What is the purpose of the Krebs cycle?

The primary purpose of the Krebs cycle is to oxidize acetyl-CoA into carbon dioxide while producing high-energy electron carriers (NADH and FADH₂) and a small amount of direct chemical energy (GTP or ATP). These reduced cofactors transfer electrons to the electron transport chain, facilitating ATP production via oxidative phosphorylation. Additionally, the cycle provides biosynthetic intermediates for amino acids, nucleotide, and heme synthesis, and integrates catabolic and anabolic metabolic pathways.