven carbon fatty acids can be used without departing from the scope of the invention triheptanoin is first broken down into three molecules of heptanoic acid and glycerol as illustrated in fig2 the heptanoic acid is then broken down through normal u03b2 oxidative procedures to n valeryl coa c 5 and acetyl coa c 2 in the first cycle in the second cycle the n valeryl coa is then broken down to propionyl coa c 3 and acetyl coa c 2 both of which are important precursors as fuel for the kreb 39 s cycle and energy production triheptanoin therefore is useful as an efficient source of fuel for energy production additionally propionyl coa is a direct precursor for glucose production consequently triheptanoin is useful as a dietary supplement for patients susceptible to hypoglycemia especially for premature infants and the elderly triheptanoin can also be utilized as a growth rate stimulant for premature infants allowing for shorter hospitalizations and thereby reducing medical costs for these infants further since fatty acids are the major fuel for heart tissue and because it has the property of being gluconeogenic triheptanoin can be used in direct fueling of heart tissue in adults recuperating from cardiac.