The hexose monophosphate shunt (HMP shunt) is an alternative pathway to glycolysis that is more anabolic in nature. It is concerned with the biosynthesis of NADPH and pentoses like ribose 5-phosphate, which are useful for synthesizing nucleic acids, nucleotides, and other biomolecules. The HMP shunt is important for producing NADPH, which is required for reductive biosynthesis of fatty acids, steroids, and certain amino acids. NADPH also plays a role in antioxidant reactions, detoxification, phagocytosis, and maintaining hemoglobin and glutathione levels. The enzymes of the HMP shunt are located in the cytosol of tissues like the liver,